I often feel (especially lately) that I’m rushing from one thing to the next, simply trying to fit it all in and survive. I’m the master juggler in my circus of life … and chances are good that you are too. Dinner is one of those things on the to-do list that can be a challenge among working, training, writing and family time. I plan our meals and do the grocery shopping on the weekend, and I’m constantly on the lookout for delicious, healthy meals that are fairly easy and quick to make. Recently, I’ve found and created a few that are keepers – dinners that earn their spot on the regular rotation because they make life easier and are tasty. I’m going to share my favorites with you each month in case they help make dinner time easier for you too. First up on the menu is one of my favorite slow cooker chicken recipes.

Using the slow cooker is a God send on days that are going to be long and when the last thing I’ll feel like doing is preparing a big meal after working and running. My slow cooker fiesta shredded chicken over pineapple brown rice recipe is a great one because it’s incredibly easy to prep in the morning, can be tweaked and customized based on your favorite ingredients (or whatever you have in the house) and includes lean protein, whole grains, colorful veggies and healthy fats. It’s a hit in our house, and I know it will be in yours too.

Ingredients

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 14 oz. can of black beans
• 10-16 oz. jar of salsa of your choice (I typically use Frog Ranch because I like that there are no fake ingredients or sugar, but any of your favorite jarred salsas will work great.)
• 8 oz. corn (I use a half of a can of canned corn but you could use fresh or frozen.)
• 1 bell pepper (your favorite color) chopped
• 1-2 zucchini chopped (If you don’t like zucchini, choose any chopped veggie of your choice or whatever you have in the house.)
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder (add more or less to taste)
• 1 teaspoon of cumin (add more or less to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups of brown rice, cooked
• 1 cup diced pineapple (fresh or canned)
• 1 tablespoon cilantro finely chopped
• 1 avocado, sliced

Directions

• Place raw chicken breasts in the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. (I like to use the crockpot liners for easy clean-up that can be found at the grocery store near the Ziploc bags, foil and plastic wrap. Just place them in your slow cooker before adding any ingredients.)
• Place the black beans and remaining ingredients through the cumin into the slow cooker on top of the chicken. Stir to mix evenly. (To save time in the morning, chop the vegetables the night before.)
• Cook on low for 7-8 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, take the chicken breasts out, shred them and place them back into the slow cooker, mixing to combine all ingredients.
• While the chicken mixture is finishing cooking, boil the rice according to package directions on your stove top. To speed things up, I like to use the boil in a bag rice (takes 8 minutes to cook once the water boils) or the frozen brown rice from Trader Joe’s that you can heat in the microwave for 3 minutes.
• Stir the chopped pineapple and cilantro into the rice. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you’d like to make it a bit richer, add a little butter.
• Spoon one cup of rice into a bowl. Top with one cup of the chicken mixture. Top with sliced avocado. (You can also add shredded cheese if desired.)

Serves 4 to 6 people

For a variation on this slow cooker chicken recipe, you can skip the rice and use corn tortillas to turn these into fiesta shredded chicken soft tacos. Just add some salsa and any other toppings you enjoy. Serve with fresh mango on the side.

What is your favorite slow cooker recipe that makes dinner prep easier for you and your family? If you try my slow cooker chicken recipe, let me know what you think!