LIME CHICKEN CROCKPOT Recipe weare beginning

to hit the end of another summer and swing back into the craziness that is the fall. Gone are the days of sitting by the lake or in the backyard enjoying the peace of the evening. Instead, we are faced with new deadlines, an increase in our business schedules, school conferences, and football and/or volleyball games. I know that I struggle with this every year. How can I hold on to that precious time with friends and family?

I was raised with the idea and expectation that when dinner was ready the whole family sat down together to discuss their day and enjoy a home cooked meal. My mom often made a great meal that we could all enjoy and when it was done, we scattered. But for that short time, we were all together. This may be a tradition that could make a comeback in your family.

I know many people who have begun to prepare their meals for the week and I actually admire them, because I could never do that successfully. I prefer to not plan like that because I never know what I am going to want to eat. So why should I force myself to eat something that I don’t really want to eat?

I think fast food and delivery have increased the options for having variety, and the pre-packing idea saves time, but how can I accomplish both? I am here to give you a recipe that can offer you a variety of options using one key ingredient. In fact, this recipe can become your own personal version of Chopped, allowing you to develop your variety of meals. Below is a recipe for pulled chicken that I have used for salads, tacos, pasta, stir-fry and even soup. Honestly, this recipe offers many opportunities, and can take mere minutes to prep.

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs (make sure they are frozen in order to keep a level of moisture)

¼ cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup honey

1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce

2 minced garlic cloves

3 tablespoons lime juice

DIRECTIONS:

In a crockpot, add all the ingredients, turn on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. You will know the chicken is done because it will pull apart easily. I have put this together at lunch and had it ready to eat by dinnertime.

As you can tell this is a simple recipe that you can play with. For example, if you add the shredded chicken to a tortilla with cheese, lettuce and salsa, you have a great taco. If you want to go with more of an Italian flair, toss the chicken with some spaghetti sauce and top with shredded cheese and Parmesan for a take on chicken Parmesan. One of my favorites is tossing the chicken with some fresh veggies and adding some additional soy sauce or teriyaki for a light stir-fry.

If you are looking for something fun at a party or you have some fussy eaters, this chicken is a great option. You can have a build-your-own sandwich night: Get some nice pretzel buns (or whatever you prefer); a variety of sauces such as ranch, buffalo, teriyaki, BBQ, or Thai peanut; and cheese (because you have to have cheese). This is a fun way to introduce yourself and others to new flavors and see people’s personalities. Plus there is no additional hassle to you. If you are trying to be healthy, skip the bun and turn it to a salad.

As you can tell this is not meant to be a gourmet meal. Let us face it, there are enough magazines and cookbooks out there that can meet those needs. This recipe and other ideas are meant to be something quick and easy so you can spend quality time with your friends and families.

Robert Jones

Food is one of my love languages.

I worked in the hospitality industry off and on for twenty years. Having been a cook, a front house manager, and running food service for a church, there is not much that I have not done. More than a career, cooking is something that I do to reduce stress, celebrate with friends and enjoy new cultures.

Now that I am out of the industry and in school working on my doctorate in leadership, food has offered me the opportunity to challenge myself and develop a greater insight into the relationship between people and food.

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