Creamy Italian Chicken

 Can be made in the crockpot. I've made it both ways on stove top and crockpot

Makes 6 servings-

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 large onion sliced, or 2 small onions
1 packet dry Zesty Italian dressing mix or the dry seasoning below
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup chicken broth
Serve with rice or pasta

• 1.  Place the chicken in a crockpot, sliced onions, and broth on top. Sprinkle dry Italian dressing mix on top. 
• 2.  Cook on low in the crockpot for at least 4-6 hours. Once chicken is done you can remove it from the crockpot and shred it with two forks or with a mixer. Top with cream cheese. Stir the sauce in the crockpot until the cream cheese is fully combined and then stir in the chicken. If you feel the sauce is too thick you can thin it to your preferred consistency with a little more chicken broth or milk. Serve over pasta or rice.

Dry Italian Dressing-  Makes 8 Tablespoons

1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons oregano ground or leaves
1 tablespoon parsley dried
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons salt or substitute
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon basil dried
¼ teaspoon thyme dried, ground
½ teaspoon celery dried leaves or flakes

Mix all ingredients together and store in air-tight container. Mix 2-3T in the crockpot with the chicken.
ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING: Mix 2 tbs of this mix with 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 tbs water, and 1/2 to 2/3 cup olive oil or canola oil.

Creamy Sweet Potato and Veggie Soup

Taste of Home


1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 medium zucchini, chopped
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
2 cartons (32 ounces each) chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cups half-and-half cream (or canned coconut milk)

Directions
In a stockpot, saute onion in butter until transparent but not browned. Add the sweet potatoes, zucchini and broccoli; saute lightly for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in broth; simmer for a few minutes. Add potatoes and seasonings; cook another 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in cream and heat through.
Nutrition Facts
1 cup: 137 calories, 6g fat (4g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 839mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 3g fiber), 4g protein.

COCONUT LIME CHICKEN

A Saucy Kitchen

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 pounds
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 cup red onion it came out to 1/2 onion for me, chopped
1 whole red chili chopped optional
1 cup organic chicken stock*
2 tablespoons lime juice about 1 large lime
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk from a can or coconut cream
pinch turmeric powder (optional for colour)
1 tablespoon arrow root starch for paleo/whole 30 or corn starch mixed into 1 tablespoons water 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic cling wrap and pound them down to make them even in thickness. This will help the chicken cook evenly and make for more tender chicken. Sprinkle each side of the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Melt the coconut oil in a large skillet over a medium high heat on the stove. Add the chicken breasts and cook each side for 5-7 minutes or until browned on each side. Remove the chicken from a skillet and set aside on a plate. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked yet because you'll be returning it to the heat shortly.
3. Add the chopped onion to the same skillet and sauté for a few minutes to soften. Add the chili pepper if you're using it. Sauté another couple of minutes. Add the chicken stock, lime juice, cilantro and chili flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce down to a simmer. Let simmer for about 5 minutes to let reduce down. Add the coconut milk and the turmeric and bring to simmer again for another 5 minutes. Add the starch and water at this time if you're using it. You may need to raise the heat slightly higher to bring this to a boil to activate the starch. Once the sauce thickens reduce it back down to a simmer.
4. Add the chicken back to the skillet, cover and let cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
5. Serve with rice or cauliflower rice with the sauce spooned over the top.
6. Add an extra sprinkling of cilantro & chillies and enjoy!