Crockpot- Chicken with bean stew

So EASY and so GOOD! Use buttered rolls to dip in the soup.

4- Chicken breasts, skinless boneless
4- Pre-cooked chicken sausage links (I use organic with spinach/feta/garlic, etc. This gives an extra flavor)
1- Large Onion (chopped)
4 Tbs - crushed garlic
2, 1 lb (13 oz) Cans - Drained pinto beans (or your favorite canned beans)
1 packet - Lipton Onion Soup Mix (this takes care of the salt)
1 Tbs- Ground Pepper (more or less to taste)

Cut raw chicken breast into bite size pieces and cook in skillet over medium heat until no longer pink.
Slice thawed, pre-cooked sausage into bite size pieces.
Put cooked chicken pieces and all above ingredients together in a large crockpot. Fill the crockpot with water (leave at least 2 inches room at the top). STIR.

Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6. You can cook it a while longer than that, the chicken shouldn't dry out! For instance, I cooked mine on high for 4-5 hours, then low for another 4 hours and it came out perfect.

* BIG TIP* Using the method above, the stew will be brothy - for true "stew" just before serving, add a cup (or more as needed) of instant mashed potatoes and stir in for a thicker hardier version!

Teriyaki Ranch Chicken

This could not be easier!

4 - chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1/2 cup - Teriyaki sauce
1 cup - Ranch dressing (you can use reduced fat, don't use fat free)
1 cup - Cheese cracker crumbs (Cheez-its or Cheese Nips, crushed)

Mix teriyaki and ranch dressing in a large ziplock bag, add chicken breasts and marinate - 4 hours or overnight.

- Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
- Remove chicken from marinade and dredge them in the cracker crumbs
- Place coated breasts in a small baking dish, bake for aprox 30 min or until chicken is no longer pink and juices are clear

Buffalo-Curry-Chickpea Chicken

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2 - Chicken breasts, skinless, boneless
1 Cup - Hot sauce (buffalo hot sauce, such as Texas Pete's)
1 15 oz can - Chick Peas
1 15 oz can - Coconut Milk (cuts the heat)
1 T - Curry powder
1 T - Garlic powder
1 tea - Black pepper
(add salt only if desired later, the heat tends to not create a need for much :)

Mix all together in a 4 inch deep baking dish and cook uncovered for aprox 30-40 min, or until chicken is 165 degrees.
Serve chicken, sauce and chickpeas over rice, pasta, or even salad!

Options:
- sprinkle bread crumbs on top at the last 15 min of cooking for a crunchy coat
- add blue cheese crumbles at the last 15 min of cooking