Slow Cooker Philly Chicken
I will DEVOUR a Philly cheesesteak in 25 seconds. I won't even chew. It'll be drenched in liquid orange cheese. And there will be no peppers. NO peppers! Just melty, cheesy steak on a fat hoagie. Oh. My. God. But, this blog post is not about Philly cheesesteaks. Because this is a nutrition blog and there is no place for a cheesesteak of any sort here. Seriously though, if you ever want to go grab a one, hollaatchgirl.
This really is a post about chicken but bare with me - Philly cheesesteaks have always intrigued me because a traditional cheesesteak has no peppers or onions and it most definitely doesn't have provolone cheese [I'm looking at you, Midwest bar and grills]. So, where the hell did the term "Philly" come from when describing something with green peppers and onions? Seriously, if you know, tell me. I even tried Googling it.
So let's talk about what I've done here. I've continued to adulterate the Philly cheesesteak name by making chicken in the slow cooker with a shit load of peppers and onions and delicious seasonings and I call it, "Philly Chicken". And I used red peppers instead of green ones. Because I don't like green ones and this is my blog and the loose interpretation of the cheesesteak just calls for it.
Oh, I also didn't put it on bread. I stuffed a big, fat, baked russet potato with it and I smothered it with melted white provolone [I KNOW, I'M A FRAUD] and green onions. And it's good. Real good. And the best thing is? This is versatile enough that you can do just about anything with it. This recipe is all protein, and you've got so many options here to make a PHFF! meal in seconds:
Stuffed inside a regular or sweet potato that's topped with extra grass fed buttah
Philly tacos using corn or paleo tortillas with extra peppers and guac
As a "bowl" on top of rice with chopped tomatoes, broccoli and melted cheese
As a quesadilla with chopped broccoli or extra peppers
...on a hoagie roll, if you're you're having an "I need a hoagie" moment, of course
Let me know how you eat this! I'm having mine mixed with charred broccoli and melted sharp cheddar tonight. Swoon.
Slow Cooker Philly Chicken
Cuisine: Gluten Free, Protein
Author: Megan Kober, RDN, LD
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 6 hours
Total time: 6 hours 10 mins
Serves: 6-8
5 minutes in the morning, and you've got juicy shredded chicken for days.
Ingredients
1 lb chicken breasts
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 Tbsp grass fed butter [recommended: Kerrygold]
2 onions, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 red pepper, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 c low sodium chicken stock
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp hot paprika
Instructions
Start by slicing up your onions and peppers. Layer vegetables on the bottom of your slow cooker.
Melt butter, and pour over peppers and onions.
Layer chicken on top.
Pour chicken stock into a bowl and add seasonings. Give it a quick whisk, then pour over chicken and veggies.
Cover with the lid, then cook on low for 6 hours.
Serving size: 1/8 recipe
Fat: 7
Sugar: 2
Fiber: 0
Protein: 21
Notes
The chicken will have a lot of liquid, but if you remove the lid and let it hang out for a while, it'll tighten up.
If you'd rather use all chicken breasts or all thighs, no prob. I just like to mix the two.
Use whatever bell peppers you like. My game plan is usually "whatever's cheapest, not including green".