Make it Yourself Monday-Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and made it last weekend while we were at the wine festival, and will be making it again next weekend when we camp with the family. The smell alone send me over the moon! I read all of the reviews and alternate recipes and decided to add onions, wine and mushrooms. But, after we reached our destination, I realized that I had forgotten the cream cheese and/or sour cream. So I just added a bit of wine and it made a great gravy for the mashed potatoes that we did for dinner. Nope, it wasn't a stroganoff, but it was pot licking good for sure! 

Chicken Stroganoff

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1/8 cup margarine
• 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• *mushrooms
• *onions
• *wine
• *sour cream
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• (*) means optional

Directions

1. Put chicken, margarine, onion if using, and the dressing mix into the slow cooker; mix together and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. You can add wine or water in the beginning, but leaving it out will give you a crispy chicken outside with a nice juicy inside, so resist the temptation! 
2. Add the cream cheese and soup, mix together and cook on high for another 1/2 hour or until heated through and warm. Also add the mushrooms now if you are using them, and you can add some wine too! Just before serving, you can mix in some sour cream if you like. Then shred the chicken and serve over rice or noodles. If you don't make it white, try it over mashed potatoes to see how you like that! You can also use herb and garlic seasoning instead of the Italian dressing, it works the same way! 

Make it Yourself Monday- Easy Chicken Stroganoff

• It's been a while since we have done a food recipe, so today's Make it Yourself Monday is all about dinner! Especially good for busy, hot days, this crock pot chicken recipe will be hot and complete when you get home from work, or a day at the beach! 
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• You will need;
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• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts - cubed
• 1/8 cup margarine
• 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can (condensed) cream of chicken soup
• 1 pint myshrooms, halved  *optional
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced  *optional
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This recipe is super easy. Just cut the chicken into cubes and put it, the margarine and the dressing mix into the slow cooker. Stir it up to coat the chicken well, then cover the crock pot and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours. Do not be tempted to add any liquid, your chicken will get a nice crust this way. About a half an hour before you want to eat, mix the cream cheese and the soup mix together and pour that mixture over the chicken. Turn the crock pot up to high and cook for another thirty minutes, or until the cheese is heated all the way through. While the cheese is heating, cook some noodles or rice to serve under the stroganoff, for the perfect finishing touch!

Dieting? You can make this recipe more weight watcher friendly by omitting the butter and adding 1/2 cup of water instead, and substituting fat free cream cheese and reduced fat soup. You can even add onions and mushrooms when you add in liquid, if you want. To complete your healthier version, make sure that you serve it over whole wheat noodles or brown rice. Using this healthier method will make the meal only 5 points per serving, plus the points for the noodles or the rice.

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Make it Yourself Monday- Tasty Chicken

Today's recipe is for a nice, easy, and good for you meal. This one is for the crock pot, so it is perfect when you want to avoid the oven in Summer heat, or you have little time at home before you need to hit the baseball diamond. Want to spend the day at the park and have dinner ready when you get home? Try this one, you won't be disappointed! And, on top of the convenience, it is good for you. It only has 154 calories and 4.7grams of carbs per serving (one breast halve). 

You will need;

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 4 ounces of a 10.75 ounce can (condensed) cream of mushroom soup
• 4 ounces of a 10.75 ounce can (condensed) cream of celery soup
• 1 tablespoon and 2-1/4 teaspoons dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese

*for a bit of spice you may add red pepper to taste.

**You may also add a medium diced onion if desired.

Directions

1. Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry. Season with the lemon juice, salt, pepper, celery salt and paprika to taste. Place in a slow cooker. Add diced onion if desired. 
2. In a medium size bowl mix the mushroom and celery soups with the sherry/wine. Stir well, then pour the mixture over the chicken breasts and sprinkle in the grated Parmesan cheese.
3. Cook on LOW setting for 8 to 10 hours, OR on HIGH setting for 4 to 5 hours.

You may serve over a bed of noodles or rice if you wish, but to keep the carbs low I just serve with a salad, a steamed vegetable and half of a small baked potato. However you serve it, I hope you enjoy it!