A simple and versatile Greek-style pasta that’s ready in minutes!

When I hear the word “chowder,” two things come to mind: creamy New England style chowder or tomato-based Manhattan style chowder. This Slow Cooker Chicken and Black Bean Chowder recipe is neither. Instead, it’s a new twist on a traditional recipe. Kick up the flavor in your chowder and give this recipe a try!

By definition, a chowder is a thick, chunky soup that is either cream or tomato based. This particular recipe uses a tomato base, along with a few Southwestern flavor infusions. To begin our chowder transformation, we started with chicken breast, black beans, and corn kernels. Next, we added in some salsa and diced chilies to give our dish a kick of Latin flavors. It’s important to let those flavors meld and simmer for several hours in a slow cooker along with some chicken broth. In the end, the chicken will be rich with Latin spices, and it should shred easily with a fork. Once the chicken has been shredded and returned to the slow cooker to simmer briefly, it’s almost ready to serve. You can make this chowder extra-special by topping it with creamy Greek yogurt, avocado slices, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. So, there you have it. You’ve taken all of the elements that make a chowder wonderful and have elevated them to create something fun and exciting. A tasty Slow Cooker Chicken and Black Bean Chowder is served. Is your mouth watering yet? I know mine is; I can smell the Southwestern goodness!

I’m not sure what it is about a sizzlin’ platter of fajitas, but it seems to have this magical quality to it. Think about it: Have you ever been at a Mexican restaurant, dead set on ordering the taco salad or a burrito bowl, when a platter of fajitas comes out of the kitchen? You can hear it from across the room, and the aroma completely entices you. Fajitas weren’t even on your radar, but all of a sudden you really want to order some! Well, that phenomenon might start happening a lot more often when you start making these Chicken Fajita Power Bowls.

We captured all the flavor of that sizzling platter with a fraction of the fat and calories. It’s the perfect combination of colorful peppers, spiced chicken, protein-rich quinoa, sweet corn, fiber-rich black beans, and cooling yogurt—all in an easy-to-make package that’s ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. Just be prepared for your coworkers to spy your lunch and ask you for the recipe!

This Chicken Fajita Power Bowls recipe is the perfect way to use up leftover chicken. A whole chicken will yield about 2 cups of shredded white meat, and 1 cup of shredded dark meat. So if you have leftovers from cooking a whole chicken, use them up! (Psst: We love how simple it is to make a whole chicken using an Instant Pot). If you don’t have leftovers on-hand, never fear. Making this half-cup portion of chicken is easy! Simply simmer one boneless, skinless chicken breast in water or broth until it’s cooked through. You could add spices and flavorings to the cooking liquid if you like, but it’s not strictly necessary. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it with two forks. A 5-ounce chicken breast should yield about one cup of shredded chicken.

Fried chicken is the kind of food I always really love in theory, but end up disappointed with in reality. If you were a well meaning friend trying to talk me out of a toxic relationship, you might say I’m not in love with fried chicken, I’m in love with the idea of fried chicken. In my junk food fantasies, fried chicken is crispy, breaded comfort food perfection. In fast food reality, it always just seems greasy, heavy, and maybe even a little soggy.

A Simple Oven-Baked Recipe

Meals

1. Slow Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Gravy (261 Calories)

2. Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast (292 Calories)