Mexican flavors add plenty of taste to chicken-based meals
Usually when we plan out meals for the week, we try to mix it up
so that there is some variety in the meals. For instance, we might
mix a few chicken meals with a vegetarian pasta dish or a beef
dish. If we have a few nights that are focused on Italian flavors,
we might throw in a Mexican meal in between.
Mexican flavors add plenty of taste to chicken-based meals
Usually when we plan out meals for the week, we try to mix it up so that there is some variety in the meals. For instance, we might mix a few chicken meals with a vegetarian pasta dish or a beef dish. If we have a few nights that are focused on Italian flavors, we might throw in a Mexican meal in between.
But one week a few weeks ago, we ended up with four meals in a row that all used a lot of similar spices. We had planned bean burritos, as a quick and easy meal, on Monday, the day after we had chicken tortilla soup. It also happened to be the day before we had the beef, lettuce and tomato wraps I wrote about last week that used the same palate of flavors – cumin, oregano and chile. So when it came to the next meal of easy Mexican chicken, we decided to save it for the next week.
The chicken tortilla soup was a great weekend meal, but it would also be perfect for a weeknight since most of the work is done by the Crock-Pot. We substituted chicken thighs for chicken breast to make the dish a bit healthier. We also used corn tortillas with fiber and flax to make our tortilla strips, drizzling them with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkling on some chili powder. The soup tasted great since the tomatoes and green chili added a lot of flavor to the broth. The avocado and Monterey Jack cheese gave it a creamy texture, and the tortilla strips gave it a bit of crunch. We garnished each bowl with the strips rather than adding them into the whole pot so that they stayed a bit crisper in the soup.
I liked the recipe so much that I made it again last weekend so that a friend and I would have a hot dinner waiting for us after a hike at Mission Peak in the East Bay.
We did make the easy Mexican chicken recipe this week as well and it is perfect for a weeknight since it has just a few ingredients that cook up quickly in a skillet. We served the chicken and beans with tortillas, eating it a bit like a fajita.
Chicken tortilla soup
Recipe courtesy of Crock-pot
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 cans (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (4 ounces) chopped mild green chilies, drained
½ to 1 c. chicken broth
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 corn tortillas, sliced into ¼ inch strips and baked until crisp
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
½ c. shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 avocado, peeled and diced, tossed with lime juice to prevent browning
Lime wedges
Place chicken in a 4 ½ quart crock-pot slow cooker. Combine tomatoes with juice, chilies, ½ c. broth, onion, garlic and cumin in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over chicken.
Cover; cook on low for six hours or on high for three hours, or until chicken is tender. Remove the chicken from the crock-pot. Shred with two forks. Return to cooking liquid. Adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper and more broth, if necessary.
Just before serving, add tortillas and cilantro to the Crock-Pot. Stir to blend. Serve in soup bowls, topping each serving with cheese, avocado and a squeeze of lime juice.
Easy Mexican chicken
Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker’s Diabetes Cookbook
Makes four servings
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast strips for stir fry
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (11 ounces) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, undrained
¼ c. water
Spray a 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Cook chicken in skillet over medium-high heat for eight to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in the center.
Stir in seasoning mix, beans, corn and water. Cook over medium-high heat for eight to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened. Serve with tortillas.
Calories: 335; fat: 5 g; protein: 37 g; carbohydrates: 48 g; fiber: 12 g
