Bite by Bite
Conquering My Culinary Bucket List One Dish at a Time
By Emily Banks Wooten

When Daughter recently asked, “What’s for supper?” and I told her a chicken dish, her exact reply was, “No … not another chicken dish! I’m so tired of chicken dishes.” Okay, okay, I get it. I’ve been on a bit of a chicken kick lately. If you’re as tired of it as Daughter is, then don’t fret. I’ll lay off the chicken for a while. But if you’re not, then I’ve got a deal for you. Today I’m bringing you two different chicken dish recipes that are both easy and good. And for what it’s worth, Daughter (and Hubby) loved both of them.

The first, “Creamy Jalapeno Skillet Chicken” from eatingwell.com, showed up in my inbox one day and I’ll be honest – they had me at “creamy jalapeno.” The second, “Crack Chicken,” was evidently a TikTok food craze a while back that appealed to tons of people. And no, as I’ve said before, I don’t do TikTok, but if there’s a food craze going on, then I at least want to check it out. Turns out, it was perfect for our ongoing keto-lifestyle aspirations.

Check them out. I think you’ll agree that they’re not only super easy, but they’re very flavorful as well.

Crack Chicken
From all over the internet, just Google it

— 1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
— 8-oz. block cream cheese
— 1-oz. package Ranch seasoning mix
— ¼ cup chicken broth
— Chopped green onions, to taste
— Shredded cheddar cheese, to taste
— Cooked and crumbled bacon, to taste

•Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Add the Ranch seasoning mix, the cream cheese and the chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

•When the chicken is done, shred it with a fork right in the slow cooker and gently stir together the components.

•Next, add chopped green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, and cooked, crumbled bacon. There are no measurements for this, so add to your liking.

My notes:
I used the entire bundle of green onions.I used about 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.I used an entire 12-oz. package of bacon.In the recipe I read, the completed dish is served on hamburger buns or Hawaiian rolls. I served it on a plate with green beans and coleslaw and we ate it with a fork.In the future I think I’d use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as the breasts were just a little bit dry.

Creamy Jalapeno Skillet Chicken
From eatingwell.com

—1 teaspoon ground cumin
— 1 teaspoon chili powder
— ¼ teaspoon salt
— 4 chicken cutlets (about 1 pound)
— 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral oil, divided
— ½ cup finely chopped onion
— 2 large jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped (1/2 cup)
— ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
— 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
— ½ cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
— Chopped cilantro for garnish (Optional)

•Stir cumin, chili powder and salt together in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with the spice mixture.

•Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

•Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion and jalapenos to the pan. Cook, stirring, until softened and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add broth and cream cheese and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring to melt the cream cheese, for 3 to 5 minutes.

•Add the cheddar and stir until melted. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Serve sprinkled with cilantro, if desired.