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Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

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What is with the chill in the air? And the sun setting so much earlier? These days are so getting shorter and chillier and I don’t know how to feel about it all. One minute I’m all LET’S LIGHT ALL THE PUMPKIN CANDLES AND WRAP OURSELVES IN SWEATERS and the next I’m mourning the loss of summer while putting away the swimsuits. SOB.

Luckily, these next few weeks fall somewhere in between, right? We still get some sunshine and warmth and lightness past 5:00. Score. Enjoy it while we can.

The perfect soups right now lean light, healthy, and satisfying. We aren’t quite to the deep winter months of GIVE ME ALL THE NOODLES AND CHEESE. No, right now we can be satisfied with a lighter broth, lots of veggies, and some fun toppings. Luckily this slow cooker chicken tortilla soup does all that. The flavors from the spices and veggies are unreal. I think it helps that they slooooooow cook together all day. This may be my favorite version of this soup. Bonus that it’s probably the easiest version I’ve made. Try it out this week!

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
Recipe adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
10 oz frozen corn
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 TBS cumin
2 TBS chili powder
2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
6 cups chicken stock
juice of two limes
toppings: cheese, jalapenos, avocado, salsa, etc

DIRECTIONS:

Place all veggies in bottom of slow cooker. Add in spices, stock, and lime juice. Place chicken on top and cook on low for 7 hours.

Serve in deep bowls with your desired toppings. Enjoy!

Baked skillet gnocchi

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Oh friends. You know how there is dinner. And then there is dinner. This baked skillet gnocchi falls under that latter category. 

Super delicious and easy to throw together, this delicious gnocchi is sautéed up with plenty of onion, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, chicken sausage and fresh herbs. Then, we top it all with melty mozzarella and of course, freshly shaved parmesan.

Into the oven it goes to bubble away until – wait for it – a parsley and parmesan panko bread topping is sprinkled on the top. Flip on the broiler for a few and you’ve got a gooey pasta with a perfectly crisp top. In other words, pretty much the best thing you can eat on these slightly chillier nights. Glass of pinot noir on the side, of course. Make it this weekend! 

Happy Friday friends! 

BAKED SKILET GNOCCHI
Recipe adapted from Chelsea’s Messy Apron

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 package precooked sausages (I used chicken sausage from Trader Joes)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 can (14.5 ounces) Italian diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika optional
Seasoned salt and pepper
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 package (16 ounces) fresh gnocchi
1 and 1/2 cups fresh spinach, chopped up
1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for bread topping
Few handfuls panko bread topping
2 TBS butter, melted
2 TBS freshly chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Move a rack in your oven to the upper third of the oven and then preheat to 425 degrees F.

Put a large oven-safe skillet (I use a 12 inch lodge dutch oven skillet), on the stove at medium-high heat. Pour in the olive oil.

Add in the chopped onion and stir until the onion is clear — about 4 minutes. Add in the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds.

Coin the sausage and add to the skillet. Cook over high heat until lightly browned or about 3-4 minutes.

Add in the water or broth, undrained Italian diced tomatoes, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, paprika, seasoned salt and pepper, cannellini beans, and uncooked gnocchi. Stir until everything is well combined. Gently stir in the spinach and make sure it’s somewhat covered with liquid.

Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and place in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes or so. While baking, mix together the panko bread crumbs with the butter, parsley and a little more parmesan. Sprinkle on top and bake a few more minutes. If desired, turn on the broiler and then broil for another 2-3 minutes for a delicious crispy top.

Slow cooker garlic parmesan chicken

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If you still aren’t on board with the slow cooker thing I don’t think we can hang anymore. I’m sorry. I hear it over and over again, how people just ‘don’t get it.’ And I stare blankly back thinking ‘you have no idea what you are missing.’ I think there still is a certain connotation with it all – think mom’s old school crock pot instead of new age slow cooker. Healthy and fit recipes are allllllll over Pinterest, Martha Stewart just came out with a brand new solely slow cooker cook book. Trust me, the slow cooker’s got it going on.

There are so. many. good. and healthy and easy recipes to explore. It saves time, money, sanity, work, everything! Still not convinced? Well, meet garlic parmesan chicken.

Make this. I promise that you will love it. We didn’t have one morsel left and the only complaint I heard was that I didn’t double the recipe. Noted, for next time.

Try it out this week!

SLOW COOKER GARLIC PARMESAN CHICKEN
Recipe from Delish – this is for 4 chicken thighs, which serves 2. I will be doubling all ingredients next time.

INGREDIENTS:

Few TBS olive oil, for browning, plus 2 more TBS
2 lb. bone-in chicken thighs
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. baby red potatoes, chunked up
2 tbsp. butter
5 cloves Garlic, chopped up
2 tbsp. freshly chopped thyme
freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Freshly chopped parsley, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat a few TBS olive oil. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sear until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and sear 3 minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a slow-cooker, toss potatoes with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, butter, garlic, and thyme. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add chicken to slow cooker and toss gently, then cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, until potatoes are tender and chicken is fully cooked.

Garnish with freshly shaven Parmesan and parsley and serve.

Slow cooker Cuban sandwiches

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Alright folks, we are so close to being back to school. Back to the daily grind. Back to busses and homework and activities and inevitably….dinner struggles. Because, how are you suppose to get a homemade warm meal on the table that (generally) everyone will enjoy when you are driving around multiple fields at multiple times and don’t come home until post dinner time?

Well let me tell you.

These slow cooker Cuban sandwiches are a pretty darn good answer.

They took me all of five minutes to prep during the day and my slow cooker did all the work. Then come dinner time I made sandwiches for whoever was ready to eat. I even made a few ahead of time, wrapped in foil, and kept warm in the oven until the older ones stumbled in the home tired, dusty, and, of course…….hungry. 

Just the way I like them.

Happy (almost!) back to school! 

SLOW COOKER CUBAN SANDWICHES
Recipe from Real Simple

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast (Boston butt)
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon orange zest plus 1 tsp. fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
6 sub rolls
⅓ cup Dijon mustard or spicy mustard
3 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
3 ounces thinly sliced Swiss cheese (we used Provolone)
Dill pickles, for topping

DIRECTONS:

Rub the pork with the garlic and salt and place in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the chicken stock, orange zest, and orange juice. Cover and cook on low until the pork is very tender, 7 to 8 hours. Pull pork into 1- to 2-inch pieces; toss with the lime juice. Return to slow cooker and keep warm.

Preheat broiler with the oven rack 6 inches from heat. Split the rolls length-wise. Spread the mustard on the bottom halves and top evenly with the pork, ham, and Swiss cheese. Broil just until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with the pickles and sandwich with the tops of the rolls.

Slow cooker cajun chicken & sausage

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I know, I know. The thought of your slow cooker in summer is a bit confusing. But I’ve been loyal to mine. Stay with me here. I find that summer days are way more jam packed than fall or winter, so much so that most nights of the week weren’t aren’t rolling in until close to 8:00 and then it’s all, where should we pick up carry out from?

Planning ahead and getting a slow cooker meal once a week into your rotation will help so much, promise. The recipes are easy. They are quick. You get to go about your whole day knowing dinner is done. (Score!) And it’s way healthier all around than any carry out you can pick up. 

So what are you waiting for? Try this slow cooker cajun chicken and sausage recipe this week! You won’t be disappointed. Promise.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN & SAUSAGE
Recipe from Fit Slow Cooker Queen

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
12 oz. Andouille sausage cut into rounds
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 14.5oz can tomato sauce
1 tbsp cajun seasoning
¼ tsp cayenne
brown rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Place sausage, onions, peppers, celery, garlic in the slow cooker. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, and seasonings and stir.

Add chicken breast.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

Take chicken breast out, shred, and place it back in the slow cooker. Mix together well and serve with brown rice.

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