Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

I found this recipe on Sparkpeople.com and made it tonight for dinner. With working full-time again, I am always looking to find more crock pot recipes and we found a winner with this one! It was easy enough that I got it all ready to go this morning, Darrin started the crock pot before he left for work, then when he got home, he finished the rest of it. Dinner was ready within 15 minutes after John and I got home from work!

Next time I think I am going to add some mushrooms in with the chicken to cook all day too!

We will definitely make this one again and again!!!

(all below is as posted on sparkpeople.com)
To clarify so answers to questions:
First, YES the cream cheese is figured into the totals...if you use FULL FAT cream cheese, the fat content will be considerably higher. But low fat cream cheese really takes the fat down.
Second, I haven't ever tried it with regular Italian dressing...let me know how it turns out!
Third, I HIGHLY recommend using the low setting for cooking...it allows the juices from the chicken to really seep into the dressing.

Ingredients
*1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*1 pkg Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 8oz pkg low fat cream cheese
*1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
*3 cups cooked white, long grain rice

Directions
*1. Place chicken in crock pot
*2. Mix together Italian dressing mix and water. Pour over chicken.
*3. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours OR low for 8 hours.
*4. Mix together cream cheese and soup in separate bowl.
*5. Carefully remove chicken from crock pot to plate.
*6. Pour cream cheese/soup mixture into crock pot and mix together with dressing in bottom.
*7. Return chicken to crock pot and mix gently to shred the chicken.
*8. Cook on LOW until heated through.
*Serve with rice or noodles.
**You may add skim or low fat milk in very small quantities to thin the sauce a little. It does not significantly affect the nutritional value if you use up to 2 tablespoons

**Makes 6 servings. Approximately 2/3 cup mixture with 1/2 cup rice.

This recipe can be made with FAT FREE cream cheese and it saves about 6 grams of fat. However, I feel that the dish benefits from the flavor of the low fat over the fat free.

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil or vegetable oil
4 potatoes, chopped
1 jalapeño, diced 1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can chicken broth
1 can coconut milk (not sweetened)
1 bag frozen peas (10 ounces defrosted)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro, basil, or Thai basil chopped for garnish

Directions:
Coat bottom of a skillet with oil and place on stovetop set to medium heat.
Add chopped onion, garlic, and jalapeño, and sauté until soft.
Move onions, garlic, and jalapeno to one side of pan and brown chicken breasts on other side.
Pan must be hot and chicken breasts dry to brown.
Place stoneware in slow cooker heating base, and add onion mixture, chicken, potatoes, chicken broth, coconut milk, salt and pepper, and curry powder.
Cover, and cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 2-3 hours.
During the last thirty minutes of cooking time, add the peas.
Garnish with cilantro, basil, or Thai basil, and serve.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This is a very easy and tasty dip that one of my hostesses served at her show! I told her I had to have the recipe! I just made it Thanksgiving weekend and my family loved it too - I was told I have to make it at Christmas too!

You can adjust the amount of hot sauce to your preference.


2 - 8 oz cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cans of cubed chicken (shred it and I use the white meat kind)
6 oz Ranch Dressing
5 oz or less of Chicken wing sauce (I used Franks Red Hot Sauce)

Put it all in a crock pot and turn on low. Stir frequently. Serve with Tostidos, chips or celery sticks.

My Chili

1.25 pounds lean ground beef
16 oz bush's chili beans
16 oz kidney beans
46 oz (4 cans) canned diced tomatoes
2 cup celery (chopped)
1/2 cup onions
1.25 oz (one packet) McCormick Mild Chili seasoning


1 Brown Ground beef in skillet and drain off fat
2 put all ingredients into crock pot
3 cook on high until everything is heated throughout

Servings: 11
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes