Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

Summer is here in full force and it has been a never-ending trail of 90+ degree days.  It's so hot that I can barely handle going outside at all.  I usually love to cook on my grill, but that would be downright torture.  So, when it's this hot, I make use of the Crockpot.  It keeps my kitchen cool and leaves me free to sit with my feet up (possibly drinking a daiquiri) instead of manning a hot stove.  Here's a simple, yummy recipe for the Crockpot.

CROCKPOT CHICKEN AND GRAVY

5 chicken leg quarters (or 10 bone-in pieces such as legs and thighs)
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots (or a handful of baby carrots), chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 packet dry chicken gravy mix
salt and pepper

Place chopped celery, carrots and onion in the Crockpot.

Place the chicken on top and season with salt and pepper.

Mix the broth and gravy well and pour on top of the chicken.

Cover with the lid and cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours (I did 5 hours).

Be sure the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Skim the grease off the top of the gravy.  If you use skinless chicken you won't have nearly as much excess grease.

Spoon the gravy over the chicken and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

I like to serve this over rice with biscuits to sop up the gravy!  Yum!

The chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender and absolutely delicious!  When you slow cook chicken on the bone, it imparts so much flavor.  The gravy is on the thinner side, I don't like really thick gravy in a dish like this.  It's more like a sauce and goes great over rice or mashed potatoes.

This recipe is so easy and tasty that you just have to try it.  Let me know how it turns out.  Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken Soft Tacos

This recipe is so easy you won't believe it.  You just throw a few ingredients in the crockpot and in three hours you've got supper.

CROCKPOT CHICKEN SOFT TACOS

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 package fajita seasoning mix
tortillas
your favorite taco fillings

Place chicken breasts in the crockpot.

 

I have picky eaters who don't like chunks of tomatoes, so I zip the diced tomatoes in the blender to puree them.  This makes for a smooth sauce, but, if you like chunks of tomato, you can skip that step.

Next, mix the tomatoes with the fajita seasoning in a large measuring cup.  Add enough water to bring it up to 2 cups of liquid total, like this:

Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken breasts.

Cover and cook on High for 3 hours.

Remove the chicken to a plate.

Shred with two forks.

You get a lot out of two chicken breasts!

Return the shredded chicken to the sauce in the crockpot and stir GENTLY.  You don't want to break up the meat too much.  

Serve the chicken on warm corn or flour tortillas with whatever fillings you like.

This is delicious!  The chicken comes out tender and seasoned just right.  You can substitute taco seasoning for the fajita seasoning if that's what you have on hand.  This chicken also makes great nachos!  Just heat some tortilla chips in a 375 degree oven until warm and toasty (I like to use a cast iron skillet for this).  Then pile the chicken on and top with your favorite nacho toppings.

See, I told you this recipe was super easy.  Taco night will never be the same!

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

I must admit, when I first saw this idea floating around on Pinterest, I was skeptical.  Chicken fajitas made in a crockpot?  Would they have that same wonderful flavor I've come to know and love?  Or would it be a soggy mess?  I decided to give it a try and find out.  Here's what I did:

CROCKPOT CHICKEN FAJITAS

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 packet fajita seasoning mix (or taco seasoning)
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper

Pour water into crockpot.  Place onions and peppers on top.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Lay the chicken breasts on top.

Sprinkle the fajita seasoning on top of the chicken.

Cover and cook on high heat for 3 hours.  Do not open the lid while it's cooking!  After 3 hours it looks like this:

Remove the chicken to a plate.  Shred with two forks.

Return the shredded chicken to the crock pot and stir to combine it with the onions, peppers and juices.

Serve on tortillas with whatever fixins you like.

Now, did these taste like the fajitas you get at your favorite Mexican restaurant?  No.  They are missing the char from a grill.  But, they were moist and tasty.  It's a great way to make supper with very little effort.  Plus, you get a lot of mileage out of two chicken breasts!  You don't have to make fajitas.  You could use this recipe to make burrito bowls with beans, rice, cheese, etc.  You could make crunchy tacos or enchiladas.  Or you could throw it on some pizza dough with salsa (for the pizza sauce) and cheddar cheese.  The possibilities are endless.  So, give this a try if you want an easy way to make a chicken dinner.