Earlier in the week I mentioned I was trying a new recipe from my personal trainer. It turned out delicious! It’s a protein packed, healthy, slow cooker recipe. I LOVE a good slow cooker recipe as admittedly my oven still intimidates me.
Here is the recipe from Chef Meg on SparkRecipes (a website dedicated to healthy recipes).
Just a quick note on changes I made from the recipe:
I didn’t dice up the chicken breasts. I just used frozen chicken breasts to make it easier. Nor did I pulse the pepper sauce ingredients in the food processor. I just put it all directly into my slow cooker. I used garbanzo beans instead of white kidney beans. You could use a few different types of beans depending on your preference. It’s not mentioned in the recipe, but I always get the low sodium version of anything I can including the vegetables used in this recipe. And lastly, I used a little less parsley and bit more vinegar. I doubled the recipe and it easily fit in my slow cooker.
Minutes to Prepare: 15
Minutes to Cook: 360
Number of Servings: 5
Ingredients:
Pepper Sauce
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 roasted red peppers (Use jarred peppers packed in water or roast them yourself.)
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon sherry or white wine vinegar
Additional Ingredients
1 cup parsley leaves
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, skin and fat removed, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen peas
Directions
Toast the almonds in a skillet set over low heat, shaking the pan the entire time to keep the nuts from burning. When you start to smell the almonds, which means they are starting to toast, add the paprika and cook for 30 seconds more.
Immediately transfer the almonds and paprika to a small food processor, along with the remaining ingredients for the sauce, and pulse until everything is roughly chopped. Pour the sauce into the slow cooker, then add the chicken and tomatoes. Stir to combine and cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 15 minutes before serving, add the beans, then add the peas five minutes before serving.
If you want dinner on the table sooner, remove the lid after five hours and allow the liquid to evaporate.
Serve with brown rice or pasta (calories not included).
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 5 one-cup servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 322.2
Total Fat: 5.5 g
Cholesterol: 56.2 mg
Sodium: 674.7 mg
Total Carbs: 37.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 11.3 g
Protein: 31.3 g
