Mexican Chili Chicken

We have been enjoying this recipe since our Provo days, but we can't remember who gave us the recipe. You can tell it is a favorite around here by the fact that we are still making it!

Ingredients:
1/2 - 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips*
1 - 2 sweet bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), cut into thin strips*
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced*
4 chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks - or use more thighs ( I use 8-10 boneless skinless thighs)
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 - 16 oz. jar chipotle salsa – We used to use a chipotle raspberry sauce found at Costco, but it was really high in sugar. Now I use Mrs. Renfro's Raspberry Chipotle Salsa (pictured below), which I buy in a case of 6 from Walmart. 

Add 15 minutes before serving:
½ cup ketchup
2 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. salt

Noodles or brown rice for serving

*You can use peppers and onions from the freezer section to make the recipe even easier.

1.  Place bell peppers and onion in a slow cooker; mix together; top with chicken. Sprinkle with chili powder and oregano evenly over chicken. Add salsa.  Cover and cook on low 7-8 hrs. or high for 2-3 hrs, or until chicken is tender. 

2. Remove chicken and keep warm.  Stir in ketchup, cumin, and salt into the sauce and veggies in the slow cooker.  Add the chicken back in. Cook uncovered on HIGH for 10 - 15 minutes or until hot.

3.   Serve over noodles or brown rice. We enjoy it with a nice green salad on the side. 

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Chicken Enchilada Soup

Slightly modified from: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/12/crock-pot-chicken-enchilada-soup.html

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
 Skinnytaste.com 
Nutrition facts (before modifications):
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups + cheese • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 260.9 • Fat: 6.6 g • Protein: 25.4 g • Carb: 29.9 g • Fiber: 6.7 g • Sugar: 4.1 g
Sodium: 572 mg (without salt) 

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 c. onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2-1 c. diced sweet peppers (optional, not part of the original recipe)
• 3 c. low sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1-2 tsp. chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or more to taste)
• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
•  15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes (I doubled the recipe and used one can with chipotle and one with green chiles)
• 2 c. frozen corn or drained canned corn
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total) 

Toppings:

• 1/4 c. chopped scallions, for topping 
• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
• 2 diced avocados
• 3/4 c. shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
• sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (optional)
• 6 corn tortillas, cut into strips (Optional, not part of the original recipe. I used this rather than the recommended tortilla chips to make it healthier and we all enjoyed it.)

Directions:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, and peppers and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat. Pour into crock pot.

To the crockpot, add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.

Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. (I added the tortilla strips at this point. You could also add them to each bowl while it is still hot.) Serve in bowls and top with fat free sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro. You can also top with avocado or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy! 

I doubled the recipe when I made it and we all enjoyed the flavor. I used the full amount of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and seasoned diced tomatoes. I also added an extra can of black beans (3 for a doubled recipe). It made enough for 2 dinners.