March 9, 2017

36 Easy Ways to Make Chicken in the Instant Pot

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With almost 40 pounds of Zaycon chicken in my fridge and freezer I am always in search delicious recipe inspirations to use it up. Last week I rounded 36 simple crockpot chicken recipes for you. This roundup features 36 simple Instant Pot recipes.

The Instant Pot is a multi-functional cooker/pressure cooker. It is amazing! Because of the pressure cooking technology you can cook things much faster than in your oven or crockpot.  I love our Instant Pot and it’s amazing how quickly it can get dinner on the table! Learn more about the Instant Pot and read the thousands of reviews here.

zaycon fresh

Side note – I get all my chicken from Zaycon Fresh at prices as low as $1.69 a pound and great quality – you can’t beat it! I first ordered from them more than five years ago, read my Zaycon review here, and I’m still a very happy customer. They have sales all over the country and I’ve referred hundreds of my readers to Zaycon – and they’ve all been equally as happy as I have been! I recommend creating an account here (it’s free) and you’ll be notified about local sales and coupon codes!

Now. . . on to the instant pot chicken recipes. . .

Looking for more recipes? Check out my full list of Queen Bee Coupons recipes, sorted by ingredient, here.

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Posted by Stephanie at 12:45 pm | Filed Under: Chicken, Recipes | Add Your Comment |

March 1, 2017

36 Different Ways to Make Chicken in the Crockpot

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Just last week I picked up two cases (40 pounds!) of Zaycon chicken and I was in desperate need of some chicken in the crockpot inspiration. So we’ve rounded up 36 simple crockpot chicken recipes that you can put in your slow cooker in the morning and have dinner ready to go after a long day! From sweet to savory, from spicy to creamy, I am sure you’ll find something you’ll love.

zaycon fresh

Side note – I get all my chicken from Zaycon Fresh at prices as low as $1.69 a pound and great quality – you can’t beat it! I first ordered from them more than five years ago, read my Zaycon review here, and I’m still a very happy customer. They have sales all over the country and I’ve referred hundreds of my readers to Zaycon – and they’ve all been equally as happy as I have been! I recommend creating an account here (it’s free) and you’ll be notified about local sales and coupon codes!

Now. . . on to the crockpot chicken recipes. . . 

Looking for more? We’ve also posted recipes for Chicken and Dumpling Soup, Creamy Chicken, and Slow Cooker Chicken Chili.

What is your favorite way of making chicken in your slow cooker? 

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Posted by Stephanie at 2:05 pm | Filed Under: Chicken, Recipes, Slow Cooker | Add Your Comment |

October 1, 2016

Roast two chickens at once – save time, energy, dishes

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I love saving time and energy – both seem to be in short supply these days. When I figured out that I could roast two chickens at once – doubling the output (and meals) with minimal extra work it was a serious “aha” moment!

The follow-up meals that can be built from the extra chicken are endless – sandwiches, salads, tacos, soups, casseroles, etc. It’s like killing two birds with one  . . .you get the point. The thing that pleases me most is the whole “production” only has to happen once – but you can use it for many other meals.

I realize if you have a large family (or teenagers) you might already roast two chickens at a time. Forgive me for just realizing this was a possibility!

Here is my recipe as we’ve always used for roasting chicken – I just modified it for two birds.

INGREDIENTS

2 whole chickens (4-5 pounds each) – as close to the same size as possible so they cook at same rate

5-7 medium potatoes, quartered – whatever kind you like, I had Yukon Gold leftover from our Clam Chowder

6-8 carrots, peeled

6-8 celery stalks, quartered

4-5 medium onions, quartered

4-5 garlic cloves

1-2 lemons

Olive oil

Thyme

Rosemary

Sweet basil

Sage

Kosher salt and pepper

TOOLS NEEDED

Large roasting pan – At least 12 x 16 inches. Advice from the peanut gallery (take it for what it’s worth) – Invest in a good roasting pan. I had one for under $20 that started chipping and flaking within a year. Not good for your food and super frustrating. I ended up buying a Pampered Chef one (LOVE) and it looks brand new to this day – it’s at least three years old and has roasted a lot of chickens and turkeys. Not to mention it heats evenly, cleans up like a charm and won’t leech “non-stick” stuff on my food. You are probably looking at spending $100 or so on a pan – for a good one – but you’ll likely only buy one in your lifetime.

Something like this (has good ratings) over on Amazon: Calphalon LRS1805P Contemporary Stainless Special-Value 16-Inch Roaster with Nonstick Roasting Rack or Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick Roaster with Rack, Baster, Injector, and Lifters

Meat thermometer – A valuable and handy tool to have around when cooking. . .well, um, meats! You can buy them with alarms that go off when the meat has reached a certain temperature. We have something like this from Amazon: Taylor 1470 Digital Cooking Thermometer/Timer and it sits outside with the oven, but has a probe that goes into meat.

DIRECTIONS

  1. Remove giblets and insides from chickens.
  2. Wash chickens well (do not use soap, haha) and make sure all feathers are removed. Dry very well with paper towels and set aside.
  3. Prep vegetables – quarter the potatoes, peel the carrots, quarter the celery stalks, peel and quarter the onions, quarter the lemons
  4. Spread out all vegetables in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Add a few whole garlic cloves to the vegetables mix (or if you’re ambitious – mince garlic and mix it in). Reserve 1/2 onion, 1/2 lemon and two garlic cloves for chicken.
  5. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables, sprinkle with rosemary and sweet basil. We also had fresh parsley in the fridge, so we added that.
  6. It’s probably about time to preheat oven to 425 degrees
  7. Now back to the chicken – put a quarter of a lemon, quarter of an onion and a whole garlic clove in each chicken.
  8. Truss chickens with kitchen twine. This is to keep the legs in close to the body to keep them from burning. (Alton Brown does a great video tutorial on trussing turkey – same concept.)
  9. Put both chickens on top of vegetables in roasting pan.
  10. Drizzle olive oil over chickens, sprinkle salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, sage and sweet basil on top. I also rub on minced garlic, but that’s because we LOVE garlic. If you don’t have a seasoning or don’t like one – leave it out, it won’t make too much of a difference.
  11. Pop in the oven at 425 degrees for 60 to 90 minutes (mine took exactly 75 minutes) – basically internal temperature of chicken breasts should read 180 degrees. Rotate pan half way through to help chickens cook evenly. If you need, you can also stir around veggies – but I usually just leave mine alone and they are delish.
  12. When your chickens have reached 180 internal degrees (as taken in the breast) – take chickens out of oven and if you can stand it, let them rest about 10 minutes before cutting (it will keep them more moist).
  13. Enjoy!

Use leftover chicken carcass to make homemade chicken stock (stove top) or Chicken stock in the slow cooker – and leftover chicken can be used for all kinds of meals.

Here are some chicken recipes you could try: 

How do you roast your chickens? Do you have a favorite recipe or technique?

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Posted by Heather at 7:28 am | Filed Under: Chicken, Entrees, Recipes | 15 Comments |

February 24, 2015

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

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Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore - Chicken, tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, wine and more, make this a delicious meal in your Crockpot!See this Chicken Cacciatore Crockpot recipe (and others) on my Slow Cooker Pinterest board

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore recipe

I’ve been on a roll trying out new crockpot recipes and yesterday I made this Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore – another big hit! My husband especially liked it, so we’ll be adding this to our meal rotation.

INGREDIENTS

3-4 chicken breasts, whole and fresh

14 ounce can of diced tomatoes (I used one with basil and oregano flavorings)

6 oz can of tomato paste

1-2 bell peppers, diced finely
I used orange and yellow peppers because green peppers have such a strong flavor

1 medium onion, diced very fine

3-4 minced garlic cloves

1 cup kalamata olives, sliced finely
If you don’t like the strong flavor of kalamata olives, leave them out. This flavor is prominent in the sauce, which we love, but you might not. The sauce will be tasty even without. 

1/2 cup red wine, I used a Cabernet, but any dry wine will do

1 tsp italian seasoning

Fresh basil for garnishing
This adds SO MUCH to the flavor, if you like fresh basil – don’t leave it out!

Fresh parmesan for garnishing

Optional – If I had mushrooms, I would have thrown those into the crock, too.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore - Chicken, tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, wine and more, make this a delicious meal in your Crockpot!

HOW TO PREPARE

1.) Place chicken breast on the bottom of the slow cooker

2.) Throw all other remaining ingredients (except basil and parmesan) into the slow cooker

3.) Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Once your chicken is cooked throughout it’s ready to serve! If you want to thicken the sauce up – cook for an hour without the lid.

4.) Serve over pasta or eat like a stew.

I’d love to know what you think! Leave a comment if you give this recipe a try.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore - Chicken, tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, wine and more, make this a delicious meal in your Crockpot!

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Posted by Heather at 1:56 pm | Filed Under: Chicken, Recipes, Slow Cooker | Add Your Comment |

February 19, 2015

Slow Cooker Indian Stew

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Slow Cooker Indian Stew - Chicken, Curry, Chickpeas - so good!Check out this recipe and others on my Slow Cooker Pinterest board

Slow Cooker Indian Stew

I made this Slow Cooker Indian Stew for dinner tonight. Oh dear, did it hit the spot! It had the hearty, filling effect, without being a heavy high-fat recipe. Most of the ingredients are probably in your stockpile or freezer – making this an easy recipe to throw together on i-have-no-idea-what-to-make-for-dinner-days.

About an hour before serving the stew, I made a big batch of basmati rice in the rice cooker – timing both to be done about the same time. Ahhhh. . .between the fragrant basmati rice and the rich curry – my house smells divine.

Indian-Curry-Stew-Crockpot

INGREDIENTS

2 – 3 large, fresh chicken breasts, whole (about 1-2 pounds)

1 medium onion. diced finely

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 Tablespoons curry powder

2 Teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (leave out if you don’t like spice)

2 cans (15 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (14 to 15 oz) diced tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

Prepared separately – rice, if desired, I prefer basmati with this recipe

HOW TO PREPARE

1.) Place whole chicken breasts in bottom of slow cooker

2.) Add all ingredients. Give it a good stir.

3.) Place lid on crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours, until chicken is cooked completely.

4.) After chicken breast are cooked – take two forks and pull chicken apart – shredding it in the stew.

5.) Serve over hot rice. Try to only have one bowl – I dare you.

Slow-Cooker-Indian-Stew-Chicken

I think this stew would be easily adaptable. If you prefer a vegetarian variation, replace the chicken with some of your favorite veggies or add another can of chickpeas (and sub broth of vegetable broth).

I think maybe I might try some diced celery, diced carrots or small cauliflower florets next time. Or small diced potatoes! You could also consider adding some coconut milk for a creamier consistency.  I’d love to know what variations you try!

This recipe was adapted from this Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Stew from Midwest Living.

I’d love to know what you think! Leave a comment if you give this recipe a try.

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Posted by Heather at 4:53 pm | Filed Under: Chicken, Recipes, Slow Cooker | 4 Comments |

February 6, 2015

Whole Chicken Cooked in Slow Cooker Crockpot

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Crockpot Whole Chicken (slow cooker recipe)

Whole Chicken Cooked in Slow Cooker Crockpot

One of the easiest ways to cook a whole chicken is in a crockpot! The possibilities are endless, but I’m going to share two of my favorite recipes for cooking a whole chicken in a crockpot.

First let’s talk about whole chickens, I also call them roasters – because that’s typically how people cook them (read my tutorial on roasting two chickens at once here). They are a VERY frugal protein – often costing $0.88/lb to $0.99/lb on sale. I like to stock up when under a pound and they freeze beautifully. Not only can you get a substantial meal from the chicken – but the bones and “leftovers” makes amazing slow cooker chicken broth. It’s the meal that keeps on giving. 🙂

Here’s how to cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker . . . 

INGREDIENTS

Whole roasting chicken – between 3-5 pounds
Fresh or thawed. Don’t try this with a frozen whole chicken.

2 medium onions, sliced in half

SEASONING

1 Tablespoon italian seasoning

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1.5 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon paprika – I prefer smoked paprika, but any kind works.

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon minced garlic – dried or fresh

[Read more…]

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Posted by Heather at 10:58 am | Filed Under: Chicken, Recipes, Slow Cooker | 4 Comments |

June 11, 2014

15 Grilled Chicken Recipes – Burgers, Kabobs, Fajitas, Gyros, more

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Grilled-Chicken-Recipes

Want more grilling inspiration? Check out my Grilling and Roasting Pinterest board.

15 Grilled Chicken Recipes

Grilled chicken is one of the easiest and most adaptable meals ever. This list could easily be pages and pages long, but I’m sticking to my favorite 15. I think the Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwiches look especially good – especially with some balsamic vinegar/sugar drizzled over them.

Grilled Monterey Chicken from The Recipe Critic

Lemon Chicken from Mandy’s Recipe Box

Grilled Chicken from Sous Chef

Buffalo Chicken Ranch Burgers from Julie’s Eats & Treats

Spicy Sweet and Sour Grilled Chicken from Gourmet.com

Buffalo Chicken Wraps from Lisa’s Dinnertime Dish

Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwiches from The Seasoned Mom

Grilled Sweet and Sour Chicken Kabobs from Six Sisters’ Stuff

Blackened Chicken Wings from The Art of Comfort Baking

Grilled Chicken Fajita Kabobs from Two Peas & Their Pod

Best Grilled Chicken Recipe from Freebie Finding Mom

Grilled Chicken Gyros from Melissa’s Cuisine

Balsamic Marinated Grilled Chicken from Rich and Sweet by Bia Rich

Grilled Honey Lime Chicken from Bless This Mess Please

Honey-Teriyaki-Grilled-Chicken

And finally, one of my favorities, Grilled Honey Teriyaki Chicken from Queen Bee Coupons! 

What are your favorite grilled chicken recipes? I’d love to hear from you – leave a comment on this post!

New-York-Times-Grilling-Cookbook

Looking for more, reliable, grilling advice and recipes – check out The Essential New York Times Grilling Cookbook: More Than 100 Years of Sizzling Food Writing and Recipes. Just released in April, I’ve always been a fan of New York Times recipe coverage!

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Posted by Heather at 12:50 pm | Filed Under: Chicken, Grilling, Recipes | Add Your Comment |

October 5, 2013

Crockpot Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken, served with pasta or rice

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Creamy-chicken-slow-cooker-crockpotpin it here.

Creamy chicken in Crockpot recipe

Looking for a creamy chicken crockpot meal? This is it! It’s incredible easy and it comes out tasting sort of like alfredo sauce, but not quite as rich. You can serve over pasta or rice.

INGREDIENTS

2 chicken breasts

2 Tablespoons butter

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

1/2 Cup chicken broth
I would use low sodium, since there is salt in other ingredients

4 oz cream cheese

1 package of dry italian dressing mix

HOW TO PREPARE

1.) Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

2.) Cook on low for six (6) hours. If using frozen chicken, switch to high on 6 hours.

3.) When it’s done, break chicken apart with a couple forks before serving.

4.) Serve over cooked pasta (or rice), topped with parmesan cheese.

I really liked this recipe. I don’t care much for Alfredo but this dish gets you a creamy sauce without the richness of Alfredo. The flavors are great and I love how flexible it is. I think it would also taste good with sliced mushrooms, frozen peas or sliced carrots added into the mix! Or you could probably try it with cream of mushroom soup?

It’s Crock-tober! As part of this month-long series I’ll be featuring slow cooker and crockpot recipes that are easy and inexpensive!  This recipe was sent in by Angela G. as part of our Crock-tober series – so she’ll get a $10 Amazon gift card! Send in your recipe and if I feature your recipe on the blog you’ll get a $10 Amazon gift card!

Recipe adapted from an Angel Chicken recipe at Eat At Home Cooks.

Cream-of-chicken-crockpot-slow-cooker-recipe

I’d love hear what you think and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

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Posted by Heather at 11:58 am | Filed Under: Chicken, Recipes, Slow Cooker | 11 Comments |

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