busy mum taco chilli chicken

 I shared with you a couple of weeks back how on Monday's we have fish as it is a day I can go and grab some fresh fish at a local fish mongers and then make a quick dinner once I get home.

Fridays is my other day to cook during the week

The other three days the older three boys cook depending on afternoon commitments - this changes every term, each term we look at who is where-when and then work out the best possible schedule.

This term B1 does Tuesdays, B2 Wednesdays and B3 Thursdays.

We try to have a vegetarian meal one night, a mince meal one night, a chicken meal and of course a fish meal.

Coming back to Fridays.

I have chosen Fridays to be a crockpot night during terms 2 and 3 because the two big boys are either refereeing or playing soccer on Friday night and I like them to be able to eat before they leave at around 5pm.

As I am still at B4's soccer training it needs to be something that they can just dish out, 

then the rest of us can eat when we are ready.

Last night B2 and VCH left early to get to a town about 40 minutes away for B2's game so they actually ate when they got home about 8pm.

The crockpot is perfect for this and saves them buying a meat pie or sausage roll at the canteen. 

I tried a new recipe on Friday night that I thought I would share with you.

 It was a winner!

I found this on Pinterest and have Australianised it.

 Taco Chilli Chicken- in the crockpot

1 onion

1 x 420g can kidney beans

500mls tomato passata

300g frozen corn kernels

2 cans of diced tomatoes (I used 1 large 800g tin)

1 packet of taco seasoning- or you could make your own

1T cumin

1t chilli flakes

pinch cayenne pepper- depending how spicy you like it feel free to add some more

1kg chicken thighs

chopped fresh chilli (optional)

fresh coriander chopped

Combine first 9 ingredients in a slow cooker and then place chicken on top and cover. 

Cook for 10 hours on low or 6 on high (I actually think this was too much and next time plan on cooking it on auto which is 2 hours high and then turns to low for 4 hours).

Half an hour before serving remove chicken and shred (a handy hint I saw on a blog was to put it into your Kitchen Aid with mixing attachment and turn on low- B2 did this for me since I was at soccer training and this worked really well).

Return chicken to slow cooker and mix through.

 

We served it in bowls with some corn chips on the side, fresh guacamole, sour cream and a sprinkle of coriander. 

You could also sprinkle some cheese over the top and add a fresh salad. 

Alternately serve in taco shells with salad.

To make guacamole: mash an avocado, add finely chopped red onion, tomato, coriander and a squeeze of lime or lemon. 

 Serves 10- with 8 of us we had enough left over to make a layered mexican dip and serve it with corn chips for lunch the next day.

I put a tub of softened mashed cream cheese on the bottom put the rest of the chilli chicken - that I had warmed on top added some sour cream and grated cheese and popped it into the oven for 10-15 minutes, then I topped this with guacamole- delicious!

T = tablespoon

t = teaspoon

C = cup

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