Crockpot Pesto Chicken

You gotta love a recipe that has only a few ingredients and is super easy to throw together!!! This crockpot recipe has been floating around the internet for awhile now. I've always enjoyed anything with pesto sauce so I knew that pesto flavored chicken would be delicious! I decided to step away from my normal use of chicken breasts and try this recipe with chicken thighs.  One package of chicken thighs is relatively inexpensive and I doubled the meat so that we would have leftovers for the next day.  

Crockpot Pesto Chicken

2 packages chicken thighs

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 package Ranch dressing mix

1 (7 oz.) container Pesto with Basil

Place chicken into the crockpot. Spread the pesto sauce over the top of the chicken. Sprinkle the ranch dressing mix. Pour in the chicken broth and gently stir the sauce.  Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours.

Serve the pesto chicken along side mashed potatoes or cooked penne pasta. This flavorful chicken would also be great if you shredded it and then placed it on a hoagie roll with a slice of mozzarella cheese! Yum!

Crockpot Tortellini & Sausage Soup

Now that we are settling back into a schedule after the craziness of December, I'm back to meal planning again. I always include an easy crockpot recipe for the busiest weeknight. It just so happens that this evening each of my 3 kids had an activity…at 3 different locations of course. 

 This recipe only takes a few steps and creates the yummiest Italian dinner that is ready whenever you get home!!! The ingredients are inexpensive and easily serves 6-8 people. I prepared the soup around 1pm and the first shift of my family ate at 5:30pm.  (The next shift at 6:30pm…and then 7pm) It was perfectly cooked and simmered nicely until everyone had time to sit down. 

Crockpot Tortellini & Sausage Soup

1 lb. mild Italian sausage, cooked & crumbled

2 cans diced tomatoes, (Basil, Garlic & Oregano)

2 cans chicken broth

1 package (19 oz.) frozen cheese tortellini

1 bag spinach (I used 2/3 of a large bag)

1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, cubed

Brown the Italian sausage in a skillet until cooked and crumbled; drain.  Add the sausage and remaining ingredients to the crockpot. Stir to combine and then cook on LOW for 5 hours. 

Such a delicious rich broth with the spice of Italian sausage and cheesy noodles…..so good!!! My kids finished their bowls quickly and my husband declared this soup to be "AWESOME"! We served the bowls of soup with a few shakes of Parmesan cheese, a slice of baguette bread and a side of fruit.