On Monday night we had Crispy Baked chicken legs for dinner. (BTW ... has anybody ever really gotten chicken to be crispy by baking it? If you have the real secret, let me know. I've never been successful!) Anyway, the chicken was decent, but we had half a dozen legs left at the end of the meal.
Tuesday night we were planning to have Chicken Nachos for dinner. I was going to cook and shred some boneless skinless chicken breasts. But those legs just kept staring at me! They were screaming, "Don't waste me!" I didn't want to heat them up for leftovers, because dark meat chicken just seems slimy to me when microwaved. But I couldn't bear to throw them out!
Then it occurred to me .. I could use them for the Chicken Nachos! But, they were coated in a bread crumb/parmesan cheese combination. That doesn't exactly scream Mexican! So this is what I did ...
I started with my 6 baked drumsticks with cheese coating.
I washed them under warm water and took off all of the coating and ended up with 6 "clean" drumsticks. (I know that sounds kind of gross, but it was just water on chicken skin.)
I picked them to death getting just enough chicken off for a family of 6 to have nachos sprinkled with chicken for dinner, and some leftover.
I put the chicken in a crock pot (at about noon) with taco seasoning and water and slow-cooked it on low for about 4 hours.
Yes, I know I have the oldest and ugliest crock pot in the world! I am praying that someone has heard my pleas for a large, oval shaped one for Christmas this year! (Mom, Rick, anyone??)
Then for Nachos we piled our plates with round tortilla chips, scoops of chicken and Mexican blend shredded cheese. We microwaved it for about 30 seconds, then topped with chopped tomatoes, onions, sour cream and taco sauce. Yum!! The chicken was so good!
Here is a picture of my lunch one day this week (because I forgot to take a picture of it Tuesday night). I used chicken and leftover pinto beans I forgot I had in the fridge, with cheese, sour cream and taco sauce (I was too lazy to chop some tomatoes and onions). I was stuffed!
And I feel doubly satisfied in that I did not waste any food!
(**I linked up this recipe at GCC Recipe Swap this week).
You crack me up! I pray you get your new crock pot too :)
ReplyDeleteYour nachos look oh so yummy.....hmmm. I'm thinkin I may have to try this
love ya
hope you get one too!
ReplyDeleteNice resourcefulness mama! Doesn't it just feel so good when you can stretch a meal and save some money too?!
ReplyDeleteYou sure do need a new crockpot a nice black and stainless one.
ReplyDeleteYour chicken leftovers are brillant and look so yum!
Yum-o!! Gonna have to try that recipe.
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