Rosemary, Garlic & Olive Oil Chicken for the Crock Pot

Yesterday I was on a mission to find a healthier Crock Pot recipe using chicken. So many of my chicken recipes for the Crock Pot seem to be bathed in delicious, heavy cream sauces and that was just not going to work for me. I haven't eaten as healthy as I should for the better part of a week now and I wanted to get back on track. I didn't feel like spending hours in the kitchen, either, so the Crock Pot seemed the best solution. Throw it in and forget it!! Now just to find a healthy recipe! I went straight to Google (what would I do without that marvelous search engine?) and found what looked to be a great recipe in a relatively short time. By the time I found my recipe it was already 1:45 in the afternoon and I still needed to make my near-daily trek to the grocery store. Here is the recipe I found. Just click here

It was so easy to make, and cooks on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

The chicken was very moist and tender and the house smelled delightfully of the fragrant Rosemary, with just a hint of the garlic. It also tasted like it smelled - delicious! For a fast, healthy meal, you can't beat this one. I served it with a side of steamed Brussels Sprouts and a nice salad with my homemade Ranch dressing.

Grilled Lemon Chicken

I really am trying to eat better. After my recent health scare I realized that, as much as I love rich sauces, red meats, rice, pasta and potatoes, I must make a change for the better. Now don't get me wrong - I am not planning to boycott all my favorite foods, but I am going to show more restraint than I have shown in the past! lol.

Here is a simple, quick, easy, and most tasty dish.

6 Chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2" thickness
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
garlic powder
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil

I use a grilltop that goes over my gas burners. I brush olive oil thoroughly on grill and heat over medium-high heat. Dip chicken into the lemon juice and then season chicken with the garlic powder, salt & pepper. Place and grill and cook until juices run clear when cut into (about 5-7 minutes per side). Easy breezy sneezy peezy! Enjoy!!!

Cuban Ropa Vieja

Tonight's dinner was a Crock Pot delight. I wasn't sure how it was going to taste but I was pleasantly surprised! It was SOOOOO good. So many different flavors just danced on the tongue in a ballet of savory richness!!! I found this recipe at Yummly.com. I served it over brown rice and for a side dish we had the left over nectarine salsa and bok choy slaw from last night.

While revamping my blog, I couldn't find this exact recipe at Yummly.com, but I did find it at GroupRecipes.com and the person who posted it said it came from Woman's Day. Just click on the link below for the recipe.

Cuban Ropa Vieja

Here are the photos I took while preparing the dish.

Chicken Piccata

For tonight's dinner I made Chicken Piccata. YUMMY!! I think I love Chicken Piccata because of the capers. I like capers...no, wait, I LOVE capers. I have a love affair with capers. I can't get enough capers. I love their salty goodness when they pop in my mouth. They add such a great flavor to so many dishes. I truly feel this little flower bud is under-utilized in cooking.

Chicken Piccata
8 boneless chicken breasts halves
6 TBSP butter, room temperature
2 TBSP all-purpose flour, plus additional flour for dredging
1 TBSP olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup chicken broth
¼ cup drained capers
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley


Mix 2 TBSP butter and 2 TBSP flour in small bowl until smooth. Set aside. Lightly pound chicken between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap to ¼” thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place additional flour in shallow baking dish. Dredge chicken in flour to coat; shake off excess. Heat 1 TBSP oil in large heavy skillet. Add 2 chicken breasts and cook until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a platter; tent with foil to keep warm. Cook remaining chicken breasts, two or three at a time. Bring wine, lemon juice and broth to boil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in butter-flour mixture and boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in capers, parsley and remaining 4 TBSP butter. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Grillled Asparagus

I use a grill pan that goes right over my gas burners on my stove to make this delicious side dish. Just be sure to stay on top of it as you don't want it to overcook. I love my asparagus cooked to a crisp-tender.

I must tell you how I came to discover asparagus and all its goodness. My hubby and I were eating lunch about 7 years ago at a bistro called Bistro Biagio. his meal came with these luscious looking green stalks that beckoned to me. Now, up until this point in my life I had zero desire to try asparagus. I looked at hubby and said "My, that looks good". The poor, naive man said "Would you like to try a bit?". I ate his entire order of asparagus! I had never tasted a vegetable as delicious as this was. I was in epicurean Heaven! I immediately went home and found recipes for cooking my new-found love!

Grilled Asparagus

1 bunch asparagus (the thicker stalks work better for ts dish)
Olive oil
Sea salt
Thoroughly oil your grill. Heat grill to medium high. Wash and dry asparagus and trim off woody ends. Coat asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and then place on grill. Grill approximately 5 minutes and then turn to other side and grill until just fork tender. Bon appetit!

Laura's Chicken

One of my co-workers made this for me for my birthday dinner last October and it was SO flavorful that I just had to have the recipe. I was quite surprised when she gave me the recipe! I made this last night and it was a huge hit. I really think the best part is the sauce over creamy mashed potatoes. My mouth water just thinking of how tasty it is! I am not a big fan of bell peppers, so I just omit that particular ingredient when I'm preparing this tasty dish.

Laura's Chicken

4 - 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each cut into thirds
2 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped (optional)
4 ribs celery, finely chopped
Tony Chacheres Creole Seasoning
5 packages McCormick's turkey gravy mix
6 cups water

In a large skillet heat olive oil (I use my electric skillet for this dish). Add veggies and sauté over medium to medium-high heat until tender, about five minutes. Remove veggies from skillet. Season chicken pieces with Tony Chacheres Creole seasoning and brown in skillet. While meat is browning mix the 5 packets of McCormick's turkey gravy mix with 6 cups of water (I use my 8 cup glass measuring cup for this). Add the celery, red pepper and onion to the gravy mix and stir well. When chicken is browned on both sides add the turkey gravy/water/veggie mix. Cover and simmer approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. This is good with rice, mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Serves 6.

We had this with rice and grilled asparagus last night.

Chicken Breasts with Herb Sauce

Chicken Breasts with Herb Sauce

4-6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt, pepper and garlic powder (optional) to taste
All-purpose flour for dredging
2 TBSP olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock or water
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, and chives
2 TBSP capers (optional)
2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP flour

Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder and coat lightly with flour. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over moderate heat and sauté the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides and firm to the touch. Transfer the chicken to an oven-proof platter and keep warm in a 200° oven. Add the wine and chicken stock to the skillet and reduce it by half, being sure to scrape up all the brown bits in the skillet as you stir. In a small bowl cut up butter into small pieces and add the flour and mix well. Addthis to the sauce and mix well. Stir in the fresh herbs and the optional capers, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.