Category Archives: Chicken

Chicken, Chicken, Chicken, Crockpot, Dinner, Soup

Chicken, Kale, And Sweet Potato Soup – Crock Pot Easy!

Leave a comment

Chicken, Kale, And Sweet Potato Soup is a healthy soup that tastes delicious. This is a very easy to make crock pot soup recipe. Just a few minutes of preparation and the hearty soup slow cooks while you go about your day!

It’s the beginning of a new year and boy do we need a new year after a tough 2020! I’m starting the new year off right by eating cleaner and healthier. I love Christmas time and all the cheese, wine, and desserts that are part of the Christmas season, but you can only take so much in such a short amount of time. It’s time to get back to basics where we cut back on the cheese and bump up the veggies. Do you remember what vegetables are? It’s been a while since you’ve had them after all! Nonetheless, eating healthier doesn’t have to equate to eating cardboard, tasteless food. No way! I’m opting for delicious meals that taste amazing, but are less calories, fat, and carbohydrates. It can be done. And this soup is proof of that!

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is a classic soup that is well liked by pretty much everyone. And what’s not to like? It has chicken broth, chicken (of course!), and usually has some kind of starch whether it’s rice or pasta of some sort. Many people like to add vegetables as well. Common veggies of choice are carrots, onions, and leafy options like escarole or spinach.

People love to eat chicken soup, when they are sick. Not only does it taste good, but according to some studies, chicken soup can actually help fight colds. Yes, it’s true, it’s not just a myth! The soup helps ease up nasal congestion. Additionally, chicken soup hydrates the body which is essential for sick bodies. Further, the salt and electrolytes in the broth retain hydration. And finally, chicken soup can also improve the cilia function in your nose which then provides protection from contagions entering your body. Chicken soup is pretty amazing. And it tastes good so you can get the health benefits of soup even when you aren’t sick!

Ground Turkey Rice Soup Vs. Crock Pot Chicken, Sweet Potato Soup

My recipe for Ground Turkey, Kale, and Brown Rice Soup, was the inspiration for this chicken, kale, and sweet potato soup. Well, technically it was that recipe and reading another recipe for a crock pot soup which consisted of chicken, kale, and sweet potatoes. However, the soup recipe I came across had no seasonings in it at all. As a result, the reviews on that soup were mixed; some loved the soup and others said it was too bland. It got me thinking about mixing the two different recipes together and coming up with my own crock pot chicken, kale, and sweet potato soup.

I was nervous about how it would turn out. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it was! And now I’m excited to add this soup to my family’s dinner rotation. It tastes great and it’s very healthy as well. Oh, and it’s very easy to make. It’s a win-win-win!

Although the seasonings for the Ground Turkey, Kale, and Brown Rice Soup and the Chicken, Kale, and Sweet Potato soup are very similar, the soups actually taste very different. While both delicious in their own right, they do not taste the same. I was actually surprised by this. However, it does make sense that the each soup tasted differently. After all, chicken and ground turkey don’t exactly taste the same. And sweet potatoes and brown rice certainly have different flavors, not to mention textures. Both soups have a flavorsome taste which is great because you could make them in the same week and have completely different dinners!

Which Is Healthier?

Sweet Potato Or Brown Rice?

Both sweet potatoes and brown rice are a great source of fiber. In fact, they have almost equal amounts of fiber.

When it comes to carbohydrates, both sweet potatoes and brown rice are excellent sources. However, brown rice has almost 3 times as many calories and a higher amount of carbs than sweet potatoes.

So while it might sound like sweet potatoes are the healthier option for a soup, it should be noted that brown rice actually has 5 times as much protein than sweet potatoes.

Therefore, we can only conclude that both sweet potatoes and brown rice are healthy in their own right. Deciding on which is the healthier choice for a soup or any snack/meal will really come down to what it is your are trying to accomplish. If you are trying to lose weight, the lower calorie option might be better. Thus, sweet potatoes could be the winner. However, if you are looking to increase your protein intake, brown rice would be the winner. Either way, moderation is key as well as eating each with a balanced diet and regular exercise. That is always the formula for a healthy body.

Crock Pot Soup

I’m a huge fan of cooking in a crock pot. Just like a baby bjorn carrier frees up your hands while holding a baby, a crock pot frees up your time to do other things while your food cooks. Maybe not the easiest analogy to follow, but slow cooking food in a crock pot is a huge time saver. And that time can be spent on lots of other things which I’m sure you can appreciate as much as me.

This crock pot soup really makes life easier on many levels. It takes approximately 10 – 15 minutes to prepare (which is basically just cutting and chopping). After the prep work is done, you go about your day and get things done. Don’t you love checking things off of your to-do list? I sometimes think I make lists just to check off the items on it.

Chicken, Kale, & Sweet Potato Soup Ingredients

If you are like me, you probably won’t want to see an ingredients list that consists of more than 5 items. Don’t get discouraged that this crock pot soup recipe consists of 11 ingredients. The number of ingredients don’t add a significant amount of time to the cooking of this delicious meal, but they do add a ton of amazing flavor!

  • 3 lbs Chicken Boneless
  • 2 cups Sweet Potatoes Cut into small pieces
  • 1 Shallots Chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup Baby Carrots Cut into 1/2″ pieces
  • 2 tbsp Garlic Minced
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper Chopped into small pieces
  • 1 can Diced Tomatoes 14 oz can
  • 2 tbsp Herbs de Provence
  • 5 cups Chicken Broth I prefer low sodium, no fat chicken broth
  • 1 bunch Kale Cut into small pieces
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

  • Add chopped sweet potatoes and chicken to the crock pot.
  • Next, add shallots, garlic, carrots, bell pepper, diced tomatoes, and herbs de Provence to crock pot.
  • Then add in. chicken broth
  • Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
  • Approximately 15 – 30 minutes before serving, stir in kale. Mix it in so that it’s submerged in the liquid and cooks down.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and add parmesan cheese to each bowl.

More Soups To Love

It’s soup season! What better time to make a hearty soup that is super easy to make? Like they say, there is no time like the present!

Check out these easy soup recipes:

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Ground Turkey, Kale, & Brown Rice Soup

Seafood Chowder

Desserts To Devour

And since you are being so good by eating soup for dinner, you deserve a tasty dessert.

Check out these easy to make dessert recipes:

Rolo Cookies

Cheesecake Cookie Cups

Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake

Crock Pot Chocolate Covered Peanut Clusters

NO BAKE Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie

Must Make Martinis

If dessert isn’t really your thing, maybe you should try a dessert martini instead. These martinis are delicious and strong so sip slowly:

French Martini

Pistachio Martini

S’Mores Martini

Bananas Foster Martini

Chocolate Amaretto Martini

Follow Me On Social Media

Don’t forget to leave a reply below or share the recipe with on social media – sharing is caring!

chicken, kale, and sweet potato soup is a healthy soup that tastes delicious. Crock pot soup that takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and is an easy dinner recipe that tastes delicious!
Print

Chicken, Kale, & Sweet Potato Soup

Delicious Soup Recipe That Is EASY To Make!
Course Main Course, Main Dish, Soup
Keyword best soup, crockpot, hearty soup, homemade soup, kale, kale soup, soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings 12 people
Author jenahoward

Equipment

  • Crock Pot

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs Chicken Boneless
  • 2 cups Sweet Potatoes Cut into small pieces
  • 2 tbsp Garlic Minced
  • 1 Shallots Chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup Baby Carrots Cut into 1/2" pieces
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper Chopped into small pieces
  • 1 can Diced Tomatoes 14 oz can
  • 2 tbsp Herbs de Provence
  • 5 cups Chicken Broth I prefer low sodium, no fat chicken broth
  • 1 bunch Kale Cut into small pieces
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

  • Add chopped sweet potatoes and chicken to the crock pot.
  • Next, add shallots, garlic, carrots, bell pepper, diced tomatoes, and herbs de Provence to crock pot.
  • Then add in. chicken broth
  • Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
  • Approximately 15 – 30 minutes before serving, stir in kale. Mix it in so that it's submerged in the liquid and cooks down.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and add parmesan cheese to each bowl.
  • Enjoy!
    chicken, kale, and sweet potato soup is a healthy soup that tastes delicious. Crock pot soup that takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and is an easy dinner recipe that tastes delicious!

Chicken, Chicken, Crockpot, Dinner

Easy To Cook, Creamy Crock Pot Chicken With Peas

1 Comment

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken With Peas is a recipe that I concocted years ago. I kind of just threw a few things in the crock pot and let it cook all day. Right before sitting down for dinner, I made some rice so serve the creamy chicken with. Wow. That’s what I thought. What a simple way to cook such a tasty dinner! It quickly became a favorite and I would look forward to making it on a regular basis.

Crock Pot Cooking

I’m sure most people know what a crock pot is. However, they might not know how it works or how to cook with it. Let’s start with how it works, shall we? Unlike an oven or stove top burner, crock pots (sometimes referred to as slow cookers) cook food at a low temp for long stretches of time. Have you heard the phrase, low and slow? It is the motto of crock pots! The slow cooker cooks the food consistently with low heat so that it cooks by trapping the heat. Thus, it cooks the meat thoroughly, but does not dry it out, assuming you add a decent amount of liquid to the pot.

Texture & Flavor

One of the greatest things about cooking in a crock pot is that the food simmers for long periods of time and the food, most especially, the meat becomes very tender. It literally falls apart without needing a knife. If you like tender meat, slow cooked meats in a crock pot is sure to be a favorite for you. Not only is the texture soft, but because the meat and veggies breaks down during the cooking process, the juices from the food keep the meal moist as it simmers. As a result, this provides a tasty sauce that you will want to savor with each bite.

Cook Times

Cook time in a crock pot can vary from dish to dish. I mainly cook dinners in my crock pot so at this point, I’ll keep this pretty simple to understand as far as meats are concerned. We will delve deeper into cooking times for desserts and appetizers in other recipes, but for now, let’s stick with cooking times for meats only.

Large Roasts & Pork Loins

Larger roasts such as roast beef and pork loins generally take at least 8 hours on low. Generally, 8 – 10 hours on low is the best way to cook roasts in a crock pot. Typically, I won’t cook big hunks of meat like these on the high setting. Personally, I prefer the low and slow methodology and stick to it whenever possible. I just have to budget my time accordingly because low and slow is really the best way to cook a roast or large pork loin.

Chicken & Pork (small cuts)

However, when it comes to chicken and smaller cuts of pork, those typically cook in 5 hours (somewhere between 4 to 6 hours) on low. If you were to use the high setting on a crock pot, you could cook chicken and thinner cuts of pork in as little as 3 hours. I’m always nervous that the meat will become dry so I prefer the lower temperature for longer periods of time. Just be sure to add some liquid to whatever meat you are cooking so that it cooks evenly without becoming dry.

Convenient Dinner

The purpose of the crock pot is to make cooking easy and to come home to a yummy dinner that is ready to eat. That is the beauty of crock pot dinners! To get to this point, you do have to do some preparation at the beginning of the day. And, if your house is like mine, mornings are hectic. Who really wants to prepare dinner while you are getting kids ready for school, yourself ready for work, and trying to make it out of the house on time? Suddenly, that easy to cook dinner becomes a hassle!

Preparation

I love making easy crock pot meals. To be fair, most crock pot meals are usually very easy to cook. However, some need more preparation than others. I’m a huge fan of crock pot meals that consist of dumping ingredients into the pot and turning on the temperature. What home cooked meal is better than that? I certainly can’t think of anything off the top of my head!

Since even the simplest recipes can seem overwhelming in the chaotic mornings, being prepared is key. You can prep your crock pot dinner the night before. Did you know that? It’s true and it’s a game changer. I’m sure you can find an additional 5 to 10 minutes before you head to be to prep your dinner for the next evening. Just put the necessary ingredients in the crock pot and keep it in the refrigerator overnight. Rather than prepping your dinner in the morning, all you need to do is pull the crock pot out of the refrigerator as you are getting everyone ready. By the time you are heading out of the house, the pot will be room temperature and you can set it and forget it. Oh wait, that’s another cooking device, isn’t it? Well, no matter, it holds true here as well!

Making Creamy Crock Pot Chicken

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Chicken boneless
  • 3 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup I prefer Campbell’s healthy request for lower fat and calories
  • 10 oz Peas frozen
  • 3 cups Rice cooked

How To Make

  • Place chicken in the crock pot.
  • Top chicken with cream of mushroom soup.
  • Turn crock pot on low and cook for approx 6 or more hours (cook for 3 hours on high).
  • Approx. 30 minutes before time is done, add peas and stir. (if you prefer, you can add the peas with the chicken and cream of soup from the beginning).
  • Once done, serve over rice or pasta.

What To Serve With

Rice (Brown or White)

The most obvious way to serve this creamy crock pot chicken with peas is over rice. You can opt for white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice, whatever rice you want. The stickiness of the rice is perfect for holding on to the creamy goodness of the sauce. That way, you can soak up as much sauce in each bite as possible. It’s a delicious and easy way to eat this family favorite dinner.

Pasta

Pasta is one of my favorite starches, if not, my most favorite starch! Therefore, it is not surprise that I suggest serving the creamy crock pot chicken and peas over pasta. A noodle type of pasta such as spaghetti or linguini would be a perfect choice for maximizing your bites with all the sauce! However, ziti is a great choice for creamy sauces because it’s easy to eat and can hold onto the sauce inside the pasta. How’s that for maximizing your taste buds?!

Keto Friendly

And finally, if you are on a keto diet and want to eliminate starches wherever possible, you could skip the rice, pasta, and potatoes, and opt for just the main dish of chicken, peas, and that yummy cream of mushroom sauce! All the protein you need without sacrificing taste. It’s a great way to stay focused with preferred dietary needs.

Must Try Crock Pot Recipes

Once you try this creamy crock pot chicken and peas, I know you will add this to your dinner rotations of easy meals. It really is a no-brainer when it comes to easy of cooking that tastes delicious.

And since you will love this dish so much, you might want to check out some other very easy cooking (crock pot) meals that are equally as tasty!

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

Hawaiian Chicken

Mango Pork

Honey Parmesan Crusted Pork

Incredible Martini Recipes

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Martini

Bananas Foster Martini

Sugar Cookie Martini

Pistachio Martini

Follow Me On Social Media

Don’t forget to leave a reply below or share the recipe with on social media – sharing is caring!

Print

Easy To Cook, Creamy Crock Pot Chicken With Peas

Creamy crock pot chicken with peas is an easy recipe that slow cooks all day on it's own. A deliciously simple dinner any night of the week.
Course Dinner
Keyword chicken, crockpot, easy dinner
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings 6 people
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Chicken boneless
  • 3 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup I prefer Campbell's healthy request for lower fat and calories
  • 10 oz Peas frozen
  • 3 cups Rice cooked

Instructions

  • Place chicken in the crock pot.
  • Top chicken with cream of mushroom soup.
  • Turn crock pot on low and cook for approx 6 or more hours (cook for 3 hours on high).
  • Approx. 30 minutes before time is done, add peas and stir. (if you prefer, you can add the peas with the chicken and cream of soup from the beginning).
  • Once done, serve over rice or pasta.
  • ENJOY!
Chicken, Dinner

Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash

3 Comments

Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash is a delicious and different way to eat buffalo chicken. Served by itself, it is a great low carb or keto friendly meal. Or you could pair this with fresh bread, rice, quinoa, or cous cous and you have a well rounded, traditional meal.

Buffalo Chicken

Whether you love spicy food or can’t handle it, we can agree that we all have heard of buffalo chicken, right? Do you know when buffalo chicken originated or how we got to this era where we (to quote Frank’s Hot Sauce), “put that sh%t on everything!” ? Gather around kids. It all started back in 1964 when Teressa Belissimo used her own special sauce to cover chicken wings at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY. The wings were served with blue cheese and celery because that was available, when they were first served. Now, blue cheese is an absolute must when eating buffalo chicken. They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly!

Over the years, buffalo chicken wings gained popularity and more and more people ventured out with buffalo chicken recipes and started making buffalo chicken tenders, then putting the tenders on pizzas, in macaroni and cheese, as appetizer dips (who doesn’t love a good buffalo chicken dip?!), and so much more!

So with all the innovative ways of eating buffalo chicken, why not eat it with spaghetti squash, right? Skip the starch and go directly to the meat with buffalo chicken spaghetti squash!

Squash – Fruit or Vegetable?

If you haven’t tried spaghetti squash or haven’t heard about, it’s a pretty interesting food. While most people think of squash as being a vegetable, did you know that it is actually a fruit? I, for one, did not realize this! It’s true though.

Squash are classified as winter and summer squash. The winter varieties include butternut, acorn, pumpkin, and spaghetti squashes. While the summer squashes consist of zucchini and yellow squash. Regardless of their seasonality, they are all brightly colored, like fruit, but have mild and savory tastes, like vegetables. Therefore, it’s confusing to figure out where squash falls; fruit or vegetable?

Since fruits contain seeds and grow from flowers, and all types of squash grow from flowers, they are considered a fruit. Weird, I know!

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is a small, watermelon-shaped (fruit!) which can range from 2 to 5 pounds on average. It is a yellow color and consists of a very mild, nut-like flavor. When squash is cooked, the inner flesh breaks down and resembles spaghetti noodles. Making spaghetti squash a great low carbohydrate substitute for pasta.

As previously mentioned, spaghetti squash is a winter vegetable that is high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Because of its low calorie, high fiber content, many believe it can assist with weight loss and aids digestion.

Ingredients Needed

Now that I’ve convinced you that this is a must-try dish, here is what you will need to make this addictive, yet healthy meal:

  • 1 Spaghetti Squash
  • 2 Celery Stalks chopped
  • 1 Orange Pepper chopped
  • 1 Red Pepper chopped
  • 4 Green Onions chopped
  • 1 pkg Ranch Dressing dry
  • 1 cup Ranch Dressing low fat, salad dressing
  • 3/4 cup Buffalo Sauce or more, if preferred
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Making This Masterpiece

Before you look at the instructions, I’m going to warn you that it looks like a lot. However, you need to trust me, I am not a fan of complicated recipes. This is not complicated and everything can be prepped and cooked at the same time. It’s an efficient recipe so to speak : )

Here is what you will need to do (and believe me, it’s SO worth it!):

  • Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Wash and dry spaghetti squash.
  • Cut the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise.
  • Remove the seeds and the stringy parts of the flesh. Best scooped out with a spoon.
  • Drizzle half of the olive oil all over the 2 halves and season the inside with salt and pepper.
  • Place the squash cut side down on the baking sheet.
  • Bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Poke it with a knife to check if the flesh is tender.

Buffalo Chicken

  • While the spaghetti squash is cooking, dice up the celery, peppers and green onions.
  • Next, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add chicken and season generously (both sides) with salt and pepper and some of the ranch packet . Cook until no longer pink, 10 minutes per side.
  • Transfer chicken to a plate.
  • While the spaghetti squash is cooling (at least 5 minutes), cut up the chicken in to bite size pieces, then mix together chicken, peppers, celery, and onions.
  • Add in the remaining ranch packet and stir well.
  • Turn the squash around and with a fork, gently pull the squash flesh from the skin so that it starts to look like spaghetti strands.
  • Spoon spaghetti strands into the chicken, peppers, and green onion mixture and gently mix together.
  • Next, add in the ranch salad dressing and mix well.
  • Add in the buffalo sauce and mix well.
  • Place filling mixture back into the spaqhetti squash shells.
  • Top with bleu cheese crumbles.
  • Place back in oven and cook for 10 minutes.

Low Carb

Spaghetti squash is low in calories, yet is high in fiber. Thus, making it a great food for a well rounded weight loss diet. With only 42 calories per cup, eating spaghetti squash as a low-calorie alternative in recipes like pasta, rice, or potato dishes can help promote weight loss. After all, one cup of cooked spaghetti noodles has about 200 calories and 40 grams carbohydrates.

Conversely, one cup of cooked spaghetti squash has just 40 calories and 10 grams carbohydrates. Not to mention, spaghetti squash has 2 grams of fiber per one-cup serving and has the added benefits of calcium, potassium, magnesium, and niacin.

Because spaghetti squash is a nutritious squash and is high in fiber, it is a popular low carb, low-fat, gluten-free, and vegan alternative to spaghetti noodles. Of course, it doesn’t taste exactly the same as traditional pasta, but it’s a really good compromise considering the health benefits. And with the right sauce or flavoring, you might not notice the difference at all!

More Recipes To Love

I’m sure you will love this buffalo chicken spaghetti squash. I have many other recipes that you might like. They might not all be the same taste, but they all taste great! In addition to the yummy flavor, you will be sure to love some additional healthy options.

Here are a few meals you should try:

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Tomato Cod Butter & Herbs
Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Print

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

This buffalo chicken stuffed spaghetti squash is the best way to eat your favorite spicy food! It is a healthy and delicious meal without grease and added carbs. Nothing but yummy flavor!
Course Dinner
Keyword chicken, low carb
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6 people
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 1 Spaghetti Squash
  • 2 Celery Stalks chopped
  • 1 Orange Pepper chopped
  • 1 Red Pepper chopped
  • 4 Green Onions chopped
  • 1 pkg Ranch Dressing dry
  • 1 cup Ranch Dressing low fat, salad dressing
  • 3/4 cup Buffalo Sauce or more if preferred
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Instructions

Spaghetti Squash

  • Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Wash and dry spaghetti squash.
  • Cut the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise.
  • Remove the seeds and the stringy parts of the flesh. Best scooped out with a spoon.
  • Drizzle half of the olive oil all over the 2 halves and season the inside with salt and pepper.
  • Place the squash cut side down on the baking sheet.
  • Bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Poke it with a knife to check if the flesh is tender.

Buffalo Chicken

  • While the spaghetti squash is cooking, dice up the celery, peppers and green onions.
  • Next, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add chicken and season generously (both sides) with salt and pepper and some of the ranch packet . Cook until no longer pink, 10 minutes per side.
  • Transfer chicken to a plate.
  • While the spaghetti squash is cooling (at least 5 minutes), cut up the chicken in to bite size pieces, then mix together chicken, peppers, celery, and onions.
  • Add in the remaining ranch packet and stir well.
  • Turn the squash around and with a fork, gently pull the squash flesh from the skin so that it starts to look like spaghetti strands.
  • Spoon spaghetti strands into the chicken, peppers, and green onion mixture and gently mix together.
  • Next, add in the ranch salad dressing and mix well.
  • Add in the buffalo sauce and mix well.
  • Place filling mixture back into the spaqhetti squash shells.
  • Top with bleu cheese crumbles.
  • Place back in oven and cook for 10 minutes.
  • ENJOY!
Chicken, Lunch, Party Food, Salad, Sandwiches

Walnut Cranberry Chicken Salad

Leave a comment

Walnut Cranberry Chicken Salad is the perfect dish that you can enjoy as a lunch, dinner, or even a snack. During the high temps and humidity that comes with the summer months, this is a refreshing food to serve. If you use the cheats for this recipe, you don’t have to cook anything! Just cut up the meat on a rotisserie chicken and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Serve as-is, on fresh bread, or on your favorite crackers. That’s it! Super easy, yet it has a gourmet taste to it.

Ingredients Needed

This out of the ordinary chicken salad is really easy to make. You will just need a few key ingredients and you will be able to dig in a few minutes later! Here is what you will need:

  • 1 Rotisserie Chicken family size approx 6lbs, chop the chicken
  • 3 Celery Stalks chopped
  • 1 cup Craisins chopped
  • 1 cup Walnuts chopped
  • 1/3 cup Mayonnaise

The beauty of this recipe is that you can customize it to whatever your favorite ingredients are. Perhaps you enjoy the recipe as it stands, but you don’t have certain add-ins. You can make some substitutions with raisins instead of craisins, or chopped apples or grapes. Further, you could switch up almonds instead of walnuts. There is no right or wrong here, just yummy tasting food!

How To Make

  • Cut up all chicken, celery, and walnuts.
  • Add chicken, celery, walnuts, and mayonnaise to a large bowl and mix well.
  • Serve by itself or on bread.

It only takes a few minutes to toss some chicken with a simple dressing and a few add-ins. You can customize with whatever you have on hand. Sub the cranberries for raisins, or chopped fresh apples or grapes. Further, you can use almonds instead of walnuts. Just go for it!

Low Carb

Although this recipe is fairly healthy the way it is now, you could make it lighter by using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Or you could go even further and make this a low carb, keto-friendly dish by skipping the bread and crackers and serving the walnut cranberry chicken salad in lettuce cups or over mixed greens. Doesn’t that sounds delicious? Aside from the sugars in the craisins, this is relatively low in carbs recipe. Therefore, this is a great recipe to make, when you want to limit carbs and eat a high protein meal.

Gourmet Meal

This cranberry walnut chicken salad is so much more than a delicious sandwich spread. This chicken salad is not your regular sandwich filler. Some might describe this as gourmet. It seems ironic that this easy to make, simplistic recipe can taste gourmet. Yet, it is above and beyond any homemade sandwich you can toss together in a pinch!

The sweet flavor of the craisins with the savory taste of the rotisserie chicken is the perfect balance. Next, add in the crunch factor with the celery and walnuts and you have one yummy chicken salad! A sandwich ‘meat’ that will make your mouth water and wish it was time to dig in!

Whether you prefer this cranberry walnut chicken salad on a fresh baguette, on crackers, in a lettuce cup, or by itself, you honestly, cannot go wrong whichever way you opt to eat this scrumptious meal!

Need More Ideas?

If you are like me, you want to find more options for meals that are different. Of course, the dishes need to be yummy too. Here are a few recipes that might peak your interest:

Fig & Goat Cheese Pizza
Cowboy Caviar
Steak Tip Salad
Print

Walnut, Cranberry, Chicken Salad

Gourmet Chicken Salad that is easy to make. You will want to bring this to your next potluck or serve at your next bbq this summer!
Course lunch
Keyword lunch ideas, salad
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 10 people

Ingredients

  • 1 Rotisserie Chicken family size approx 6lbs, chop the chicken
  • 3 Celery Stalks chopped
  • 1 cup Craisins chopped
  • 1 cup Walnuts chopped
  • 1/3 cup Mayonnaise

Instructions

  • Cut up all chicken, celery, and walnuts.
  • Add chicken, celery, walnuts, and mayonnaise to a large bowl and mix well.
  • Serve by itself or on bread.
  • ENJOY!
Chicken, Chicken, Crockpot, Dinner

Sweet Baby Ray’s Chicken

1 Comment

Sweet Baby Ray’s Chicken slow cooks in a crock pot on low heat for 4 to 6 hours. It is the best way to eat pulled chicken and really takes the guess work out of how to make the best bbq pulled chicken.

I love making this delicious dinner on busy weeknights. Just add the chicken to the crock pot, mix up the sauce ingredients, pour over the chicken, and then let the crock pot work its magic. Prepping this dinner takes about 5 minutes. Super easy even on those chaotic weekday mornings, when you are running late. And, wow, is it worth that “effort” when you get home from a crazy day and dinner is waiting for you!

Pulled Chicken

Have you heard the terms pulled chicken or pulled pork? You probably know what they taste like, but do you know why they are called that? Pulled chicken and pork is a staple way of cooking meat when it comes to BBQ cuisine. Basically, it’s slow cooking the meat so that it stays tender as it cooks for hours. It gets so tender that it is able to be pulled apart or shredded into pieces with just a fork.

Cooking this sweet baby Ray’s chicken is super easy to do in a crock pot. The chicken cooks on a low heat for 5 to 6 hours. The phrase, Low and Slow, certainly applies here. And it is the only way to eat pulled chicken! Well, that is if you want to do the easy bbq way. If you are a true bbq champion, you would certainly opt for a smoker. However, if you are looking for a super easy way to make a yummy dinner, stick with me and try this delicious crock pot recipe!

Sweet Baby Ray’s

Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce originated in early 1980s by brothers, Dave and Larry Raymond. The brothers entered their newly created bbq sauce into competitions and did very well each time. Their accomplishments encouraged them to take things to a new level and they began their company, Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce so that they could sell their product to consumers.

By the time the Raymond brothers sold their business in 2005, they were earning millions in revenue. Just a few years later, Sweet Baby Ray’s was the 2nd best selling barbecue sauce in the United States. One of the brothers retained the rights to the name “Sweet Baby Ray’s” to this day. A great success story about a family owned business.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Chicken boneless
  • 18 oz BBQ Sauce Sweet Baby Ray’s (entire bottle)
  • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

How To Make

Yes, this is the entire recipe for this yummy dinner! None of the steps have been mistakenly clipped! Can you even believe how simple this is? It’s an amazingly easy recipe that tastes amazing!

Here’s all you need to do:

  • In a medium bowl, mix bbq sauce with vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper together.
  • Place chicken in the crock pot.
  • Pour sauce mixture over the chicken.
  • Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Make sure to stir the sauce and chicken here and there. The chicken should be submerged in the liquid so that it doesn’t dry out.

When the chicken is done, you could just serve it on a fresh roll and have a pulled chicken sandwich. Or you could go all out and serve it with some macaroni and cheese and a salad like I did in the above picture. And, yes, that is Kraft Macaroni and Cheese! I love that mac and cheese and not embarrassed to admit it. Sometimes you need to just take some good shortcuts with dinner and Kraft Mac and Cheese certainly qualifies as that!

More Crock Pot Recipes

Whether you don’t have time to cook in the evenings or it’s just too hot to turn on the oven, crock pot recipes are a great way of making dinners EASY!

Just prep the meat and sauce in the morning and let the crock pot do the rest. Throughout the day, the aroma will remind you that you don’t have to cook dinner that night. And then at dinner time, your meal will be waiting for you. Just set the table and eat!

Here are a few different types of crock pot recipes that I highly recommend:

Crock Pot Hawaiian Chicken
Honey Crusted Parmesan Pork
Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff
Print

Sweet BabyRay’s Crockpot Chicken

The best way to eat pulled chicken is sweet baby Ray's crock pot recipe! This is really easy to cook and has a tangy and delicious taste that goes well with mac and cheese and salad!
Course Dinner
Keyword crockpot meal
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 11 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Chicken boneless
  • 18 oz BBQ Sauce Sweet Baby Ray's (entire bottle)
  • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, mix bbq sauce with vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper together.
  • Place chicken in the crock pot.
  • Pour sauce mixture over the chicken.
  • Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Make sure to stir the sauce and chicken here and there. The chicken should be submerged in the liquid so that it doesn't dry out.
  • ENJOY!
Chicken, Dinner, Oven, Pasta

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Leave a comment

Baked Chicken Parmesan consists of the same yummy taste of a traditional chicken parmesan, however, with this recipe, the chicken is not deep fried. As expected, eliminating the frying process eliminates the added fat, grease, and calories! Therefore, this is a healthier version of the Italian classic dinner with the same amazing taste. Yes, it’s true. This tastes so delicious that your taste buds won’t know the difference, but your hips will!

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan is an Italian dish that consists of breaded, boneless chicken breast that is covered in tomato sauce and cheese. Typically, the chicken is flattened so that it is a thin piece of meat which is breaded and then deep fried for a moist center with a crispy outside, which is then considered to be a chicken cutlet. Next, the chicken cutlet is topped with tomato sauce and cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, or provolone cheese) and then baked in the oven to melt the cheese directly on the chicken.

If you haven’t had it before, you really haven’t lived. It is, by far, one of the best Italian dishes you can eat. Chicken parmesan can be served as alone cutlet, over pasta, or in a fresh roll for a delicious sub. Mmm, mmm!

Parmesan

A parmesan dish is considered to be a flattened piece of meat that can consist of chicken, veal, eggplant (although not a meat, it is typical for this veggie to be served in parmesan form), or beef which is then breaded by first dipping the meat in egg (both sides) and then coating it with a breadcrumb mixture and then deep fried so that the meat cooks quickly leaving it moist, but has a crispy coating on the outside that is flavorful. It is then baked with tomato sauce and cheese, often parmesan or mozzarella cheese.

Parmesan cheese is hard cheese that derives from Italy that is now produced all over the world. Parmesan has a salty flavor that is a very pungent tasting cheese. This is not a cheese that most people would eat by itself, rather, it is best used as a topping for pastas or pizzas or as an ingredient in recipes.

Chicken Parmesan Ingredients

You won’t need anything out of the ordinary to make this yummy baked chicken parmesan. In fact, most of the ingredients are probably stocked in your pantry and refrigerator right now. If you don’t make your own tomato sauce, don’t worry, you can use jarred tomato sauce for this recipe. Of course, it won’t be an authentic chicken parm dinner, however, it will still taste great. You might want to try Barilla Tomato & Basil.

Here is the list of ingredients that stand between you and making this baked chicken parmesan:

  • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 lbs Chicken Breasts butterflied
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
  • 1.5 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper
  • 2 cups Marinara Sauce
  • 1.5 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Baking The Chicken Parm

Making this Italian delicacy consists of a 2-step process; breading the cutlets and then baking them. This doesn’t take long from start to finish so don’t worry. Clean everything up and get that table set while the cutlets are baking. Oh, and don’t forget to make that yummy side of pasta while the baked chicken parm is in the oven!

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil and brush foil with olive oil.
  • Cut the chicken breasts in half (butterfly the chicken) and slice into 2 pieces.
  • After cutting all chicken, place chicken in ziplock bag and pound the chicken breasts (with a meat pounder) to an even thickness.
  • Pat the chicken breasts with a dry paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.
  • In a shallow dish, mix together panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper.
  • In another shallow dish, whisk the eggs.
  • Dip one chicken breast into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture. Make sure chicken breast is fully coated in the crumb mixture and gently press your hand to help the crumbs stick to the chicken.
  • Place chicken breast on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.
  • Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes (or until cooked through).
  • Flip the chicken and pour an even amount of marinara sauce over each piece of chicken.
  • Top each chicken with shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • Place back in the oven and turn on broiler on high for 2-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and edges of chicken are get browned.
  • Serve Immediately.

Other Italian Dishes To Try

I’m a huge fan of Italian food, it is one of my favorite types of food. If you enjoy a yummy bowl of pasta and can’t get enough of different sauces, you might like the following recipes, they consist of a scampi sauce, lemon butter sauce, and marsala sauce. The only thing missing is an alfredo sauce, which will be coming soon!

Shrimp & Asparagus Scampi
Lemon Butter Chicken Pasta
Marsala Pork Chops

Follow Me On Social Media

Don’t forget to leave a reply below or share the recipe with on social media – sharing is caring!

Print

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Baked Chicken Parmesan has the same great taste of chicken parm, but without all the fat from the grease! Easy to make and tastes delicious!
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword casserole, chicken
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 lbs Chicken Breasts butterflied
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1.5 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper
  • 2 cups Marinara Sauce
  • 1.5 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil and brush foil with olive oil.
  • Cut the chicken breasts in half (butterfly the chicken) and slice into 2 pieces.
  • After cutting all chicken, place chicken in ziplock bag and pound the chicken breasts (with a meat pounder) to an even thickness.
  • Pat the chicken breasts with a dry paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.
  • In a shallow dish, mix together panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper.
  • In another shallow dish, whisk the eggs.
  • Dip one chicken breast into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture. Make sure chicken breast is fully coated in the crumb mixture and gently press your hand to help the crumbs stick to the chicken.
  • Place chicken breast on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.
  • Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes (or until cooked through).
  • Flip the chicken and pour an even amount of marinara sauce over each piece of chicken.
  • Top each chicken with shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • Place back in the oven and turn on broiler on high for 2-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and edges of chicken are browning.
  • Serve with pasta.
  • ENJOY!