Cheap Eats: Picante Chicken

This is another one of those super easy meals that is absolutely delicious but doesn’t look beautiful plated. I know. It is just the way it is. Some of the best recipes I have are not photogenic.

Picante chicken is the simplest stuff in the universe. It is perfect for Once a Month Cooking (OAMC) and making ahead. I made a batch of it prior to my surgery.  You just buy chicken breast, toss it in a freezer bag, cover with picante sauce and throw it in the freezer….Raw.

The night before you are ready to cook it take the bag out of the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator. The day you are serving it you can either empty the freezer bag into a slow cooker and let it cook for 8 hours (add a little more picante if needed) or you can bake it covered in a 375F oven for about 40 -50 minutes, or until it is done. Sprinkle with a little cheese before serving with plenty of rice.

This is one of those quick fix, cheap meals for a crowd because the chicken breaks up and you can make it stretch by using more picante sauce and rice I usually can get away with 4 chicken breasts for the 8 of us… There have been times that I stretched it to feed 12… If you are going to stretch this recipe go ahead and add a couple of chopped onions, chopped green pepper, and a can of diced tomatoes. It will give it more “bulk”.

The picante makes the chicken very tender and flavorful. This is a great way to save money when bulk amounts of chicken breast are on sale because you can just toss several bags in the freezer and cook as you need them.

I know this doesn’t look much like a recipe, or even very gourmet, but it is an awesome family meal to have on hand. Add some salad, some cornbread, and a simple cake for desert and you really can’t miss.

image: marye audet