How many recipes do you have that require shredded chicken? I could probably come up with a lonnnnnng list, but I will save that for another time. My favorite uses of shredded chicken are in casseroles, soups, and CHICKEN SALAD!!! My family just loves chicken salad, and it is so easy to whip up using either my Crock Pot Shredded Chicken recipe, or left over Crock Pot Whole Chicken…or even a store bought Rotisserie Chicken. You chose which chicken route you prefer, but today I am going to share with you first my Crock Pot Shredded Chicken… and then check out my recipe for my Homemade Chicken Salad!!!
Ingredients:
3-4 Chicken Breasts
2 Carrots- chopped in large chunks
3 stalks Celery- chopped in large chunks
1/2 medium Onion- chopped in large chunks
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Jalapeño- diced (optional)
2-3 cups Chicken Broth or 1 cube Bouillon in 2-3 cups Water OR 2-3 cups Water
Garlic Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Optional: 1 tsp Dried Basil
Instructions:
1- Heat Crock Pot to High.
2- Add the Chicken Breasts to the bottom of the Crock Pot, topped with all chopped veggies.
3- Cover chicken and veggies with Chicken Broth.
4- Cover Crock Pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until chicken is tender enough to cut with a fork (or to desired doneness.) (or if you prefer, cook on Low for 5-6hours)
Today, I am excited to share the second recipe in my Homemade Soup series. This recipe is a recipe that my mom created when she was on her weight loss journey. I have to brag for a second… My mom lost 80lbs on Weight Watchers (and her own healthy recipes), and all by healthy lifestyle changes!! She changed her eating habits, and started exercising again, and was able to accomplish her goals. As I always say, change does not come overnight, but if you stick with it, you can accomplish anything your heart desires!
So enough of that… back to FOOD! Today’s recipe is Chicken Veggie Soup! This is a meal that I have loved since I was growing up, and I just love to make this recipe. It is soooo easy to make. It is a great meal for a cold, rainy day, or for a easy meal after a long day at the beach. It freezes well, so leftovers are easy!
Are you ready?!? Here is is:
Ingredients:
6 cups- Water
1 can- Diced Tomatoes
3 stalks- Celery, diced
1 -Onion, diced
3- Carrots, diced
2 cubes- Bouillon or 4tbsp- Bouillon powder
1 or 2- Chicken Breasts
1 package- Frozen Mixed Soup Veggies
1 cup -Frozen Green Beans
2 cups- chopped Cabbage
1 tsp- Rosemary
1 tsp-Thyme
1 tsp- Basil
1 tsp- Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions:
1- Bring 4 cups of water to boil and add diced tomatoes, celery, onion, and bouillon. Add the spices (rosemary, thyme, basil, garlic powder). Cook for 20 minutes.
2- Add Chicken breasts, and cook until cooked through.
3- Remove the chicken breasts and dice into small pieces. Add the frozen veggies and green beans. Return Chicken to soup.
4- Add the final 2 cups of water. If the soup needs more flavor, add another Tbsp of bouillon. Cook until all veggies are tender.
5- Add chopped cabbage and cook until tender.
6- Serve immediately as is, or top with a light layer of mozzarella/parmesan cheese.
So there you have it… Chicken Veggie Soup!! Here is the link to your printable recipe card: Chicken Veggie Soup
What do you think? Sounds yummy, right? Give it a try for your dinner, and let me know how you like it! Enjoy 🙂
So I was finally able to do it… I branched out from Cauliflower! This week I am bringing you a series on healthy, homemade soups. Over the next few days, I will have 3 different soup recipes for you that are delicious, fairly easy to make, and will satisfy the whole family any time of year.
I really love making soups because I can prepare the meal ahead of time, and just leave it to simmer on the stove until everyone is ready to enjoy. With it being so hot these days, I prefer to prepare the meal in the morning and have everything ready so when it gets closer to meal time, I can just throw everything together and let it cook.
The first of the three soups is a new favorite of mine. I made this for the first time this past weekend, and I am just so eager to share it with you!
So for Round 1, I share with you… Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup:
The key to this recipe is the oven roasted tomatoes. Getting hungry yet? Well here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
8- whole Roma Tomatoes, quartered
3 tbsp- Olive or Garlic Oil
1- medium Onion, diced
3 stalks- Celery, diced
1- Jalapeño, diced (or more for added spice)
4 cloves- Garlic, minced
4 cups- Chicken broth- (I use Bouillon cubes with water)
Garnish with Tortilla Chips, Light Sour Cream, Diced Avocado, Lime Wedges & Shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack Cheese
Instructions:
1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2- Wash tomatoes, quarter them, and remove some of the seeds. Toss tomato quarters with 1 tablespoon olive/garlic oil and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes.
3- While tomatoes are roasting, heat 2 tablespoons of olive/garlic oil in stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and jalapeño. Stir occasionally and cook for about 8 minutes until vegetables are soft and translucent.
4- Add the chicken breast , garlic, cumin, paprika, and salt and sauté for another 6 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lime juice, and bay leaf and bring soup to a gentle simmer. Add tomatoes when they are finished roasting and simmer soup gently for about 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5- Serve soup topped with tortilla chips and your choice of other garnishes. (I serve each bowl individually, and usually garnish with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, 1 tbsp of light sour cream, diced avocado, and a lime wedge.) Serve Immediately.
So there you have it… Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup. Here is the link to your printable recipe card: Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup
As I said before, one wonderful thing about this soup is that the longer you simmer it, the more it enhances the flavor… And by the way, it reheats well for leftovers the next day. Well, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does. Stay tuned for the next 2 soups in my Homemade Soup series.
Today, my recipe for you is Cauliflower Chowder. This chowder is low carb and satisfying, yet still has the hearty, creamy aspects of other chowders. This is actually whats for dinner at my house tonight… I’m excited.
This recipe is fairly simple to make, and reheats well! I have a hard time when it comes to using leftovers, so when I find a dish that reheats and tastes exactly the same as the first day, I’m happy.
Ingredients:
4 slices Turkey Bacon, diced
2 tbsp Butter
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Onion, diced
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks Celery, diced
1/4 cup Flour
4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
1 cup 2% Milk
1 head Cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 Bay Leaf
Garlic Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions:
1- Heat a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add turkey bacon and cook until crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
2- Add butter to the stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
3- Stir in cauliflower and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes.
4- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 6-8 minutes.
5- Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium and simmer until cauliflower is cooked, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the chowder is too thick, add more milk/stock as needed until desired consistency is reached.
6- Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and shredded cheese if desired. Serve with a slice of garlic bread or croutons, if desired.
