Creamy Italian Chicken

At the time I write this, we are dealing with Hurricane Sandy.  So far, we haven’t lost power but it’s getting bad out there…in preparation, I wanted to start clearing some food out of my freezer and decided I needed some good old comfort food.  I found this great recipe online at Taste of Home but wanted to lighten it up, and it’s a slow cooker recipe – easy!

There’s just something about creamy sauce and chicken that screams “Comfort!” doesn’t it??  We had some leftover sweet potato biscuits from our Outer Banks vacation so I served this goodness over them, however it would be just as fantastic served over pasta or rice.

Ingredients:

1lb boneless skinless chicken breast

1 packet Zesty Italian Dressing mix

¼ cup water

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ tsp dried red pepper flakes

8oz reduced fat cream cheese

1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup (or cream of celery, mushrooms, etc.)

1 cup frozen peas

Preparation:

·         Place chicken breast into the slow cooker set on low

·         Mix water, dressing packet, garlic and red pepper flakes and pour over the chicken

·         Cook for 3 hours.

·         At the 3 hour mark, mix the cream cheese and the soup together and pour over the chicken.

·         Cook for another 3 hours.

·         With an hour left, add the peas and stir
·         Note:  If you are not home, you can mix the cream cheese and soup together at the beginning and add for the full time

·         Before serving, I shredded the chicken, but you don’t have to.

·         Serve over biscuits, pasta, rice and or veggies.

Enjoy!

Nutrition:

Serves 4

Calories 346 / Carbs 15g / Fat 11g / Protein 37g / Fiber 2g / Sodium 801mg