Why Didn't I Do This Before?

Sometimes it's so funny how you can do something the same way for years, and then one day you decide to try it a new way, and you say to yourself "Um, why didn't I do this before?" I guess it just takes our inner light bulb going off to make everything come into focus. And it seems to me, 9 times out of 10, when this happens, it is something so simple it kind of makes you feel dense!

This was the case last week, 2 days post Christmas when I was getting ready to roast chicken for supper. It was a recipe I had made too many times to count, taught to me by my mother in law years ago. I went into the kitchen and had to move my new Crock Pot off the counter to prep the chicken. And that's when it happened. That inner light bulb lit up as bright as a Christmas tree and I knew in an instant I was making this recipe a little different this time. I had a ton of stuff around the house to do, and multiple games of Death Star Jenga to play with Monkey, so why not let supper cook itself (for the most part) in the Crock Pot? I have no idea why I had never thought of this before. I'm sure a little piece of it was my inner foodie begging to use that new Crock Pot for a 2nd night in a row. Whatever the reason I finally thought of it, I am so happy I did because it will never be prepared the original way again! This is perfect on a cold day when you want something warm and comforting, but don't want to put forth a lot of effort! The chicken can even be made in the morning, or the night before. Sometimes our best ideas are those that come to us when we least expect it!

Crock Pot Chicken and Biscuits

1 lb. chicken tenders

2 (15 oz) cans mixed veggies, drained

2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of chicken soup

2 c. chicken broth

1 (8 ct.) refrigerated biscuits

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. On a large baking sheet, mix chicken tenders, olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes until juices run clear. (If preparing ahead, set aside to cool) Cut chicken into small dices. In Crock Pot combine chicken, veggies, soup and broth. Stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on LOW for 4 hours. About 20 minutes before serving, prepare biscuits according to package directions. Split biscuits and serve chicken mixture "open face" style on top.

Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Jan. 3, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook Jan. 4, 2013