Sunday, March 7, 2010

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

Posted by CB / 1 comment » / Recipes, mexican

I wouldn’t have what you call a high metabolism. I remember, two and a half years ago, 9 months before my wedding I got serious about eating healthy and exercising so that I could fit into my wedding dress. Lost 25lbs baby! HELL YEAH. *fist pump*

I know it’s not impossible. It can be done. The formula seems simple. Eat right and exercise daily. Counting calories in and calories out.

But that’s easier said than done. Because it’s even easier to make excuses and eat fast food. So I’ve heard. *looking around innocently* Unfortunately the lbs slowly started adding back up on me after the wedding was over.

For the most part I accept and love myself (Can you blame me? I’m adorable!) but there are a few times a year that I feel guilty about the number I see when I step on the scale.

(1) Thanksgiving, (2) Christmas, (3) New Years, (4) Yesterday, (5) Tomorrow.

But I don’t have that “goal” that pushes me like my wedding did. Until now.

My friend, Kat of An Irish Girl Cooks, wrote in her blog about food blogs these days being 3/4 desserts and “straight up unhealthy”. Guilty as charged. I have a sweet tooth and I’m a self proclaimed carb-o-holic. Oh… and did I mention that my day job doesn’t require much moderate-to-intense exercise? Not a good combination. So she challenged all her readers to blog something healthy at least 1x a week.

Challenge accepted. I can do 1x a week. Slow and steady wins the race.

I don’t know about you but I’m a numbers girl. So I decided to post calories for my healthy meal. I found this great calorie counter (here). You put in the ingredients of your recipe and it spits out the calories to the best of it’s database knowledge. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Maybe if I see the numbers that will motivate me to eat better. I can tell you that since California passed it’s Calorie Count Menu Law that requires restaurants to post calories on their menu for chains that have 20 or more locations has dramatically changed the way I order. FYI, did know that Claim Jumper’s Citrus Chicken Salad (I think that’s the name?) is 2000+ calories? Omg. In a salad? That’s more calories than I’m suppose to eat in 1 day! Aren’t salads suppose to be healthy? Thanks for sabotaging me Claim Jumper all these years. *smacks head*

Let the calorie counting begin.

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

Recipe adapted from Katlyn's Kitchen

Makes 6-8 servings
Calories per serving* = 237

Ingredients:

4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed (I used 2 chicken breast)
1 onion, thinly sliced (I used 1/4 onion diced)
1 red bell pepper, sliced in half-circle slices
1 green bell pepper, sliced in half-circle slices (I omitted)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (I used 1 whole lime)

Favorite taco fixings:
cheddar cheese
whole wheat tortillas
brown rice
pinto beans
sour cream
salsa
green onions, garnish

Instructions:

Cut chicken into 1 inch crosswise slices. Place chicken in crockpot. Add bell pepper and onions. Squeeze lime juice over chicken, onions, and peppers.

In a 1 cup Pyrex measuring cup, stir to combine chili powder, cumin, salt and chicken broth. Pour over chicken, onions and bell peppers. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until tender.

Serve with favorite taco fixings.

* Calories do not include taco fixings or my changes/substitutions

Husband rating: A+
He’s definitely a fan of this recipe. How do I know? He didn’t complain when I made it 2x in one week.

Wifey rating: A/A+
This recipe is very easy and uncomplicated b/c you let the crockpot do most of the work. After cooking in the pot for 3 hours on HIGH, the chicken was moist and juicy and it tasted great! I love the spices from the chili powder and cumin with the chicken. Will definitely add this one to the menu rotation.

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