Crockpot: Chile and Tomato Shredded Chicken with a Cheese Sauce

According to the recipe I was following, this was supposed to be a jalapeno popper pulled chicken. However, I did not get a jalapeno popper feel from this dish. Don't get me wrong, it was fricking amazing, and I can't wait to make it again and again. It just didn't remind me of a jalapeno popper.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons onion, minced
15-ounce can of diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1 cube chicken bouillon

Sauce
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
Milk

Garnish
1 jalapenos, seeded and sliced or diced


Directions:
Chicken
Grease your slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the cooker. Add garlic, onions, and spices. Pour the can of tomatoes over top.

Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 8 hours. Shred chicken using two forks.

Sauce
Place cream cheese in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat as needed until the cheese has melted. Stir in pepper jack until the shredded cheese has melted. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. (I liked my sauce thick and only added 1 tablespoon of milk.)

Now, you can serve this dish a variety of ways. The original recipe served the chicken on a bun with the sauce and jalapenos on top of the chicken. But you also put it in a tortilla (this is how I'm eating it next time), in a taco shell, or on a bed of tortilla chips. I had used up all our tortillas to make homemade tortilla chips so Eric and I ate the chicken on a plate basically (it was still really good this way too!)

Cheese Sauce (I'm totally in love with this sauce!)

Homemade Tortilla Chips

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Crockpot Recipes:
Alfredo Green Bean Casserole
Brown Sugar and Garlic Chicken
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Mashed Potatoes
Orange Chicken
Pumpkin Butter
Simply the Best Macaroni and Cheese
Tomato and Artichoke Chicken

Jalapeno Popper Chicken

A week ago Eric and I celebrated our 5th anniversary (our last anniversary before we get married!) and went to Ukai Hibachi Grill and Sushi Bar to celebrate. As an appetizer we had tuna jalapeno poppers. They were fricking amazing--as is all their food there. Anyway, it got me thinking about jalapeno poppers and I knew somewhere in my hundreds (maybe thousands) of bookmarked recipes, I had a jalapeno chicken recipe. I found, and made it, and it was absolutely delicious. I will definitely be making it again.

Recipe is adapted from here.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken  with Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons taco seasoning
1 egg
3 ounces cream cheese (I used reduce fat)
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, minced
2 chicken breasts.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a rimmed cookie sheet generously with cooking spray.

In a small skillet, combine breadcrumbs and olive oil over medium heat. Cook until golden brown, stirring often. Pour into a shallow dish and stir in taco seasoning.

In a second shallow dish, lightly beat the egg.

In a third bowl, mix together cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and minced jalapenos.

Cut a slit into the side of each chicken breast to make a pocket. Stuff each of the breasts with half of the cream cheese mixture. Secure with toothpicks if necessary.

Dip the breasts into the eggs then into the breadcrumbs. Make sure to completely coat each chicken breast, and then place them on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the juices run clear.

Eric said that the whole house smelled like this dish and he couldn't wait to try some. He wasn't disappointed. However, he was wondering if there was a way we could fry them next time. That boy wants to fry everything!

On a side note, I highly recommend drinking a margarita with this dish. Together they make a perfect summer pairing.

Enjoy!

~Krissy