Whoever invented the crockpot, is a genius, hands down.  What better way to prep meat in bulk than to let it simmer in its own juices?  Most people associate the crockpot with Winter, soups, and stews, but I am about to blow your mind with how you can use your Crockpot to bulk cook chicken to make a variety of meals through out the week!  That's right, get ready to have a lot more free time with this simple set and forget recipe with LOTS of ways to switch it up!  

Crockpot Meal Prep Chicken
Semi Defrosted Chicken Breasts
1.5 Cups Water
Garlic Powder
Pepper

1. Spray bottom of crockpot with oil
(to prevent chicken from sticking and burning)
2. Pour in 1 Cup Water
3. Add Chicken Breasts
4. Add Garlic Powder & Pepper, topping chicken breasts, 
then stir the surrounding water
5. If Chicken Breasts are not at least halfway covered with water, add an additional half cup of water
6. Cook on low 4-6 hours, depending on how many chicken breasts you have, and the strength of your crockpot, you will know better than I do!

After
Use a fork or this Pampered Chef gadget to shred the chicken, let it cool while marinating in the juices
OR
Leave Chicken as whole breasts/cut intro strips

Personally, I shred the chicken, let it cool, then store it, juices and all in containers. 
THEN through out the week, I add sauces, vegetables, or spices, to my shredded chicken to make meals!  By prepping the meat "plain" or "basic" as I like to call it, you give yourself more options through out the week to incorporate variety and satisfy whatever craving your body calls for that day!

Tips/Notes
- Use Chicken Broth/Chicken Stock instead of water - Make sure it is GF
- Switch this idea up with a variety of spices, use your favorites! 
  Some suggestions:
   - Italian Seasoning, Oregano, Basil, Crushed Red Pepper
   - Cumin
   - Curry
   - Chili Powder

Ideas for Chicken

• Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
• Italian Spaghetti Squash Skillet - Use Chicken + Italian Spices 
• Balsamic Chicken Bowl
• Chicken Crunchwrap
• Add BBQ Sauce for Shredded BBQ Chicken
• Easy Pad Thai Chicken
• Chicken Tacos - simply add taco seasoning when reheating

A fiesta of flavor, with minimal effort for Meal Prep!  Now, THAT'S a party I want to be a part of! 
In order to get this fiesta fired up, you'll need a Crockpot, I'm re-creating my Juicy Baked Chicken Method, without the need to turn on the oven, because despite the temperature outside, turning on my oven heats the whole apartment up to the point that I feel like I'M the one baking in the oven and not the chicken.

This recipe is versatile, and can be used with:
- 2-4 Breasts (using more, increase seasoning amount)
- Defrosted or even Semi-Frozen Breasts
The state and amount of chicken will determine your exact cook time!

Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos
4 Chicken Breasts (Defrosted or Semi-Frozen)
Taco Seasoning* (GF Certified or D.I.Y.)
1-2 Cups Water

1. Spray bottom of crockpot with oil
(to prevent chicken from sticking and burning)
2. Pour in 1 Cup Water
3. Add Chicken Breasts
4. Add Taco Seasoning, topping chicken breasts, then stir the surrounding water
5. If Chicken Breasts are not at least halfway covered with water, add an additional cup of water
6. Cook on low 4-6 hours, depending on how many chicken breasts you have, and the strength of your crockpot, you will know better than I do!
7. With one hour left of cooking, use a fork to shred the chicken, and let it cook one more hour marinating in the juices

NOW you have a few options:

• Eat immediately as Shredded Chicken Tacos, Taco Bowl, Taco Salad
• Let cool, put into tupperware to create Taco Meals/Bowls/Salads through out the week

       (Easy Meal Prep Option)

• Let cool, put in a Freezer Bag and FREEZE, to defrost and eat at a later date 

       (Meal Prep for the Future)

*Some quick information for my celiac, gluten intolerant, gluten sensitive or simply gluten free readers:
MAKE YOUR OWN OR ONLY BUY LABELED GLUTEN FREE BRANDS such as Simply Organic or McCormick!  Brands that are not labeled as gluten free and do not contain gluten ingredients are typically not labeled due to issues of cross contamination.  Read more here!

Frigid temperatures call for crockpot meals (hello easy meal prep!), even if it's March.  Sigh, I want it so badly to be Spring, but until the sunshine can keep me warm, I'll settle for this versatile Chili Dish to keep me toasty!

This recipe is a combination of produce that happened to be on sale this week and a few ideas pulled from various Pinterest Recipes.  Beans and I, we're not buddies, so this recipe omits any type of bean, BUT feel free to add some in for yourself! (I recommend Kidney Beans or White Beans).  I am by NO means a chili expert, this recipe was my first attempt, so feel free to adjust accordingly to your flavor preferences.  I hate anything spicy...

I used Chicken, BUT feel free to use ground meat, I actually heated this up as leftovers with chicken and ground meat mixed and it was delicious!

No Bean Chili (Chicken or Ground Meat)
3-4 Defrost Chicken Breasts OR 1-2 lbs. Ground Meat (depending on how much leftovers you want!)
8 oz. Mushrooms Sliced 
1 Eggplant peeled and chopped
1 bag Fresh Spinach (yes, I splurged and bought fresh!)
2/3 15 oz. cans of No Salt Added Tomato Sauce 
(again, your preference for how thick/saucey you want your chili)
1 14.5 oz. can No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes (drained)
2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 - 1 teaspoon of Paprika 
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon pepper
1-2 teaspoons salt

1. Add some olive oil/coconut oil/butter/whatever you use to saute to a skillet with your 2 Tablespoons of Garlic, cook until garlic becomes brown or aromatic
2. Add mushrooms and eggplant to garlic and oil skillet mixture, cook for five minutes
3. In your crockpot, combine all cans of tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and ALL seasonings (cumin, paprika, cocoa powder, apple cider vinegar, pepper, salt), STIR
4. Add in fresh Spinach, Mushrooms, and Eggplant, stir
5. Add in raw chicken breasts/ground meat and cover with chili mixture
6. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, checking the chicken after three, and shredding it if you want to
7. Once done cooking, warm up with a bowl by itself, on top of quinoa, spaghetti squash, a rice variety, or even with some zoodles!

Tips/Notes
- Into spicy foods?  Replace the Cumin with Chili Powder
- Beans not a problem for you?  Add in Kidney or White Beans
- Looking for more bulk?  Add in sweet potatoes or squash
- Not a fan of spinach?  Try a different veggie! 
- Top with an over easy egg for even more protein!
- Top with cheese - mozzarella or cheddar would be delicious!  Go Veggie has awesome cheese alternatives for those of us that can't have dairy or lactose!

So, the chili isn't very photogenic, but it IS delicious!