Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

half one yellow onion, sliced
3 bell peppers, sliced
4 boneless chicken breast
1/4 c water
2 T ground cumin
2 T chili seasoning
1/4 c fresh lime juice
Tortillas
Toppings, such as sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa

Lightly spray inside crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Place sliced onion and peppers in crock pot. Add water. Place chicken on top and pour lime juice over chicken. Sprinkle the top of chicken with cumin and chili powder. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours (or on High for 4 hours) or until meat is shreddable. Serves 4.



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Chicken Tortilla Soup

I've tasted Chicken Tortilla soup at just about every Mexican restaurant in Southern California and Phoenix and have yet to be as impressed by any of them as I am with this recipe. It tastes exactly as I intended. Salty and mildly spicy with the tang of lime juice. It is wonderful.

I created this recipe by going for a specific taste combo of lime, cumin, cheese, and cilantro. I didn't have any fresh cilantro, so I used twice the amount of dried that any recipe I found called for because I love it. Feel free to decrease the cilantro to your taste, but I wouldn't change it much because the flavor balance with the other spices will be affected.


Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 large chicken breasts, washed and dried
1/4 t ground cumin
salt and pepper
2 T olive oil
1/4 one white onion, chopped
2 ~14 oz cans chicken broth
1 ~14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 ~4 oz can diced mild green chilies, undrained
3 T lime juice
2 T dried cilantro, or 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 T dried oregano
1 t garlic powder
1 c frozen corn
1 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
corn tortilla chips

Heat olive oil in dutch oven over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper and cumin and add chicken to heated oil. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add onion to pan and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, chilies, lime juice, cilantro, oregano, garlic, and corn. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Using fingers, shred chicken into bite sized pieces. Return chicken to pan and heat an additional 5 minutes.

Ladle into bowls, top each bowl with 1/4 c shredded cheese and a handful of crushed tortilla chips. Serves 4.

Note: In summer, I frequently broil a whole pan of chicken breast with olive oil and salt and pepper and store it in the fridge for use in recipes such as this. Feel free to use any leftover chicken you have from a previous meal to make this a super quick dinner. However, I wouldn't recommend using bbq flavored chicken. But then again... that just might end up a Tex Mex Chicken soup. I might just have to try that.

Nacho Tostada

For Shells
6 white corn tortillas
1 c canola oil

For Meat
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 c water
2 T mild taco seasoning, recommended: McCormick
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper

For Toppings
1 c pinto beans, prepared
1 14 oz can diced tomato, drained
1/2 c Brianna's Chipotle Cheddar dressing
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
salt, to taste
sour cream, for garnish

In large skillet over medium heat, brown ground turkey well. Add water, taco seasoning, cumin, oregano, garlic and cayenne pepper. Stir well, reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.

While meat is simmering, in medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil to 300°. Gently lower tortillas one at a time into hot oil and cook until golden, approximately 3 minutes per side. Remove to paper towel to drain. Immediately sprinkle with salt then transfer to baking sheet. Continue cooking remaining tortillas.

Preheat broiler to high. Top tortillas with meat, beans, tomato, dressing and cheese equally divided between six tortillas. Place under broiler until cheese is melted. Plate, garnish with sour cream and serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

Chef's Note: Packaged taco seasoning is usually high in salt, so I've used approximately half a packet in this recipe with additional spices for fuller flavoring. By reducing the salt in the meat, I was able to add salt to the tortillas. Believe me, you will want to do this.

Cinnamon Sugar Crisps

4 corn tortillas, taco size
2 c vegetable oil for frying
2 T sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1/2 c caramel topping

Heat oil over medium high heat to 350°. Cut tortillas into 8 wedges and fry in hot oil until brown and very crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Immediately sprinkle hot crisps with cinnamon and sugar. Allow to cool slightly.

While crisps are cooling, divide ice cream evenly between 4 bowls. Drizzle with caramel topping and garnish with crisps. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Chicken and Green Chile Quesadilla

4 12 inch flour tortillas
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 c shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 c cooked corn kernels
1/2 c pinto beans
1/4 c chopped green chiles
1/4 c chopped roasted red peppers
sour cream and cilantro for garnish

Heat griddle over high heat. Place two tortillas on hot griddle, add 1/4 c cheese and shredded chicken. After cheese has melted, add corn, beans, chiles and peppers. Sprinkle remaining cheese over all and top with two tortillas. Flip quesadillas and reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook until second tortilla is brown and cheese is melted. Remove from griddle and allow to rest 5 minutes. Cut into wedges, garnish and serve. Serves 4.