Healthy White Chicken Chili recipe is a 30 minute meal with the option of making it 3 different ways. Whether made on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot or a slow cooker, this healthy chicken chili is easy and extremely popular for a reason! Serve with tortilla chips or almond flour cornbread, avocado slices, and your favorite cheese!

A true crowd pleaser just like this buffalo chicken chili, chili with ground chicken and this ground turkey chili recipe.

Soup and stew, no matter where you’re from, will always be comfort food, especially when there’s a chill in the air. I did not grow up in Ukraine eating any kind of chili, especially white chicken chili.

We warmed up every single day with bowls of borscht and healthy chicken noodle soup.

So, chili, in general, is something I’ve learned to love over the years and healthy white chicken chili is a welcome change to the traditional beef chili that I was first introduced to.

Both are hearty, wholesome, and delicious healthy chili recipes, but the creamy, slightly salty, flavorful white chicken chili is a nice way to switch it up!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Lighter meal: This version of a very popular dish is healthier as it doesn’t require any cream cheese or heavy cream. Instead, I use plain Greek yogurt which is high in protein and still gives it that creamy velvety texture.
• Delicious: Made with tender beans, juicy kernels of corn, shredded chicken, green chilies, and a tasty broth infused with tons of delicious flavor and texture. The slightly mashed cooked beans also give it the body and heartiness. It doesn’t skimp on flavor and rivals any gourmet restaurant soup recipe!
• Family friendly recipe: It’s not too spicy, so the kids will have no problem polishing off their bowls.
• Quick to make: The entire recipe comes together in as little as 30 minutes, depending on your cooking method (white chicken chili in crockpot will slow cook longer).
• Easy to make 3 different ways: In the crockpot, on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. You decide!
• Perfect for meal prep: Leftovers can be kept in the fridge or frozen, so make a big batch and meal prep lunches for the week!

Ingredients for Healthy White Chicken Chili

To make this healthy white chicken chili, you will need just a few simple ingredients.

• Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts come with a lot of meat and are easy to shred once cooked and start falling apart.
• Beans and corn: When cooked, great Northern beans or cannellini beans, are buttery and just melt in your mouth. They add to the creaminess and the juicy corn gives it added texture with a bit of sweetness from the juice. Use frozen corn, quickly cook corn on the cob in Instant Pot or use leftover crock pot corn on the cob.
• Aromatics: Onion and garlic are needed to impart flavor into the entire dish.
• Diced green chilies: A can of this will add not only a bit of heat but flavor too!
• Chicken broth: Look for low sodium broth, if you can. If you’ve got some homemade chicken broth or Instant Pot chicken broth, by all means, use that!
• Herbs and spices: Ground cumin, dried oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to taste. You can adjust any of these to your preferences. Fresh cilantro is perfect to add some vibrant herbaceous notes or skip all together.
• Yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt adds the thick and rich body that the base of the white bean chicken chili needs without the heaviness of processed cream cheese and heavy cream. Be sure to use yogurt with at least 2% fat.
• Fresh lime juice: The acid from the lime juice is exactly what this chili needs to cut through the creaminess.
• Oil: I use avocado oil because of its heat tolerance and health benefits. Olive oil will work just as well.
• For serving: Tortilla chips, avocado, yogurt, fresh limes.

How to Make White Chicken Chili on the Stove

Here is a quick overview how to make healthy white chicken chili on the stove. Crockpot and Instant Pot versions are down below. Also there is detailed recipe card with all 3 cooking options at the end of this post.

1. Saute veggies with spices: Saute onion and garlic for a few minutes. Then add spices for 30 seconds to allow them to release their flavors. You want to stir at this point constantly to prevent burning.
2. Mash the beans: Mash about 1 cup of white beans with a fork and a bit of water, if necessary. Beans starch will thicken the chili as it cooks. I find mashing beans before rather than after cooking much easier. Especially, because there is no blender to wash.
3. Cook the chili: Then add chicken, broth, green chilies, corn and simmer for 20 minutes. The tight lid on a heavy bottom pot or even better option Dutch oven cooks chili fast.
4. Shred the chicken: You can do it inside the pot with two forks. I like to use meat claws (also great for chicken salad), so I remove chicken and place it on the cutting board and then shred.

• Combine with seasonings: Return chicken to the pot along with lime juice, cilantro, and yogurt. Make sure the stove is off, so the yogurt doesn’t curdle. Your white chicken chili recipe is ready!

Make It in the Crock Pot

The difference between stovetop and crockpot white bean chicken chili is that you have to saute onion, garlic, and spices in the skillet and then transfer them to the slow cooker. And add only 1 cup broth.

1. Cook veggies in a skillet: Saute onion, garlic, and spices in the skillet. Transfer to a large slow cooker.
2. Combine in the slow cooker: Mash 1 cup of beans and add to the slow cooker along with other whole beans, only 1 cup of broth, chicken, and corn.
3. Cook: Cover and cook on Low heat for 6 hours or on High heat for 3 hours.
4. Shred meat and season: Shred chicken and return it to the crockpot along with cilantro, lime juice, and yogurt.

Make It in the Instant Pot

If you know me, you know I am obsessed with Instant Pot recipes. It just makes healthy dinner a reality and so much easier.

I do have an official Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe. However, here is a quick run down:

1. No need to saute: You don’t have to saute the veggies or spices. Food cooked under pressure comes out more flavorful.
2. Add and cook: Just throw everything in the Instant Pot in the order listed in the recipe (please note only 1 cup of broth). Pressure Cook on High pressure for 20 minutes.
3. Quick release, shred, and season: Quick Release the pressure. Shredding the chicken can be done right in the pot because it’s stainless steel. Add cilantro, lime juice, and yogurt.

Variations

• Cream cheese: If cream cheese is what you have on hand and you don’t mind using it, make classic white chicken chili with cream cheese instead of Greek yogurt or in addition to it.
• Using chicken thighs: Instead of chicken breasts, use the same weight of boneless skinless chicken thighs. No changes to the recipe are necessary.
• Leftover cooked chicken: Use leftover store-bought rotisserie chicken or from another recipe. I use Instant Pot shredded chicken breast, Instant Pot chicken breast or even Instant Pot frozen chicken frequently. Add it in the beginning just like when you would add raw chicken. Super flavorful and even easier!
• Using fresh corn on the cob: Scrape off the kernels if you’ve got an abundance of corn from the market or garden.
• No heat: If you want to keep peppers in your soup but none of the kick, swap for sauteed diced bell peppers. Green for savory and red for a sweeter flavor.
• Other spices: Ground coriander is a nice addition to increasing the flavor profile.

Toppings Ideas

When it comes to chili toppings, it is all about personal taste, heat preference and availability. This healthy white chicken chili is mouthwatering and delicious all on its own but that doesn’t mean you can’t load it up with your favorite toppings:

• Cilantro: Never too much but I know some people find it soapy. You can also omit it!
• Yogurt: Or sour cream which is creamier.
• Tortilla chips. Crunchy, crispy, and slightly salty are great for dipping!
• Avocado: If you have a ripe one, dice it or slice it and serve on top.
• Heat: If you can handle the heat, fresh sliced jalapeno with seeds is amazing addition.
• Cheese: Top with shredded cheese for additional cheesiness. Cheddar, Monterrey Jack, and even Parmesan would work. Or crumbled Cotija cheese is a classic!

What to Serve Healthy White Chicken Chili with?

• Serve chili traditionally with some healthy cornbread or healthy cornbread muffins for extra carbs and fiber.
• Make a classic soup and salad combo with simple butter lettuce salad or lettuce salad recipe.
• If you are feeding hungry boys like I am, try a classic soup and sandwich pairing with grilled cheese.
• Have fiesta night with guacamole and pico de gallo!

How to Store and Reheat

Store: This white chicken chili recipe serves 6 people. It was enough for our family of 4 for dinner and then Alex and I finished it for lunch, so you may not have any leftovers for long. But if you do, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze: If you’re serving only 1 or 2 people, make the entire batch of chili and freeze any leftovers. Because there is not much dairy, chili will thaw just fine. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can also make this recipe as a freezer meal, following my freezer meals instructions.

Reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat on low heat on the stove, in the slow cooker, or steam in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes. The nice thing about a pressure cooker is that you can thaw chili from frozen.

FAQs

More Healthy Recipes to Try

• Creamy chicken enchilada soup
• Instant Pot turkey chili
• Instant Pot white chicken lasagna soup
• Healthy mac and cheese

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Healthy White Chicken Chili

Healthy White Chicken Chili recipe with chicken, white beans, corn, cumin, and yogurt. Ready in 30 minutes on the stovetop, slow cooker or Instant Pot!

Course Soup and Stew

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 345kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Dutch oven
• Glass bowls
• Measuring tools

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts 3 medium-large
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon oil I use avocado oil
• 3 cups chicken broth low sodium
• 2 x 15 ounces cans great Northern beans or cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 2 cups corn
• 4 ounces can diced green chilies
• 1 teaspoon cumin ground
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 small bunch cilantro finely chopped
• 1/2 cup plain or Greek yogurt fat 2%+
• 1 lime juice of
• Tortilla chips, avocado, more yogurt, limes for serving

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Stovetop Healthy White Chicken Chili

• Preheat large dutch oven or heavy bottom pot on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic and onion, sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
• In a small bowl, add about 1 cup of beans and mash with a fork. It helps to thicken the chili.
• Transfer to the pot along with chicken broth, remaining whole beans, corn, green chilies and chicken breasts. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Turn off the heat. Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks or meat claws. Return chicken to the pot along with lime juice, cilantro and yogurt.
• Stir and serve warm with your favorite toppings like tortilla chips, cheese, more cilantro and lime.

Slow Cooker Healthy White Chicken Chili

• Preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic and onion, sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Transfer to a large slow cooker.
• In a small bowl, add about 1 cup of beans and mash with a fork. Transfer to the slow cooker along with only 1 cup broth, remaining whole beans, corn, green chilies and chicken breasts. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or on High for 3 hours.
• After follow the steps like in the stovetop version above.

Instant Pot Healthy White Chicken Chili

• In a small bowl, add about 1 cup of beans and mash with a fork.
• To 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, add ingredients in the following order: garlic, onion, corn, whole and mashed beans, chicken breasts, green chiles, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and only 1 cup broth. Do not stir.
• Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 20 minutes. Release pressure using Quick Release method by turning pressure valve to Venting position immediately after cooking.
• Open the lid, remove chicken and shred with 2 forks or meat claws. After follow the steps like in the stovetop version above.

Video

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a stovetop covered on low.
• Diced green chilies substitute: Canned diced green chilies are usually not spicy. You can skip diced green chilies all together and use more cumin and maybe coriander would be nice too. Or add sauteed bell pepper.
• Rotisserie chicken: Yes, you can use shredded rotisserie chicken. Add it in the beginning just like when you would add raw chicken – more flavor.
• Cream cheese: Add 2-3 ounces with yogurt or in place of it, if you wish. I do add it to my Instant Pot white chicken chili.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 345kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 664mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 5g

The post Healthy White Chicken Chili appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

This Slow Cooker Chicken Breast Recipe comes out tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned every time! Learn how to make the best crockpot chicken breast in the world and use it in any of your favorite chicken recipes.

We also love to make this slow cooker shredded chicken for weekly meal prep and crockpot BBQ pulled chicken for busy weeknights!

If you have ever made my popular baked chicken breast and wished that there was even a more hands off easy method, this juicy slow cooker chicken breast recipe is for you!

With similar seasonings, it results in perfectly cooked chicken breasts in a crock pot and all you do is dump and go!

Many of you already love my Instant Pot chicken breast which I also often turn into shredded chicken. And this is just one more way to cook it.

Serve it with steamed rice, make it into a shredded chicken for tacos, or add it to a big salad. As for leftovers, use them in crock pot chicken spaghetti or pasta with chicken and spinach the next day!

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Chicken Breast

This is such an an easy slow cooker recipe with only 6 basic seasonings, chicken and 2 other simple ingredients! Feel free to jazz it up with one of these chicken marinades for variety.

• Chicken breasts: I used 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts and they fit it in my crock pot with minimal overlapping, which is important so they cook evenly.
• Chicken broth: I prefer homemade chicken broth or store-bought low sodium chicken broth, adjust salt as necessary for the brand you use. You could use water but chicken stock will be have more flavor.
• Olive oil: Chicken breasts have no fat, which means they can easily dry out. Adding just a small amount of oil or butter, makes them more flavorful and moist. It will also make the broth more rich.
• Seasonings: Simple pantry spices of garlic powder, onion powder, basil, paprika plus salt and black pepper.

How to Make Chicken Breasts in Crock Pot

1. Season the chicken: In a small bowl, whisk garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, paprika, salt, pepper. Then sprinkle chicken breasts on both sides. Even easier, lay raw chicken on large plate and sprinkle with half the spices, flip and sprinkle with the rest.
2. Add it to crockpot: To the bottom of the slow cooker, add broth, olive oil and lay chicken in a single layer on top. You don’t want them overlapping much to make sure they cook evenly and get that nice “roasted” look.
3. Cover and cook: Cook on Low for 3-4 hours or on High for 2 hours. The most sure way to know your chicken is ready is to insert an instant read thermometer in the middle, and if it reads at least 160 degrees F, your chicken breasts are ready.
4. Rest then serve: Then you do want to rest your chicken to let the juices redistribute and reach desired 165 F. So, cover with foil, let rest for 5-10 minutes and chicken will keep cooking with residual heat while becoming juicy. Magic!

How Long to Cook Chicken Breast in Slow Cooker?

Do not leave your chicken breasts in slow cooker for an entire day. The exact time will depend on the size of your chicken breasts, their type and your slow cooker make and model.

Here is a cooking time chart for reference:

Can You Cook Frozen Chicken Breasts in Crock Pot?

While this does seem to be a debatable topic, the USDA Food Safety Guidelines for Slow Cookers recommends to always thaw raw meat or poultry before putting it in your slow cooker.

The long slow temp at which a slow cooker heats up puts your frozen meat in danger of growing bacteria if left at a certain temperature for a long period.

If you only have frozen chicken, try this method for frozen chicken breast in Instant Pot!

Variations

Try any of these variations for your slow cooker chicken breasts.

Or here is what I like to do. Quite often, I just top cooked chicken with my favorite local store-bought Yeshi sauce and it’s the easiest dinner ever! I am obsessed with those nutritional yeast umami dressings, you can buy it anywhere, even different brand.

• Swap the seasonings: Try a different blend of seasonings such as cajun seasoning, all-purpose seasoning, or use smoked paprika instead of regular sweet paprika.
• BBQ sauce: Either cook in healthy barbecue sauce or brush it with the sauce when it’s done cooking.
• Mexican: Cook in your favorite salsa and taco seasoning, shred with two forks when done and use in tacos. This is such an easy chicken dinner idea!
• Italian: Season chicken with Italian seasoning and use the leftovers to make Tuscan chicken pasta.

Ways to Use Cooked Chicken

Serve for dinner tonight or use in a variety of dishes throughout the week!

• Add to delicious soups: Shredding leftover chicken into quick chicken noodle soup makes this soup even faster.
• Salad: Not overly seasoned it is perfect to dice and use for this reader favorite healthy chicken salad recipe.
• Classic: With mashed potatoes and garlic green beans.
• In more complex dishes: Because of how easy it is to cook chicken in the crock pot, you can make more labor intensive dishes go faster. For example, use it to make these healthy chicken enchiladas.

How to Store and Reheat

To store: Let your chicken breasts cool completely first. Then transfer it whole, shredded, sliced or cubed to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.

To freeze: Freeze in an airtight container or storage bag up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Reheat: Reheat in a microwave until warmed through or in a covered skillet on the stovetop. Be careful not to overcook it or it will be dry. If your have an air fryer, here is also how to reheat chicken breast in air fryer tutorial.

FAQs

More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

• Crockpot chicken soup
• Crockpot chicken and rice
• Crock pot chicken thighs
• Slow cooker chicken stew
• Slow cooker butter chicken
• Slow cooker white chicken chili
• Slow cooker whole chicken
• Slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole

Be sure to browse my full collection of chicken breast recipes. I am obsessed!

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Slow Cooker Chicken Breast

This Slow Cooker Chicken Breast comes out tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned every time! Learn how to make the best crockpot chicken breast in the world and use it in any of your favorite chicken recipes.

Course Dinner

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Resting time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 298kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Slow cooker

Ingredients

• 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken broth low sodium
• 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a small bowl, add garlic powder, onion powder, basil, paprika, salt, pepper and stir to combine. Sprinkle chicken breasts on both sides.
• In a large slow cooker, add broth, olive oil and lay chicken on top, trying to overlap minimally.
• Cover and cook on Low for 3-4 hours or on High for 2 hours, or until internal read thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted in the center.
• Remove onto a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Then slice or shred.

Notes

• Store: In an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days. 
• Reheat: In microwave or on the stovetop in a covered pan until warmed through.
• Freeze: Up to 3 months in a freezer safe bag, thaw before using.

Here is a cooking time chart for reference:

• Boneless chicken breasts – On Low for 3-4 hours or on High for 2 hours.
• Bone-in chicken breasts – on Low for 3.5-4.5 hours or on High for 2.5 hours.
• Chicken tenders – on Low for 2.5-3 hours or on High for 1.5 hours

Nutrition

Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 708mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g

The post Slow Cooker Chicken Breast appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

The best thing about his slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole is that it’s still a one pot meal, but now you can throw everything in at the start of the day and let it do its thing. By dinnertime, it’s all ready to go with no sides needed!

I took inspiration from my chicken enchilada skillet, keeping all the same simple ingredients and threw in some baby spinach for a little extra color and nutrition. We even kept the classic toppings like fresh cilantro and sour cream too!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Healthier: Packed with veggies like bell peppers, black beans, and even a handful of spinach for extra greens.
• One pot meal: The best part of slow cooker recipes, right?! Just toss it all in and let it do the work, no extra pots or piles of dishes.
• Flavorful: Chicken enchilada casserole made in a Crockpot doesn’t lack the delicious taste of its oven version at all!
• High protein: With chicken and black beans in the mix, it effortlessly packs 40 grams of protein in every serving.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole

The ingredient list for this casserole recipe is super simple and totally customizable!

• Aromatic vegetables: I used chopped yellow onion and red bell pepper for a sweeter touch, but you can absolutely swap them for white onion and green bell peppers.
• Chicken breasts: You’ll need 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts.
• Black beans: Use low sodium beans because enchilada sauce is high in sodium.
• Red enchilada sauce: You can use homemade enchilada sauce but I like store bought one because it’s easy!
• Corn tortillas: Use corn tortillas for the authentic taste and best texture.
• Baby spinach: Makes this casserole a true healthy dinner.
• Shredded cheese: Tex Mex and cheddar cheese are our favorites, but Monterey Jack cheese, a Mexican cheese blend, or Colby Jack would be just as delicious.
• Oil: Olive oil or avocado oil for sauteing the onion and peppers.
• Toppings: Totally optional, but you can’t go wrong with avocado, fresh cilantro, jalapeño, sour cream or yogurt, green onion, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and a squeeze of lime juice.

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole in Slow Cooker

• Sauté veggies: Heat a large skillet over medium heat, swirl in some oil, and add the onion and bell pepper. Pan fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Combine ingredients: In a large slow cooker, toss in the chicken breasts, sautéed onion and pepper, and black beans, then pour the enchilada sauce over everything. There’s no need to stir!
• Slow cook: Close the lid and cook on High heat for 3 hours or on Low heat for 5 hours.
• Shred and mix: Shred the chicken with 2 forks in the slow cooker, then add the tortilla strips and spinach. Stir gently.

• Add cheese: Sprinkle with cheese, and close the lid for 5 minutes to let the cheese melt.

Tips for Best Results

Here are some helpful tips for getting the best results.

• Buy ingredients of brands you like: I mean for the enchilada sauce, tortillas, and chicken breasts. It affects the taste a lot and how tender your meat will be. Also, be sure to buy low sodium or no salt black beans to keep the casserole from getting too salty.
• Don’t use flour tortillas: Using flour tortillas will make this casserole dish a bit doughy.
• For more protein: Add less tortillas and more beans.
• Don’t skip sauteing: Sauteing brings out the natural sweetness in the onion and peppers, adding an extra layer of flavor you don’t want to miss!
• Don’t open the lid during cooking: It lets the heat escape. Keeping it closed helps everything cook evenly and keeps the flavors locked in.

Variations

• Chicken thighs: Work great if you like dark meat, and you’ll get tender chicken all the time. Make sure to use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
• Corn tortilla chips: Instead of tortillas, yes it works and adds a nice crunch! Use about 3-4 cups.
• Use any ground meat: Swap chicken breasts for ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken. Cook it up first, then decrease the slow cook time by half.
• Beef enchiladas: Replace the chicken with chuck beef or cubed stew meat.
• Green enchilada sauce: Made from green chilies for a slightly spicy enchilada casserole.
• Swap out the beans: Substitute black beans with pinto beans, skip the beans altogether and use canned corn, or go for a mix of both!
• Make it lower carb: Use 1 can of beans and less tortillas.

What to Serve It with?

This crock pot chicken enchilada casserole is a complete meal on its own packed with protein and loaded with veggies mixed right in.

But if you’re serving a crowd, you might want to add a little more on the side, like cilantro lime cauliflower rice, tortillas chips and Greek yogurt guacamole, Instant Pot refried beans, or a simple lettuce salad.

How to Store

Store: This easy casserole is perfect for leftovers! Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4 days.

Freeze: Let it cool, toss in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave.

FAQs

More Enchilada Recipes to Try

• Low carb chicken enchiladas
• One pot enchiladas
• Healthy chicken enchiladas

More One Pot Slow Cooker Recipes

• Slow cooker chicken and rice
• Slow cooker chicken stew
• Slow cooker white chicken chili

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Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole is loaded with black beans, tortillas, and melty cheese. One pot meal with 40 grams of protein!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 575kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Slow cooker
• Ceramic skillet

Ingredients

• 1 large onion coarsely chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper coarsely chopped
• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 x 14 ounces cans low sodium black beans rinsed & drained
• 14 ounces red enchilada sauce
• 10 small corn tortillas coarsely chopped
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 2 cups cheddar or Tex mex cheese shredded
• 1 tablespoon oil for frying
• Avocado, cilantro, jalapeno, sour cream or yogurt for toppings (optional)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat large skillet on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and bell pepper, saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a large slow cooker, add chicken breasts, sauteed onion and pepper, black beans and enchilada sauce. No need to stir.
• Close the lid and cook on High heat for 3 hours or on Low heat for 5 hours.
• Shred chicken with 2 forks right in slow cooker, then add corn tortillas and spinach. Stir gently to combine and sprinkle with cheese. Close the lid and let sit for 5 minutes for cheese to melt.
• Garnish with your favorite toppings and serve warm by scooping with a spoon.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 3 – 4 days.
• Freeze: Cool, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 745mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g

The post Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

We also love this Instant Pot chicken wild rice soup, Instant Pot chicken and rice soup and marry me chicken soup.

This healthy chicken wild rice soup is loaded with fall apart shredded chicken, tender carrots, potatoes, celery, and of course, wild rice simmering in a creamy broth that is exploding with crazy flavor!

After realizing how quick and easy it is to make this healthy soup in just over an hour, you’ll never want to go back to Panera again!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy: While it may need a bit of simmering time, this soup requires minimum chopping and all steps are very easy to follow.
• Delicious: Lots of flavor from the earthy mushrooms, veggies, aromatics and seasonings. Not to mention everyone loves anything creamy!
• Healthier: No heavy cream is used to make this chicken wild rice soup.
• One pot meal: Anytime I can make dinner in one pot with easy clean up, it’s a win!
• Freezer and meal-prep friendly: Prep soup ahead of time and freeze until you’re ready to cook it. Portion any leftovers and enjoy for lunches throughout the week.

Ingredients for Healthy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

• Chicken: Any chicken works whether it’s raw, bone-in and skin-on or boneless and skinless. Examples would be chicken breasts, chicken thighs or chicken drumsticks. Also cut up whole chicken is great.
• Dried mushrooms: If you don’t have dried mushrooms, use fresh brown mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms or white mushrooms.
• Vegetables: Onion, garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes.
• Wild rice: Wild rice has a very unique taste and texture and I don’t recommend to replace it with any other rice.

• Milk: Whole milk is the best replacement for heavy cream.
• Liquid: Water or low sodium chicken broth or Instant Pot chicken broth.
• Seasoning: Dried thyme, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Try poultry seasoning or rosemary instead of thyme.
• Garnish: Parsley to give it a nice herbaceous finish.
• Butter: Used for sauteing the vegetables and adds a creamy layer of flavor.

How to Make Healthy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

• Saute vegetables with spices. Melt butter in a large heavy bottom pot and add onion and garlic to saute. Add veggies and seasoning and continue to saute for 5 more minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients: Add chicken, potatoes, wild rice, water, or broth.

• Cook: Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 55 minutes or until rice and potatoes are tender.

• Shred chicken: Place chicken onto plate and shred with 2 forks and set aside.
• Make it creamy: Whisk in the milk and prepared mustard and blend with an immersion blender a bit. Or leave it as is.

• Final step: Add shredded chicken back in as well as a handful of chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Tips for Best Results

• Don’t replace the wild rice: Unfortunately, white or brown rice will become overly mushy in this recipe. If that’s all you have, make this turkey and rice soup (use chicken) or Instant Pot chicken and rice soup instead. Or some readers have had luck with cooking rice separately and then stirring it in at the end.
• If you don’t have an immersion blender: Blend a small amount in your blender, then stir back into soup. Do this in batches until desired soup consistency is reached.
• Adjust consistency: This soup will thicken over time. Adding 7 cups of liquid is great if you want a thick soup right away. Adding 8-9 cups is good if you plan to consume the soup a couple hours later as it will become thicker by then. You can always adjust the soup next day with more broth.

Variations

• Cooked chicken: If you have any leftover cooked cubed or shredded chicken you can use that instead. Add after cooking and use chicken broth and not water for cooking the soup as you will skip cooking the chicken.
• Dairy free: Try coconut milk for the same creamy result. Or you can use any nut or oat milk but the flavor will change.
• Additional vegetables: Add some diced sweet potato, butternut squash or small broccoli florets before cooking, or chopped spinach or kale after the blending step.
• Slow cooker: Saute the vegetables and spices. Add chicken, potatoes, wild rice, water or broth in a large slow cooker. And cook on Low for 8-10 hours or on High for 5-6 hours.
• Instant Pot: Throw all of the ingredients into the Instant Pot and cook for 25 minutes on High pressure.

How to Make a Freezer Meal

Do you like to plan ahead for busy weeknights or days when you don’t feel like cooking? Turn this chicken wild rice soup recipe into a freezer meal and have it ready when you are!

• Instant Pot: In a large Ziploc bag, add all of the ingredients except water, milk, and parsley. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen with 7 cups water or chicken broth on High pressure for 25 minutes, wait 10 minutes, and release remaining pressure.
• Slow cooker: In a large Ziploc bag, add all of the ingredients except water, milk, and parsley. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours and then cook on Low for 10 hours or on High for 6 hours with the recommended amount of water or broth. You can skip cooking the veggies before adding them to the bag. Either way, the soup is going to be delish.
• After cooking: Remove the chicken and shred it with 2 forks. Blend the soup a bit with an immersion blender until desired consistency. Add chicken back in with the parsley. Stir and serve hot.

Serving Recommendations

This soup doesn’t need much else except for a basket of crusty bread like Greek yogurt bread or cottage cheese bread, or low carb almond flour bread for sopping up that delicious broth.

An appetizer is always a nice addition to get things going, especially if you’re serving company. Try Parmesan mushrooms, baked zucchini fritters, or garlic hummus with fresh veggies or crackers.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Freeze chicken and wild rice soup leftovers in a glass container for up to 3 months.

Reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 4 hours. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes on the stove top.

FAQs

More Chicken Recipes to Try

• Healthy chicken and rice casserole
• Healthy chicken noodle soup
• Healthy chicken pot pie soup
• Instant Pot chicken and rice
• Chicken noodle vegetable soup
• Slow cooker chicken noodle soup
• Healthy white chicken chili
• Instant Pot white chicken chili
• Crock pot chicken and rice

Print

Healthy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This Chicken Wild Rice Soup is deliciously rich and creamy soup without the use of heavy cream or flour. You can make this healthy and budget-friendly comfort food on the stovetop, crockpot or Instant Pot.

Course Soup and Stew

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 7 servings

Calories 400kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Dutch oven
• Immersion blender

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds any raw chicken pieces
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• 2 large carrots coarsely chopped
• 3 large celery stalks diced
• 2 large potatoes diced
• 1/2 cup dried mushrooms or 2 cups fresh brown mushrooms sliced
• 1 1/2 cups wild rice
• 7 cups water or chicken broth low sodium
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme dried
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups whole milk
• Small bunch parsley finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter for stovetop only

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Stovetop

• Preheat large heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven on medium heat, add butter and wait until it has melted. Add onion and garlic; saute for 3-4 minutes.
• Add carrots, celery, fresh mushrooms (if using), thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper; saute for 5 minutes.
• Add chicken, potatoes, dried mushrooms (if not using fresh), wild rice, water/broth.
• Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for about 55 minutes.

Slow Cooker

• Preheat medium skillet on medium-high heat, add butter and wait until it has melted. Add onion and garlic; saute for 3-4 minutes.
• Add carrots, celery, fresh mushrooms (if using), thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper; saute for 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a large slow cooker along with chicken, potatoes, dried mushrooms (if not using fresh), wild rice and water/broth. Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or on High for 5-6 hours.

Instant Pot

• In Instant Pot, add chicken, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, mushrooms, wild rice, water/broth, thyme, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover, set pressure valve to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 25 minutes. After wait for 10 minutes and do Quick Release to release the pressure by turning the valve to Venting.

After cooking (for all versions)

• Remove chicken onto plate and shred with 2 forks.
• To the pot, add milk and mustard. Using an immersion blender give a few pulses until soup is desired thickness (don’t forget to stir and feel free to adjust thickness with extra water and spices).
• Add shredded chicken and parsley, stir well.
• Serve hot with crusty bread for dipping.

Video

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in a small pot covered while simmering on low.
• Freeze: Freeze soup leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge overnight or counter top for 4 hours.
• Raw chicken: I used chicken breasts in the stovetop and drumsticks in the slow cooker version. Any chicken works – raw, bone in/skin on or boneless/skinless or even cut up whole chicken. 
• Wild rice: Wild rice has a very unique taste that makes this soup so delicious. Unfortunately, white or brown rice can not be substituted in this recipe.

How to Make a Freezer Meal

• Instant Pot: In a large Ziploc bag, add all ingredients except water, milk and parsley. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen with 7 cups water or broth on High pressure for 25 minutes, wait 10 minutes and release remaining pressure.
• Slow cooker: In a large Ziploc bag, add all ingredients except water, milk and parsley. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours and then cook on Low for 10 hours or on High for 6 hours. You can skip sauteing or saute veggies before adding to a bag. Either way soup is gonna be delish.
• After cooking: Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks. Blend a bit with an immersion blender until desired consistency. Add chicken and parsley. Stir and serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 801mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g

The post Healthy Chicken Wild Rice Soup appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

We also love white chicken chili, crockpot white chicken chili and this ground chicken chili around here!

I’ve already shared recipes for more traditional chili like Instant Pot beef chili and Instant Pot turkey chili.

Now it’s the turn of this spicy, creamy buffalo chicken chili. It combines all the flavors of the buffalo chicken wings but in a less messy, more saucy chili form.

Not to mention, it is topped with plenty of creamy blue cheese crumbles or cream cheese that melts into the rest of the dish and makes for the most irresistible chili (believe me!).

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• 3 cooking options: You can make it in the crock pot, Instant Pot or on the stove.
• Freezer meal friendly: Cook from frozen in Instant Pot, or defrost and then cook in your slow cooker.
• Easy recipe: Minimal chopping, minutes of prep, and only one pan (two maximum).
• Lighter: Unlike many other recipes on the web, this chili uses less cream cheese.
• Crowd pleasing: Chili recipes are a game day, potluck or holiday party pleasers! Everyone loves chili!

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Chili

• Chicken: I recommend using boneless skinless chicken breasts for the lightest option. However, slightly fattier chicken thighs would also work very well, and even chicken with the bone-in.
• Aromatics: All you need is garlic and onion. You can use 2 teaspoons of each, garlic powder and onion powder, when in a pinch.
• Vegetables: Carrots and celery make up the base of this buffalo chili recipe.
• Canned beans: You can use any beans like cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, navy beans or white beans. I recommend “meatier” beans which will break down the starches more for a thicker hearty chili. Other beans like Instant Pot kidney beans, Instant Pot black beans or pinto beans will work in a pinch. Use low-sodium, drained and rinsed.
• Diced tomatoes: Use low sodium canned diced tomatoes or fire roasted tomatoes. During summer, you could use ripe tomatoes instead.
• Buffalo wing sauce: Frank’s red hot sauce is our go-to for all things buffalo.
• Sweetener: You can use maple syrup, honey or sugar. It is just to balance out the acidity in tomatoes.
• Spices: A combination of cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika.
• Blue cheese: Use crumbled blue cheese. It is really a highlight ingredient of this chili but read the recipe notes for substitutions though.
• Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil. I recommend either olive oil or avocado oil.
• Chicken broth: Low sodium store-bought or homemade chicken broth or Instant Pot chicken broth.
• Garnish: Cilantro, green onions, lime, and tortilla chips. You could also use some extra hot sauce, sliced jalapeños, dollop of sour cream or yogurt, etc.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Chili

• Saute the veggies: Preheat large Dutch oven or large pot on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the rest: Add chicken breasts, beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, hot sauce, maple syrup, cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika. Stir to combine.
• Cook: Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes.
• Shred chicken and add cheese: Remove chicken breasts, shred with 2 forks and return to the pot along with cream cheese.

Tips for Best Results

• If you aren’t a fan of blue cheese: You can omit it but use 1/2 cup of cream cheese.
• Keep the cheese separate: Blue cheese isn’t to everyone’s taste. So if you’re serving this to a large group, I recommend to add cream cheese to the pot and serving blue cheese separately as a topping. So guests can decide if they want some or not.
• The salt content: If you aren’t using low sodium beans or diced tomatoes, reduce amount of hot sauce but it will affect how spicy the dish turns out. So, I recommend to use low sodium canned products.
• When serving to kids: Most kids do not like spicy food. Don’t add all of the hot sauce to the main dish or make child-friendly one with 1/4 cup hot sauce. That way, people can add more when eating, if preferred.

Can I Make It Instant Pot or Slow Cooker?

Yes, to make buffalo chicken chili in Instant Pot, just add the ingredients to your Instant Pot finishing with diced tomatoes on top and do not stir!

Close the lid, set the pressure vent to Sealing, and pressure cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Then manually release the pressure by turning the valve to Venting position until the valve drops down.

To make chili in the slow cooker, first sauté the vegetables in a skillet. Then transfer to a large crock pot along with beans, tomatoes, broth, hot sauce, maple syrup, spices and stir. Finally, add the chicken breast and gently push to sink them beneath the mixture. Then cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

Turn It into a Freezer Meal

You can prep all ingredients and freeze in a bag, then just cook from frozen. This chili is one of my go-to 20 freezer meals.

For Instant Pot: Add all the ingredients, except chicken broth and cream cheese, to a gallon-sized Ziplock bag, with the tomatoes on top.

Squeeze out all the excess air, seal, and freeze standing upright (so it can fit into the pot frozen) for up to 3 months. Add 1 cup chicken broth and cook from frozen for 30 minutes on high pressure with quick release.

For the slow cooker: First, sauté the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Then freeze with the remaining ingredients in a large gallon-sized Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge for 24 hours. Then cook in a large slow cooker for 4 hours or high or 8 hours on low.

Variations

• Chicken thighs would be great as they are more fatty and will add an additional layer of flavor.
• Ground chicken: Saute 1 pound of ground chicken, transfer to a bowl and proceed with recipe.
• Rotisserie chicken: Use 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, no other changes needed.
• Other vegetables: There are several veggies you could add to this buffalo chili like corn, sweet potato, or kale.
• Vegetarian buffalo chili: Swap out the chicken for roasted cauliflower, additional beans and optionally a vegan chicken alternative.
• More heat: You can boost the heat in this chili further with the addition of fresh chilies like jalapeños, canned green chilies or chipotle in adobo sauce, or some cayenne pepper.

Serving Recommendations

Enjoy this buffalo chicken chili alone, with plenty of toppings or with a side of your choice, including:

• Bread: Cornbread or cornbread muffins is a classic side dish for chili.
• Potato: Serve spooned over mashed potatoes or cauliflower mashed potatoes.
• Grains: You might also enjoy it with rice or quinoa. Use cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option.
• Veggie salad: A slaw is always welcome with chili! Like this healthy slaw, vinegar based coleslaw, or dill coleslaw.

How to Store

Store: Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Freeze cooked and cooled chili in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. 

Reheat: Gently reheat chili on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot.

More Buffalo Flavored Recipes

• Buffalo chicken bites
• Air fryer buffalo cauliflower
• Healthy buffalo chicken dip
• Buffalo chicken tacos
• Buffalo cauliflower soup
• Buffalo chicken casserole

More Chili Recipes to Try

• Instant Pot white chicken chili
• Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip
• Instant Pot vegetarian chili
• Chili mac
• Chicken quinoa chili

You might also enjoy browsing through my entire collection of soups and stew recipes.

Print

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Creamy and lighter Buffalo Chicken Chili made in Instant Pot, slow cooker or on the stove. Packed with flavor, adjustable heat and crumbled blue cheese.

Course Soup and Stew

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 207kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 1 large onion chopped
• 3 large carrots chopped
• 3 large celery stalks chopped
• 2 x 15 oz cans cannellini beans low sodium, drained & rinsed
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes low sodium
• 1 cup chicken broth low sodium
• 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce like Frank's red hot
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 lbs chicken breasts skinless & boneless
• 1/2 cup cubed cream cheese or crumbled blue cheese
• Oil for frying
• Cilantro, green onion, lime, blue cheese and tortilla chips for garnish

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Stovetop

• Preheat large Dutch oven or pot on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add chicken breasts, beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Frank's red hot sauce, maple syrup, cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika. Stir to combine. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes.

Slow Cooker

• Preheat large skillet on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Transfer to a large slow cooker along with beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Frank's red hot sauce, maple syrup, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Stir to combine.
• Add chicken breasts and push on them to sink in. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours.

Instant Pot

• In Instant Pot, add ingredients in the following order: garlic, onion, carrots, celery, beans, maple syrup, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, chicken, chicken broth, Frank's red hot sauce and diced tomatoes. Do not stir!
• Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 30 minutes.
• To release the pressure, do quick release by turning pressure valve to Venting position until float valve drops down.

To Finish the Dish

• Remove chicken breasts, shred with 2 forks and return to the slow cooker, Instant Pot or Dutch oven. Add cream cheese or blue cheese, stir and let sit for a few minutes.
• Serve hot, garnished with cilantro, green onion, blue cheese and tortilla chips or cornbread.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a stovetop covered on low.
• Less heat: Use only 1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce.

How to Make a Freezer Meal: 

• Instant Pot: In a gallon size Ziplock bag, add all ingredients, except chicken broth and cream cheese, finishing with tomatoes on top. Let as much air out as possible, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Pressure cook on High with from frozen for 30 minutes with Quick Release.

Please note this is large meal, so if you are cooking in anything other than 8 quart Instant Pot (I have one) then freeze in 2 bags or 2 containers. For 8 quart Instant Pot freeze the bag standing upright, then it fits and lid will close.

• Slow cooker: Sauté onion, garlic, carrots and celery before freezing with other ingredients, minus broth and cream cheese, in a gallon size Ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge for 24 hours, then add to a large slow cooker along with 1 cup chicken broth, and cook for 4 hours on High or 8 hours on Low.

After cooking: Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks. Return to the pot, add cream cheese or blue cheese, stir and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 625mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g

The post Buffalo Chicken Chili appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

We absolutely love-love-love easy and satisfying lentil soups like Instant Pot lentil soup, chicken lentil soup and lentil spinach soup.

This slow cooker lentil soup is made up of 100% vegetables. You would never guess this soup is vegan because it’s so flavorful and filling. My kids call it “the best soup ever” and that is before I top their bowls with tortilla chips!

It’s like vegetable soup that cleans out your produce drawers. And just like borscht, the longer it cooks, the better it gets!

Be sure to browse my slow cooker recipes or Instant Pot soup recipes to make healthy soups all season long.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to make: No ingredients list a mile long here, simple ingredients are actually what makes this crockpot lentil soup stand out! 
• Budget friendly: Lentils are a low priced plant based protein.
• Nutritious: Lentils are high in fiber, low in fat and packed with a host of nutrients like folate, iron and potassium.
• Set and forget: Prep it in the evening and just plug in the slow cooker as you head out the door in the morning. Then come home to a dinner ready to be served.
• Meal prep: Refrigerate up to 5 days, freeze for 3 months or even make a freezer meal to cook later.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Lentil Soup

• Green or brown lentils: Lentils are just so easy to cook, are full of fiber and protein, and come out delicious with simple seasonings. You can use red lentils, just keep in mind they will fall apart a lot.
• Vegetables: Carrots, celery, corn (adds a touch of sweetness) and hearty potatoes.
• Seasonings: Garlic powder, oregano, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves. My secret ingredient is soy sauce (I use Bragg liquid aminos) which gives an umami flavor to the soup.
• Broth: Vegetable broth or organic vegetable bouillon cubes.
• Garnishes: Green onion, cilantro, parsley, Greek yogurt, cheese, tortilla chips…really whatever you like or have on hand.

How to Make Lentil Soup in Slow Cooker

There is a full recipe card below.

• Prep: The only prep work is to dice the vegetables. Transfer them to a crock pot as you chop. You don’t even have to sauté the onions.

• Combine: Dump veggies, lentils, seasonings and water/broth into a large slow cooker. No need to stir but if you do, that’s fine!

• Cook: Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or on High for 4-5 hours. The longer, the better as flavor develops with time and green lentils hold their shape quite well.

• Blend: Make this soup creamy using an immersion blender. First, remove the bay leaves and peppercorns. Then pulse a few times until you get the desired texture.

Tips for Best Results

• Saute onion with vegetables and seasonings for 2-3 minutes on the stovetop to bring out depth of flavor.
• Don’t use keep warm function after cooking time to deter overcooking your lentils.
• Thick and creamy really is best for this slow cooker lentil soup. If you do not have an immersion blender, remove 1 cup of soup from slow cooker, blend in a blender, then stir back into soup. You could do this until you reach desired creaminess.
• Cornstarch slurry: Alternately, if you do not have any type of blender, you can make a cornstarch slurry with cold water and cornstarch, stir into soup and let thicken.
• Use small food processor to save time chopping. Use pulse function so your vegetables are chopped in larger pieces.
• Broth: Alternatively you can use 2 organic low sodium vegetable bouillon cubes and 9 cups of water.
• Red lentils: You can use red lentils, just keep in mind they will fall apart a lot, you may not even need a blender.
• Size of a crockpot: I used a standard size crock pot, around 6-7 quart. If you only have a smaller sized crockpot, cut recipe in half.

Variations

• Tomato paste, fire roasted tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes could all be added for another layer of flavor. Choose low sodium or no salt added.
• Use sweet potatoes in place of white potatoes.
• Broth: Chicken broth or beef broth can be substituted.
• Lower carb: Use 1/2 cauliflower, 1/2 potatoes for a still hearty lentil soup.
• Add some greens: Chopped spinach or kale can be stirred in at the very end.
• Use fresh ground black pepper instead of peppercorns.
• Mix and match your spices: Smoked paprika, marjoram or Italian seasoning would all taste great.
• Parmesan rind: If you are not vegetarian or vegan, adding a Parmesan rind to the slow cooker can add so much flavor!
• Additional protein: Cooked and diced ham, chopped cooked bacon or sliced turkey, chicken or kielbasa sausage could all be added to cook with this crock pot lentil soup.

Serving Recommendations

Garnishes and soup finishers can really take this soup to another level! A squirt of lemon or red wine vinegar, finely chopped parsley or cilantro, Greek yogurt and freshly grated Parmesan are just a few options.

Here are also serving suggestions:

• Bread: Whole grain crusty bread helps soak up all the soup’s creaminess! For higher protein try with this cottage cheese bread or Greek yogurt bread.
• Vegetables: A side of roasted cauliflower really adds to the cozy, comfort vibes of this soup.
• Salad: A classic pair that is restaurant quality would be lemon kale salad.
• Sandwich: Another classing pairing, serve with grilled cheese, an open faced chicken salad sandwich or healthy tuna melt.

How to Store and Make Ahead

Store: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Lentil soup freezes well for up to 3 months.

Make ahead: I love that you can prep this slow cooker lentil soup ahead of time. Just add all the ingredients, except for the garnishes, into a container or Ziploc bag, or slow cooker insert. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Then cook as per recipe’s instructions.

Make It a Freezer Meal

Yes, you can make this into a freezer meal!

• Combine: In a large Ziploc bag, add all the ingredients except for the broth or water and the garnishes.
• Freeze: Make sure to release as much air out as possible, seal the bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thaw: When you are ready to enjoy this soup, just thaw the freezer bag in a bowl or sink of hot water for 10 minutes.
• Cook: Transfer to a slow cooker, add broth or water and cook as per recipe’s instructions
• plus 1 hour.

FAQs

More Lentil Recipes to Try

• Red lentil soup
• Green lentil curry
• Lentil casserole with mushrooms
• Chicken and lentil casserole
• Instant Pot dal

Print

Slow Cooker Lentil Soup

Set-and-forget vegan Slow Cooker Lentil Soup is high in plant-based protein, fiber and easy to make in the crockpot.

Course Soup and Stew

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 277kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Slow cooker
• Immersion blender

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions diced
• 3 large celery stalks diced
• 3 large carrots diced
• 4 cups potatoes diced
• 2 cups corn frozen
• 1 1/2 cups green or brown lentils rinsed & drained
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons oregano dried
• 1 teaspoon thyme dried
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce I use Bragg liquid aminos
• 3 bay leaves
• 5 whole peppercorns
• 9 cups vegetable broth low sodium
• Green onion, cilantro, parsley, Greek yogurt, cheese, tortilla chips for garnish and serving

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large slow cooker, add onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, corn, lentils, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, soy sauce, bay leaves, peppercorns and vegetable broth. No need to stir.
• Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or on High for 4-5 hours (with this soup longer is better).
• Discard bay leaves and peppercorns. Using an immersion blender, pulse a few times until desired texture – I like creamy with chunks.
• Garnish with herbs and Parmesan cheese, plain yogurt, tortillas chips and serve hot.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
• Freezer Meal: In a large Ziploc bag, add all ingredients (except broth (water) and garnishes), release out air as much as possible, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in a bowl/sink with hot water for 10 minutes, transfer to slow cooker, add water and cook as per instructions + 1 hour.
• Lentils: You can use red lentils, just keep in mind they will fall apart a lot.
• Thick and creamy really is best for this soup. If you do not have an immersion blender, remove 1 cup of soup from slow cooker, blend in blender, stir back in soup. You could do this until you reach desired creaminess.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 416mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 6g

The post Slow Cooker Lentil Soup appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Green Lentil Curry is hearty and comforting with a delicious blend of lentils, coconut milk, and warming spices for a naturally vegan, protein packed meal. Cook on the stove, in Instant Pot, crockpot, or even prepare it as a freezer meal!

Pulses are perfect for meat free meals like this Instant Pot lentil soup, lentil casserole, and Instant Pot dal.

This Indian inspired green lentil curry recipe is crowd pleasing, child approved and has quickly become our favorite healthy dinner!

With their “meaty” texture, lentils are an excellent plant based protein to enjoy as part of any meat free meal.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Multiple cooking methods: Stovetop, Instant Pot, crockpot, or freezer meal methods, all almost entirely hands off!
• Low budget: Dried lentils, canned coconut milk, and spices are all pantry staples and budget friendly.
• Plant based protein: Lentils are packed with protein, fiber, and many vitamins and nutrients. Perfect for meat free Mondays and other meatless meals.
• Diet friendly: Gluten free, dairy free, meat free and vegan.
• Comforting: The combination of “meaty” lentils, creamy coconut milk, and warming spices is wholesome and satisfying.
• Super easy: Depending on which method you use, this recipe can be one pot meal, hands off, and even entirely no stir. All methods are super easy though!
• Make ahead: Refrigerate leftovers for 5-6 days, freeze for 3 months, or turn into a freezer meal!

Ingredients for Green Lentil Curry

This lentil curry recipe requires just 9 simple ingredients (plus salt).

• Lentils: Uncooked and unsoaked green or brown lentils are the best as they hold their shape better.
• Coconut milk: Use high-quality full-fat coconut milk for the best results. Try to choose brands that have a clean ingredients list like coconut cream, water, and guar gum at the most. Avoid brands with lots of preservatives. I’ve also found that several organic brands are lumpy. My favorite brands are 365, Thai kitchen, Trader Joe’s, and Compliments.
• Aromatics: You’ll need garlic and onion.
• Tomato paste: Use canned or tube tomato paste. You could substitute a plain tomato sauce, though it won’t be as flavorful.
• Spices: I use a combination of ground coriander, turmeric, cumin, yellow curry powder, and salt.
• Cilantro: To garnish.
• Coconut oil: Or another neutral cooking oil like avocado oil.
• Vegetable broth: You can use water but low sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth will provide far more flavor. Use ready made broth or a bouillon cube.

How to Make Green Lentil Curry

Here is a brief summary of how to cook this green lentil curry recipe on the stovetop. Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full details.

• Saute the aromatics: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven with oil, add garlic and onion, and cook until slightly golden. Add spices, then stir frequently for 30 seconds.
• Add the remaining ingredients: Add the coconut milk, tomato paste, lentils, and water. Bring to a boil, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes.
• Allow it to rest: Remove pot from the heat and wait 5 minutes.
• Add cilantro: Open the lid, add fresh coriander or green onion, stir and serve.

Can I Make It in Slow Cooker or Instant Pot?

Yes. You can set it up in the morning and have it ready and waiting by dinner time in a crockpot. Or set it in Instant Pot and walk away.

• Slow cooker: Sauté the onion and garlic with the spices. Transfer to your crock pot along with all the remaining ingredients (except garnish) and cook on High heat for 3-4 hours or on Low heat for 6-8 hours.
• Instant Pot: Add the ingredients (except garnish) to your Instant Pot in the following order: onion, garlic, turmeric, coriander, curry powder, ground cumin, salt, green lentils, water, coconut milk, and tomato paste. Don’t stir! Cover, seal, and pressure cook on High pressure for 25 minutes. Then quick release and enjoy!

Tips for Best Results

• Sort and rinse the lentils: Pick out any loose hidden stones and shriveled lentils if there are any, then rinse lentils in a colander to remove any remaining sediment, dust or debris.
• No need to soak the lentils: In fact, I recommend you don’t! Otherwise, the liquid ratio will be off and you’ll notice this recipe is more soupy than thick. You can usually continue to cook the lentils to reduce it further, but it’s quicker and easier to skip soaking the lentils.
• Make sure your curry powder is fresh: It is the key to the most delicious curry! I buy organic yellow curry powder from Splendor Garden on Amazon.
• Adjust the heat: This lentil curry is highly adaptable. Use a mild, medium, or hot curry powder, and make it even hotter with extra chili powder or flakes.
• Adjust the consistency: If at any point, you notice your dish is getting too dry, feel free to add more water or broth.
• When using other lentils: The cooking time and texture can vary, so keep an eye on the recipe.

Optional Add-In’s and Variations

• Other types of lentils: I don’t recommend using red lentils, as they take a minimal amount of time to cook and tend to fall apart and become mushy when cooked. It’s technically fine to use black or brown lentils in this recipe, however the cooking time varies, so it may require some recipe tweaking. The texture will also vary. I avoid black or Puy lentils, as they stay very firm and don’t provide the same creamy, thick texture as other types.
• Diced tomatoes: Add a pop of color and freshness alongside or instead of the tomato paste. 14 ounces can will do.
• Extra spices: Add a pinch of garam masala, 1/2-1 teaspoon of dried ginger or about 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom for extra depth and flavor.
• Leafy greens: Spinach, kale or Swiss chard will easily add extra nutrients to this lentil curry.
• Other vegetables: Experiment with adding finely chopped carrots, green beans, sweet potato, celery, cauliflower, red pepper, peas, etc.
• Additional protein: I’ve added leftover baked chicken breast and other meats several times, adding it in towards the end (just long enough to warm the meat) before serving.
• Citrus: Add a splash of lime or lemon juice at the end for brightness or serve it with lemon or lime wedges.
• Sugar: I rarely find this necessary. However, if you want to balance the acidity in the dish, add a pinch of sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup or honey.

Serving Suggestion

One of my favorite ways to enjoy a bowl of this green lentil curry is topped with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, some cilantro, avocado, lime wedges, and, optionally, even a little cheese. Similar to a big bowl of chili!

You can enjoy this curry alone or serve it with one or more side dishes:

• Bread: Toasted naan bread, pita bread, Greek yogurt bread or cottage cheese bread.
• Grains: Like Instant Pot coconut rice, Instant Pot brown rice, Instant Pot basmati rice, or Instant Pot quinoa. For a lower carb option, you could use cauliflower rice.
• Yogurt: A dollop of yogurt will add creaminess and offset the spice.
• Veggies: Roasted cauliflower or broccoli.
• Salad: Leafy green salads and options like beets with goat cheese.
• Lettuce wraps: I’ll thank a reader (Kelly) in the comments for this idea. Serve the curry in lettuce wraps, yogurt, and possibly some halved grape or cherry tomatoes.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Allow it to cool, and then store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.

Freeze: After cooling, store leftovers in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw either in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 5-6 hours.

Reheat: Use a microwave or the stovetop to reheat the curry. I prefer to gently simmer it, covered, on the stovetop with an extra splash of water or broth, stirring occasionally. This should only take a few minutes.

How to Make It a Freezer Meal

Preparing a freezer meal version of this curry recipe eliminates all prep for when you next want to make this dish, for a simple, fuss free meal. It can be prepared for Instant Pot or slow cooker methods.

• Instant Pot: In a gallon-sized Ziplock bag, add all the ingredients, except water or broth and garnishes, finishing with tomato paste on top (very important for Instant Pot). Squeeze out all the excess air, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months. Pressure cook on High from frozen with 3 cups of water for 25 minutes with Quick Release.
• Slow Cooker: Pan fry onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes, then add the spices and sauté for further 30 seconds. Transfer to a gallon-size Ziploc bag with remaining ingredients, except water or broth and garnishes. Let as much air out as possible, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months. Then cook from frozen with 3 cups of water on Low for 9 hours or on High for 5 hours.

Love meal prep? Check out my compiled list of 20 healthy freezer meals.

FAQs

More Curry and Lentil Recipes

• Thai chicken curry
• Yellow chicken curry
• Chicken lentil soup
• Lentil spinach soup
• Chicken and lentil casserole
• Slow cooker lentil soup

Print

Green Lentil Curry Recipe

Green Lentil Curry made hearty and comforting with lentils, coconut milk, and Indian spices for a vegan, protein packed one pot meal.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Indian

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 438kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Dutch oven
• Measuring tools

Ingredients

• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tablespoon coconut or avocado oil for frying
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander ground
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 14 ounces can coconut milk full fat
• 6 ounces can tomato paste
• 2 cups green lentils uncooked & rinsed
• 3 cups water or low sodium broth
• Cilantro and/or green onions for garnish
• Greek yogurt and avocado for serving

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Stovetop Lentil Curry:

• Preheat dutch oven or heavy bottom medium pot on low-medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and garlic, cook until golden brown (5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
• Add turmeric, coriander, curry powder, cumin and salt; cook for another 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
• Add coconut milk, tomato paste, water, lentils and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on low for 45 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Add cilantro and/or green onions and stir. Adjust thickness of curry with more broth, if you wish.
• Serve hot garnished with more cilantro or green onions, lime, avocado and yogurt, if you wish.

Slow Cooker Lentil Curry:

• Preheat small skillet on low-medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and garlic, cook until golden brown (5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add turmeric, coriander, curry powder, cumin and salt; cook for another 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
• Transfer to a slow cooker and add coconut milk, tomato paste, water and green lentils. Stir to combine, cover and cook on High for at least 3 – 4 hours or on Low for 6 – 8 hours.

Instant Pot Lentil Curry:

• In Instant Pot, add ingredients in exact same order: onion, garlic, turmeric, coriander, curry powder, cumin, salt, green lentils, water, coconut milk and tomato paste. Do not stir!
• Cover, set pressure valve to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High for 25 minutes. After do Quick Release to release the pressure by turning the valve to Venting.

Video

Notes

• Store: In the fridge in an airtight container for 5-6 days. Reheat by simmering on low with a splash of water or broth, in a small pot while covered and stirring once or twice. Shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.
• Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw curry in a fridge overnight or on a counter for 5-6 hours.
• Do I have to soak lentils? You do not have to soak lentils which makes them a fast cooking legume.
• Can I use broth instead of water? Absolutely, it will add more flavor to the curry. Use vegetable broth or if not strict vegan or vegetarian, chicken or beef broth works too. Just make sure it is low sodium, otherwise curry will be too salty.
• Make sure your curry powder is fresh! It is key to the most delicious curry.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.25cups | Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Sodium: 416mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 8g

The post Green Lentil Curry Recipe appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Every spoonful of this Turkey Taco Soup is brimming with flavor thanks to the ground turkey, beans, corn, and a perfectly seasoned broth. It’s a hearty and filling 30 minute meal!

We also love this Instant Pot taco soup and healthy chicken tortilla soup that are beautifully laced with traditional Mexican flavors!

The best thing about this turkey taco soup (besides it being ridiculously tasty) is that it combines my two favorite things, turkey tacos and belly warming soup! It’s a healthy, hearty, and satisfying!

I make taco soup every time I am low on groceries. It’s one of the most requested soups in my house and most popular among the readers turkey soup recipes, along with healthy turkey chili and turkey meatball soup!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Customizable: From the meat, the veggies and the seasonings, use what you have and make it your own.
• Perfect for meal prep: Makes great leftovers and is freezer-friendly.
• Quick and easy: It’s a 30 minute one pot meal which makes for the easiest clean up on busy weeknight or lazy weekend!
• Multiple cooking methods: Below we include instructions how to cook the soup on the stove, in a slow cooker or Instant Pot.
• Perfect for picky eaters: Everyone loves tacos and cheese, so this soup will be a hit!

Ingredients for Turkey Taco Soup

To make this turkey taco soup recipe, just look inside your pantry and freezer. I bet all ingredients are already there.

• Meat: I always keep a package of ground turkey in the freezer, so that’s what I used. You can also use ground chicken or ground beef. Keep in mind ground poultry will be a healthier choice among your protein options.
• Beans: For taco soup, I like to use red kidney beans. You can also use Romano beans, white beans, black beans or even pinto beans. You can also use a combination. Make sure to drain and rinse canned beans, or use home cooked dried beans or Instant Pot red kidney beans.
• Corn: I use frozen corn, no need to thaw it.
• Seasonings: Homemade taco seasoning, onion powder, maple syrup or sugar, salt, and pepper. You can use fresh onion, but I like the dump-and-go aspect of this recipe.
• Liquid: Water or low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth will result in more flavorful soup.
• Tomato sauce: Aim for low sodium tomato sauce but if you can’t find one, skip salt and season after cooking, if necessary.
• Oil: Lean ground turkey doesn’t produce much of its own fat, so the oil is important to avoid sticking it to the bottom of the pot.

How to Make Turkey Taco Soup

Here’s a quick overview how to make turkey taco soup on the stove. You can find full recipe card below.

• Brown ground turkey: In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom large pot, saute meat for 5 – 7 minutes or until it is in small enough pieces.
• Season the meat: Add taco seasoning and cook for 1 more minute. The heat brings out the flavors of spices, so give it time to do its thing.
• Add remaining ingredients: Tomato sauce, beans, corn, onion powder, maple syrup, salt, pepper and water or broth.
• Simmer soup for 20-60 minutes: A longer simmer time will deepen the flavors, but overall the soup is ready in no time.

Can I Make It in Instant Pot or Slow Cooker?

Sure thing! To make this turkey taco soup in slow cooker, follow the same instructions as the stovetop method but first saute ground turkey in a skillet on the stovetop. Then combine all ingredients in a large crock pot and cook on Low heat for 7 – 8 hours or on High heat for 3 – 4 hours.

As for cooking this soup in electric pressure cooker, I have this Instant Pot taco soup for you. It’s another dump and set 30ish minutes one pot meal that gets a ton of flavor from the pressure cooking process.

Substitutions and Variations

• Instead of tomato sauce: Use canned diced tomatoes or Rotel with addition of about 3 ounces tomato paste. For some extra taste, throw in some fire roasted tomatoes.
• For vegetarian option: Swap the meat for 1 cup of rice or other grain like quinoa, barley, or brown rice.
• Omit the meat and up the vegetables and beans: Veggie options could include carrots, celery, kale, zucchini, cauliflower and eggplant. Cooking time may need to be adjusted when adding vegetables.
• Other meat: Use ground chicken, ground pork or ground beef instead of ground turkey for an equally flavorful soup.
• If you like a little heat: Add a dash of hot sauce or some sliced or diced jalapeno to finish it off.
• For a smoky flavor: Add some smoked paprika or a couple of drops of liquid smoke.
• Add additional Tex Mex spices: Spices like ground cumin, paprika, and chili powder would taste great and make it a turkey chili taco soup.

Tips for Best Results

• If using ingredients that are not labeled as low sodium: I highly recommend to skip the salt completely and then season soup after cooking. You might not even need to add any salt!
• Prep your toppings while soup is cooking: Slice your limes, grate your cheese, crush tortilla chips if you’re not keeping them whole, and slice or dice your avocado and onion.
• Dried beans tip: I cook and freeze dried beans in batches. I highly recommend you learn how to cook dried beans. You will save a lot of money vs. buying organic BPA-free canned beans.
• A note about flavor: The longer your turkey taco soup simmers, the more intense the flavors. Also the longer it sits, the better it gets, so don’t forget to save some leftovers for the next day. Slow cooker will really enhance the flavor profile of it as well.

What to Serve with Turkey Taco Soup?

Traditionally taco soup is served hot in a bowl garnished with fresh cilantro, sour cream or yogurt, creamy diced avocado, lime, green onion, cheese, and tortilla chips.

Usually we use what we have on hand. Here are the toppings we like:

• Shredded cheese: Tex Mex cheese, colby jack cheese, cheddar cheese or marble cheese.
• Fresh herbs: Green onion, chopped red onion, and cilantro pack a punch.
• For a creamy and citrus combo: Add diced avocado and lime juice, so good together.
• Crush tortilla chips or leave them whole for scooping up all that good soup.
• A dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream will give the entire meal a cool creamy balance.
• Canned diced green chiles or jalapenos for heat.

Potluck style: Turkey taco soup is amazing party food. Bring slow cooker taco soup to the potluck in your crockpot or Instant Pot and keep on warm. Super easy entertaining! You can make a taco soup bar with all the toppings, pour yourself a glass of wine, and watch everyone enjoy serving themselves.

Tex Mex themed dinner: Serve with chicken tacos in Instant Pot and Mexican kale salad if you have extra hungry growing boys like I do!

How to Store and Reheat

Store: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Turkey taco soup freezes well. Fully cook, cool completely, and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to leave some room for expansion!

Reheat: Reheat the desired amount of soup in a small pot by simmering on low heat. Cover and stir occasionally until warmed through.

Turn it into a freezer meal: In a large Ziploc bag, add cooked ground turkey (let it cool first) along with other ingredients, except water, cilantro, and garnishes. Let as much air out as possible, seal and freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge overnight, add to the pot, Instant Pot or slow cooker along with water or broth, and cook as per further instructions plus 1 hour.

This dinner is one of my healthy freezer meals.

FAQs

More Turkey Soup and Stew Recipes

• Ground turkey stew
• Easy turkey noodle soup
• Turkey and rice soup

Also be sure to browse my collection of ground turkey recipes.

More Mexican Soup Recipes to Try

• Mexican vegetable soup
• Creamy chicken enchilada soup
• Instant Pot turkey chili
• Healthy white chicken chili
• Creamy chicken enchilada soup

Print

Turkey Taco Soup

Stovetop or slow cooker Turkey Taco Soup with ground turkey, beans, corn, and a perfectly seasoned broth. Hearty and filling 30 minute soup.

Course Soup and Stew

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 27 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 342kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 3 x 15 ounces cans tomato sauce low sodium
• 2 x 15 ounces cans red kidney beans low sodium, rinsed & drained
• 3 cups corn frozen or canned (drained)
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 2 tablespoons onion powder or flakes
• 1 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 4 cups water or chicken broth low sodium
• Oil for frying
• Cilantro, sour cream, lime, avocado, green onion, tortilla chips for serving

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Stovetop Method:

• Preheat large dutch oven or heavy bottom pot on medium – high heat, swirl a bit of oil to coat, and add ground turkey. Cook for 5 – 7 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking into pieces.
• Add taco seasoning and cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently.
• Add tomato sauce, beans, corn, onion powder, maple syrup, salt, pepper, water; and stir.
• Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-60 minutes. Longer cook time means deeper flavors but overall soup is ready fast.

Slow Cooker Method:

• Preheat large non-stick skillet on medium – high heat, swirl a bit of oil to coat, and add turkey. Cook for 5 – 7 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking into pieces. Add taco seasoning and cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently.
• Transfer to a large slow cooker along with tomato sauce, beans, corn, onion powder, maple syrup, salt, pepper, water or broth and stir. Cover and cook on Low for 7 – 8 hours or on High for 3 – 4 hours.
• Serving: Serve taco soup hot with cilantro, sour cream or yogurt, lime, avocado, green onion and tortilla chips.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Cook, cool and freeze in an airtight container, leaving some room for expansion, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on a stovetop on low heat while covered.
• You might need to use less salt if using regular (not low sodium) tomato sauce.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups | Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 789mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 10g

The post Turkey Taco Soup appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken is coated with seasoning and slow cooked until juicy and fall apart tender. An easy way to make healthy, rotisserie style chicken at home.

Right now I’m also loving to use my slow cooker for crockpot chicken spaghetti!

All my boys love my grandma’s crockpot chicken noodle soup recipe, so I decided to try making the most simple slow cooker whole chicken recipe in the world!

I always buy a whole chicken because it is much cheaper than buying chicken parts. And once you learn how to cut a whole chicken, you will be doing it all the time!

And when I don’t feel like separating chicken into pieces, I spatchcock the chicken and bake it in the oven. Whole chicken rules!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy: All the magic happens right in a slow cooker, all you have to do is season the chicken and the crock pot does the rest. Easy slow cooker recipes like this one require little effort and perfect for busy families.
• Set and forget: Where Instant Pot whole chicken and Instant Pot frozen whole chicken are for times when you want chicken on your table quickly or are running late, this slow cooker version is perfect for setting in the morning and forgetting about it until dinner time.
• Juicy and flavorful: The crock pot captures all the moisture and locks in flavor, every bite is tender and delicious!
• Versatile: This crock pot whole chicken is delicious by itself or with veggies. And shredded leftovers can be added to your favorite healthy chicken recipes.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

All you need is chicken and simple seasonings to make slow cooker whole chicken.

• Seasoning: I used my pot roast seasoning, but you can also use this all purpose seasoning or any of your favorite seasonings like lemon pepper, cajun seasoning, Montreal steak, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, and parsley.
• Chicken: I used a 4 pound whole chicken. You can choose a chicken that’s 2-6 pounds as long as it fits in your slow cooker. Pat dry well and be sure to remove giblets and innards.
• Cooking spray: I use Misto to spray the sides of my slow cooker.

How to Make Whole Chicken in Slow Cooker

Here’s an overview of how to cook a whole chicken in slow cooker. Once you see how easy it is, you’ll say goodbye to store-bought rotisserie chicken.

There is a full recipe card below.

• Season the chicken: Use your hands to rub the spice mixture over the whole chicken and all the crevices. I hold the chicken by one leg and rotate while rubbing the seasoning with my other hand.
• Add chicken to slow cooker: Spray the sides of your slow cooker with cooking spray. Place a trivet at the bottom then set seasoned chicken breast-side up on top. See below for trivet options.
• Cook: Place lid on top and cook on Low for 7-8 hours or High for 3-4 hours. Use a meat thermometer to ensure it registers 165 F.
• Broil the chicken: For crispy skin, carefully transfer chicken onto a baking tray and brown the chicken under the broiler for 4-5 minutes. Serve right away with your favorite side dish.

How Long to Cook Whole Chicken in Crock Pot?

As per USDA guidelines, your chicken is ready when a meat thermometer registers 165 F when not touching a bone. My 4 pound chicken was registering 204 F after 3 hours of cooking on High setting.

For an average 3-4 pound bird, plan for:

• Low heat for 7-8 hours.

• High heat for 3-4 hours.

The time it takes to cook a whole chicken in crock pot will vary on the size of your chicken as well as the size and type of your slow cooker.

What Can I Use as a Trivet under Chicken?

A trivet will hold your chicken up and out of the juices that collect at the bottom as it cooks, here’s what you can use:

• 2-3 foil rings.
• 5 tinfoil balls.
• Large chunks of vegetables like onions, carrots and potatoes.
• Trivet from Instant Pot.
• 5 canning jar lid rings as pictured above.

Tips for Best Results

Here are some tips and tricks to guarantee your whole chicken in slow cooker comes out moist, tender, and full of flavor.

• Prep the chicken: There’s no need to rinse the chicken, simply pat dry with paper towels and trim fat. The chicken legs do not have to be tied but can be.
• No need for liquid: You don’t need to add any water or chicken broth because delicious broth will appear during slow cooking.
• Cook breasts side up: This helps to hold the shape of chicken, cooks evenly, and looks better.
• Secret to crispy skin: Whole chicken cooked in a slow cooker is a chicken somewhere in between roasted and boiled. To make that skin crispy, place cooked chicken under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Also use a rub with paprika or brown sugar in it.
• Let it rest: Allow your chicken to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving so you don’t loose all its juices.

What to Serve Whole Chicken with?

I love serving whole chicken on the weekends with all the fix-ins like Instant Pot mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, and dinner rolls, hello comfort!

During warmer months I like adding a burst of lemon with a lemon kale salad or broccoli quinoa salad.

Recipes for Leftovers

• Chicken tostadas
• Healthy chicken broccoli casserole
• Curried chicken salad
• Chicken quesadilla
• Healthy chicken enchiladas
• Homemade chicken broth with leftover bones and dark meat parts.

How to Store

Store: Keep your carved leftovers in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Transfer cooled chicken to a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

FAQs

More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

• Slow cooker chicken stew
• Crock pot chicken and rice
• Slow cooker white chicken chili
• Slow cooker chicken breasts
• Crockpot BBQ pulled chicken
• Crockpot butter chicken

Print

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken is coated with seasoning and slow cooked until juicy and tender. Easy way to make rotisserie style chicken at home.

Course Dinner

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 240kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Slow cooker
• Trivet

Ingredients

• 3-4 pounds whole chicken giblets removed and pat dried
• 3 tablespoons pot roast seasoning or any other
• Cooking spray I use Misto

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Using your hands, rub seasoning all over whole chicken, going into all crevices.
• Spray sides of large slow cooker well with cooking spray. Place trivet, 5 canning jar lids or foil balls at the bottom. Place seasoned chicken breasts side up on top.
• Close the lid and cook chicken on low heat for 7-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours, or until meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part, not touching the bone, registers at least 165 F.
• Using two large spoons or sturdy spatulas, carefully transfer chicken onto baking tray and broil for 4-5 minutes or until skin is golden brown.
• Serve hot with your favorite sides.

Notes

• Store: In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. 
• Freeze: In a freezer safe bag up to 3 months, thaw before using.
• Low heat: For food safety, if cooking chicken on low heat, be sure to cook it for at least 1 hour on high heat at any point.

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 77mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g

The post Slow Cooker Whole Chicken appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Porcupine Meatballs made easy with uncooked rice, ground turkey, eggs and without tomato sauce. Then bake, cook in slow cooker or Instant Pot, or freeze for later.

I can’t decide which I love better! These meatballs, my Thai meatballs or Mexican meatballs.

I grew up eating porcupine meatballs. My mom always made them in a clear sauce with broth and spices. Also she made meatballs large, so you eat only one or two meatballs.

This slow cooker porcupine meatballs recipe is amazing! Meatballs hold their shape while being flavorful and tender. And so juicy, saucy and filling because of brown rice and turkey’s high fiber and protein content.

Ingredients for Porcupine Meatballs

• Ground turkey: I use extra lean ground turkey because it is healthier. You can use any meat like extra lean ground beef, ground pork or ground chicken.
• Rice: We use brown rice because it contains bran and fiber. You can use white rice. The key is to use long grain rice so it sticks out. But you can use any, to be honest.
• Eggs: Eggs act as a binder although you can skip them. I tried and porcupine meatballs do not fall apart.
• Broth: Meatballs actually cook in a broth because we use uncooked rice. You can use homemade chicken broth or vegetable broth, Instant Pot chicken broth, broth from a carton or organic bouillon cubes mixed with water.
• Cornstarch: For the slurry to thicken the sauce.
• Simple seasonings like Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

How to Make Porcupine Meatballs in Slow Cooker

This recipe yields 10 large porcupine balls. You can make 20 small ones.

I decided to make porcupine meatballs in slow cooker because I thought they make a perfect candidate for “dump and go” crockpot recipe. Even brown rice is uncooked!

• Shape the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, rice, eggs, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix very well and then shape into 10 large meatballs and place at the bottom of large crock pot.
• Slow cook: Cook for 4 hours on high heat or for 8 hours on low heat. While rice is slowly expanding it acts as a binder along with eggs to keep ground turkey shaped into meatballs.
• Thicken the sauce: At the end, whisk cold water with cornstarch, add to the slow cooker, cover and cook on High for 10-20 minutes or until thickened.

How to Make Porcupine Meatballs in Instant Pot

I am absolutely in love with my Instant Pot! No surprise, I cook meatballs in Instant Pot as well.

To cook porcupine meatballs in Instant Pot:

• Follow the recipe to form the meatballs.
• Pressure cook on High pressure for 15 minutes in 8 quart Instant Pot or for 20 minutes in 6 quart Instant Pot.
• You can release pressure using Quick Release method. Open the lid and separate meatballs from each other, if necessary.
• Press Saute, whisk in a slurry and cook until sauce has thickened a bit. It helps to remove a few meatballs and then add them back.

Can I Bake Them?

Yes. Bake porcupine meatballs in a baking dish while covered in preheated oven to 375 degrees F for 45 minutes. Check for doneness and if rice is ready, uncover and pour the slurry into the liquid spots. Bake for another 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

Tips for Best Results

• Don’t overwork the meat mixture: Once all ingredients are incorporated with ground turkey, stop mixing. This will ensure your porcupine meatballs turn out light and fluffy.
• Use cold ingredients from the fridge: The colder is meat and eggs, the easier it is to shape the meatballs. They also turn out more juicy because the fat melts during cooking and not before.
• For easier rolling: Dip your hands into a bowl with water in between rolling each meatball.
• Do not open the lid: During slow cooking do not lift the lid and peek inside to check on meatballs. Every time you do that, the steam escapes and cooking time increases. It’s OK to check on meatballs towards the end though.

What Do I Serve Porcupine Meatballs with?

Porcupine meatballs are a meal on their own including the meat and rice. However, if you’re super hungry you could serve it with extra starch like healthy mashed potatoes or Instant Pot mashed potatoes.

I usually make super simple cucumber and tomato salad or garlic green beans to go with meatballs. They also pair well with cabbage like this braised cabbage and apples.

On lazy days, it is a green smoothie or just some crusty bread for mopping up the sauce!

How to Store

Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze cooked: Fully cook, cool completely, and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw porcupine meatballs in a refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a microwave or in the oven at 375 F for 10 minutes.

Or freeze uncooked: Form the meatballs, place on a baking sheet and freeze for up to 2 hours. Then transfer to a Ziploc bag and store in a freezer for up to 3 months.

When ready to cook, I would recommend to bake them from frozen with extra 10 minutes. For Instant Pot, no changes are necessary. And for slow cooker, you have to thaw meatballs first and then cook as per recipe.

FAQs

More Dinner Recipes to Try

• Healthy turkey meatballs
• Chicken meatballs
• Instant Pot meatballs
• Sweet and sour meatballs
• Turkey meatball soup
• Slow cooker turkey meatloaf
• Cranberry turkey meatballs

You might also love to browse all of my healthy ground turkey recipes!

Print

Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs

Porcupine Meatballs made easy with uncooked rice, ground turkey, eggs and without tomato sauce. Then bake, cook in slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Ukrainian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 12 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 12 minutes minutes

Servings 10 meatballs

Calories 193kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Slow cooker

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground turkey chicken, beef or pork
• 1 cup brown rice uncooked, rinsed & drained
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or 1/2 tsp dried basil + 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth low sodium
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons green onions, parsley or dill finely chopped (for garnish)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, add ground turkey, rice, eggs, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix just enough to combine.
• Form 10 large meatballs a size just a bit shy of a tennis ball’s size. Or you can make 20 or so smaller meatballs.
• Place in a single layer on a bottom of large slow cooker. Meatballs will fit snuggly. Just pack them gently and tight. Pour broth gently over the meatballs.
• Slow cook on Low for 7-8 hours or on High for 3-4 hours.
• In a small bowl, whisk cold water with cornstarch. Pour slurry over the meatballs, cover and cook on High for 10-20 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Serve warm.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely, and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in a refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a microwave or in the oven at 375 F for 10 minutes.
• In Instant Pot: Pressure cook on High pressure for 15 minutes in 8 quart Instant Pot or for 20 minutes in 6 quart Instant Pot. Release pressure right away and separate meatballs. Press Saute, whisk in a slurry and cook until sauce has thickened a bit.
• In the oven: Bake porcupine meatballs in a baking dish while covered in preheated oven to 375 degrees F oven for 45 minutes. Check for doneness and if rice is ready, uncover and pour the slurry into the liquid spots. Bake for another 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatball | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 292mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

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