One Bulk Package of Chicken, Five Easy, Yummy and Healthy Meals!

I've been really focusing on meal planning this year and keeping my meals healthy and my grocery bill in check. One thing I learned was to take advantage of and plan your meals around meats that are on sale. So, I purchased a bulk package of chicken (it was just under 6lbs!).

For the first meal, I just took the chicken out of the package and right into the crockpot. I then baked the remainder of the chicken in the oven with some Italian Dressing as a marinade. I kept the cooked chicken in Tupperware in my fridge and used it for the rest of the recipes - it made life sooo easy (ok, the cooking part of my life that is!!).

Meal 1: Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken (I doubled the recipe)

Ingredients:

• 2lbs uncooked chicken
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 can corn (drained)
• 1 packet of McCormick Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken seasoning

Directions: 
Place all ingredients into a crockpot. 
Set crockpot to low for 8 hours
Shred the chicken before serving.

We ate it like a chili with some shredded cheese on top, but you could also serve with:
- Rice
- Pasta
- In a burrito

Topping ideas: 
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Greek yogurt
- Shredded Cheese 
- Fresh Cilantro

Meal 2: Quinoa Fiesta Chicken Casserole

Ingredients
Left Over Fiesta Chicken 
1 cup Red Quinoa
Shredded Cheese 

Directions
Combine cooked Quinoa with left over Fiesta Chicken
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top
Bake in oven at 350 until hot and cheese is bubbling

Meal 3: One Skillet Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients
2 cups Instant Brown Rice
1 package frozen vegetables (I use the stir fry veggies or broccoli and carrots)
1 can water chestnuts
2 cups diced chicken
3/4 cup Stir Fry Sauce (I love the Wegman's brand!)

Directions: 
Combine all ingredients into a large skillet. Cook on high until it is at a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes until rice is tender.

Top with fried noodles

Meal 4: Tuscan Chicken & Broccoli Pasta

Ingredients: 
1/2 package Linguine (I like to use the wheat)
2 cups diced chicken breast
1 package of frozen broccoli
1 cup cherry tomatoes
Olive Oil
1-2 Tbsp Tuscan Bread Dipping Seasoning**

*I had a jar of seasoning from a local Olive Oil store (Olive on Brooklea for anyone who is local to Syracuse, NY) or you can make your own:

1Tbsp dried Oregano
1 Tbsp Dried Basil
1 Tbsp Dried Rosemary
1/2 tsp Dried Powdered Thyme
1 Tbsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder

Directions: 
Cook linguine in a pot
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and then add chicken, broccoli and cherry tomatoes
Add the cooked linguine to the skillet and toss all the ingredients together with the Tuscan Seasoning.

Meal 5: Grilled Chicken Wraps 

Ingredients: 
2 Cups diced cooked chicken
4 Tortillas
Shredded Cheese
Lettuce
Any other toppings you can think of! 

Directions: 
Throw all your ingredients into a tortilla and enjoy!!

Crockpot Quinoa and Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Looking for a simple and healthy crockpot recipe that your whole family will love?! Keep reading!!! I actually did all the prep work the night before and then put them in the crockpot the next morning before work.

Ingredients:

• 5 large peppers
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 15 oz jar tomato sauce
• 1 cup quinoa (I use red quinoa)
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

• Wash peppers and cut off tops. Remove the stems from top of peppers and dice them, set aside.
• Wash, rinse and drain the quinoa. Add quinoa to 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Reduce to medium for 15 minutes, fluff with fork. 
• While quinoa is cooking, brown the ground turkey in a large skillet. 
• Once ground turkey is browned, add tomato sauce, peppers, onions, garlic and quinoa.
• Fill peppers with ground turkey and quinoa filling.
• Cook stuffed peppers in crockpot on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
• About 10-15 minutes before serving, add shredded mozzarella cheese to the top of stuffed peppers. 
• Last but not least....Enjoy!!!!