recommendation: two crockpot recipes to try

All of this snow means one thing... its crockpot weather! We've been trying a bunch of new recipes this winter and we came across two keepers that are make-again recipes. I feel kind of guilty posting them on a Lenten Friday seeing as though they are both chicken recipes but buy today, make tomorrow.

what i like about both of these recipes is that they appear delightfully creamy and gluttonous therefore satisfying, but are actually fairly healthy, disguised! they are both adaptable too, add or take out things that you think would taste good.

first up is: Bacon Ranch Chicken from Healthified Kitchen
4 Servings

2 butterball turkey bacon strips, cooked and shredded
1 tsp minced garlic
3/4 package ranch dressing mix
1 10.75 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup (98% fat free)
1 cup fat-free sour cream
16 oz. chicken breasts, frozen or defrosted/raw
8 oz. pasta, cooked

Combine the first five ingredients. Place frozen or defrosted/raw chicken in slowcooker sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and pour sauce over the top (do NOT include water like the can mentions). Cook on high for 3.5 hours. Shred chicken with two forks. Cook pasta per package instructions on stove. Serve chicken over pasta.

Nutritional Information: 456 calories, 61 carbs, 5 fat grams and 36 protein grams.

the original recipe calls for a full ranch packet but Healthified Kitchen received feedback that the recipe works better with only 3/4 package so its not too overwhelming, so I changed it above. You can use any pasta - we had egg noodles in the house and it tasted great, the recipe reminds me of chicken paprikash. my grandma thinks that mushrooms and artichokes would taste good in this too, and I agree! I also don't use turkey bacon so that probably adds a little more fat in.

Side Recommendation: My new favorite way to cook bacon is to roast it in the oven! its splatter free and you don't have to constantly keep your eye on it. a lot of methods tell you to put it directly on a baking sheet or parchment paper, both work fine. if you have a Nonstick Cooling Rack, put the bacon on that, stick it on top of a jelly roll pan and then the bacon fat drips off and you don't have to use a paper towel after its done in the oven!

recipe #2: From Chef Mommy, Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup (I used the cream of chicken)
1 cup your favorite salsa
1 package taco seasoning
1 cup low-fat sour cream
cilantro, for serving (optional) (also option - a little shredded cheddar-jack, black beans and scallion on top)

Directions:
Put chicken, soup, and salsa in slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over everything. Cook on low for 6 hours. If shredding the chicken, pull the breasts out and shred; return back to slow cooker. Stir in sour cream and heat just until everything is combined.

I adapted this recipe a little to make it healthier, the original doesn't call for FF/LF anything. I don't like cilantro so I left that off. I also added pinto instead of black beans - I put those in the crockpot to cook with everything, they didn't get too soft. And I added about a half cup of diced white onion. You could really add all kinds of things to this - more beans and corn would be good. I also skipped the shredded cheddar on top but had scallions, olives and tomatoes to add. I served with Skinny Taste's Cilantro Lime Rice (minus the cilantro).

Happy Crockpotting and Stay Warm!