Slow Cooker Chicken Philly Sandwiches

 

I wanted a fun "game day" meal that didn't take too much time, and this was perfect.  I was able to use up some of my frozen garden peppers from the summer.  I put it all in the crockpot and let it do its thing all afternoon.  When it was done cooking, all I had to do was shred up the chicken and then do a little broiling.  Super easy.  The flavor of the chicken was really tasty and you can't go wrong with melted cheese.  The sandwiches were pretty big so we just paired it with a salad to get a little more veggie content.

Slow Cooker Chicken Philly Sandwiches

Makes ~6 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chicken broth 

2 green peppers, cored and cut into strips

1 large onion, peeled and sliced into half moons

1/2 tablespoon paprika

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

provolone cheese slices

sub or hoagie buns

Directions:

Pour the broth into the slow cooker and put in the peppers and onions.  Combine the dry spices in a small bowl and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mixture over the veggies.  Rub the remaining seasoning mixture all over the chicken.  Place the chicken on top of the veggies.   Cook on low for 5-6 hours until the chicken is tender and cooked through. 

When cooked, remove chicken from slow cooker, shred, and return to slow cooker, tossing with peppers and onions.

Cut the buns horizontally so you have a top and bottom.  Butter each half if desired. Toast the buns, cut side up, under the oven broiler for 30-60 seconds until toasted.  Using a slotted spoon, scoop some chicken, peppers, and onions from the slow cooker and arrange on a bun.  Top with a provolone slice.  Broil a minute or two until the cheese is melted.  Serve warm.

Crispy Sage Pork with Couscous

We were in the mood for an easy pork dinner, so I paged through my cookbooks and this recipe caught my eye.  It was fast to make and tasted really good.  I especially enjoyed the crispy brown-butter sage.   The original recipe called for figs in the couscous (sounds delicious!), but sadly, Jeremy absolutely hates dried fruits so I omitted that.  It also called for shelled pistachios, but I didn't feel like buying a whole bag of pistachios for one recipe, so I used a box of Toasted Pine Nut Couscous instead.  I enjoyed that small amount of nutty crunch in the couscous.  The package of pork I bought from the store had 3 tenderized thin pork chops.  It worked out well because there was also extra couscous.  I'll have a yummy meal to take to work tomorrow.

Crispy Sage Pork with Couscous

Adapted from One Pan, Two Plates Cookbook

Serves 2-3 

Ingredients:

2-3 thin boneless Pork Cutlets, about 1/4" thick 

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter, divided

12 fresh sage leaves

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

1&1/4 cups chicken broth  (follow couscous package instructions for liquid amount)

1 (5.6oz) box Toasted Pine Nut Couscous and flavor pack 

1 green onion, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper on both sides; set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the sage leaves and brown them on both sides until they start to get crispy, about 1 minute.  The butter should become golden brown.  Using tongs, transfer leaves to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Quickly add the pork to the hot skillet and brown the first side for about 2 minutes.  Turn and brown the other side for 2 minutes.  Transfer to a warmed plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, onion, carrot, and some salt and pepper.  Sauté for a minute until the onion begins to soften.  Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  Add the couscous, green onions, and peas.  Cover skillet and remove from the heat.  Let sit, covered, for 4 minutes, to allow the couscous to absorb the broth.  Drizzle the olive oil over everything and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Plate the pork with the couscous and sprinkle chopped parsley over couscous.  Top pork with the crispy sage leaves.  Feel free to crumble the sage into the couscous as well (I did-- it's delicious!).

Kielbasa Potato Spinach Skillet for Two

We had some leftover cooked kielbasa, so I added ingredients we already had on hand and made this tasty skillet meal to use it up.  Jeremy said he'd cut back on the brown sugar because the sauce was a bit sweet, but I loved it.  I'd cut back to 1 tablespoon sugar next time and I'm sure it will still taste great.

Kielbasa Potato Spinach Skillet for Two

Ingredients:

3-4 red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1-2 links cooked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into thin slices

3-4 cups fresh baby spinach

Directions:

Place potatoes and water in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave, covered, on high for about 4 minutes until potatoes are tender; drain.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme, and pepper.  

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute onions until tender.  Add potatoes and kielbasa and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.  Stir in the brown sugar mixture and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.  Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.