Search Results for: salsa

Salsa Black Bean Chili

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 11, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED January 5, 2021, Leave a Comment

Comforting Salsa Black Bean Chili with beef is easy to make and has simple ingredients. Full of protein and flavor, enjoy each bowl topped with tangy cilantro crema and shredded cheese. Crockpot, Instant Pot, and stovetop instructions included.

Close up of Salsa Black Bean Chili in slow cooker

Warm and rich bowls of Salsa Black Bean Chili are the cure for the long winter ahead. All you need to do is sit back and let the slow cooker do all the work! With a little spice and a lot of protein, you’ll be left full and happy after each bowl.

This is an easy chili recipe you can enjoy for weeknight dinners, for lunches throughout the week, or freeze a batch and heat it when you don’t feel like cooking. Made with stew beef, black beans, and chunky salsa, each bite has tons of texture and depth.

Most chili recipes are flexible, but this one leaves room for plenty of modifications. It can easily be cooked in a crockpot, Instant Pot, or on the stove. As a bonus, it’s naturally gluten-free and easy to make vegan or vegetarian!

Enjoy a pot of this healthy and nourishing chili with my homemade cornbread and some crispy bacon on top.

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe uses beef stew meat instead of ground beef because we want the richest flavor possible. Stew meat is chunky, tender, and beefy. Perfect for a hearty chili! To make this recipe even easier, mixing in a storebought chunky salsa to the chili adds tons of flavor, reduces prep work, and allows you to regulate the heat level. As a finishing touch, top each bowl with a homemade cilantro crema. This easy sour cream alternative adds a bit of acidity to the rich chili and makes each bite feel a little fancier and gourmet.

A bowl of black bean chili with cilantro crema on top

How to make black bean chili in a slow cooker

Letting the chili cook low and slow for a few hours in a crockpot is the best way to make this recipe. It really doesn’t get much easier than this:

Step 1:

Place the beef, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salsa into the slow cooker and stir. Cover with a lid and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours so all the flavors can get to know each other.

Step 2:

Add the bell pepper and black beans to the slow cooker and season with salt. Continue to cook on LOW for 2 more hours.

Step 3:

Make the cilantro-lime crema by mixing the sour cream, cilantro, and lime juice together in a small bowl.

Step 4:

Serve the finished chili with crema, tortilla chips, cheese, and avocado on top.

Note: You can also make black bean chili in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. Head to the recipe card for detailed instructions.

Heather's Tips for Recipe Success

Use a “thick and chunky” salsa: This type of salsa adds some body to the chili and holds its shape better than thinner varieties.
Use more beef stew meat for a meatier chili: 1 pound of beef is enough to add a few big pieces in every bowl but doesn’t make the batch super meaty. Feel free to add another half pound if you like!
Let it simmer longer for better flavors: The longer you let the chili simmer in the crockpot, the better the flavor will be! Alternatively, store the batch of chili in the fridge overnight and eat it the next day or bigger and bolder flavors.
If you like a thick chili: Masa harina, or cornflour, is an excellent thickener. Sprinkle a tablespoon or 2 over the finished chili and stir. Simmer in the crockpot for about 10 minutes. The masa harina will absorb some of the extra liquid and make your chili thicker. The crockpot version of the chili is pretty thick made as is, but you may want it if you're cooking it in the Instant Pot or on the Stovetop.

Overhead view of chili in slow cooker and cilantro crema

Recipe variations

Chili is the perfect meal to make your own. Load up on veggies, add more meat or adjust the spiciness. There’s plenty of variations available:

Switch up the meat and make the chili with ground turkey, chicken, or pork instead.
If you don’t want to use stew meat, use ground beef instead.
Add as many veggies as you want. Chili is delicious with corn (frozen or fresh), butternut squash, sweet potatoes, lentils, or anything you like!
To give this chili some kick, add some cayenne pepper or use finely chopped spicy green chilis.
Make it vegetarian or vegan by swapping the beef for a plant-based ground beef alternative.
Mix up the toppings! Try shredded cheese, crema, sliced jalapenos, plain sour cream, crispy bacon, cilantro, avocado, red or green onions, and freshly cracked pepper on top.
Don’t forget the cornbread and tortilla chips on the side!

A bowl of chili surrounded by limes and cilantro sour cream

Storing and freezing tips

Make sure the chili has cooled down before storing the leftovers away. This will help it stay fresh. Once it’s cooled, transfer the leftovers to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

This black bean chili is also freezer-friendly. Keep the leftovers in a freezer-safe container or sealed bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, leave the frozen chili in the fridge overnight to thaw or reheat from frozen.

To reheat the leftover chili, heat it in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes (stirring in between each minute) or until heated through. Alternatively, heat it in a pot on the stove over medium heat until it’s hot.

More chili recipes to try

It doesn’t stop here! I have plenty of other slow cooker and Instant Pot chili recipes for you to try:

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4.37 from 11 votes

Salsa Black Bean Chili

A super simple chili with a ton of flavor thanks to some good ol' jarred salsa

Prep Time10

Cook Time6

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Black Bean Chili, Chili, Stew Meat

Servings: servings

Calories: 285kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

For the Chili

1 pound boneless beef stew meat
1 large yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1, 24- ounce jar thick and chunky salsa at your desired heat level
1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
2, 15- ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
½-1 teaspoon salt to taste

For the Cilantro Lime Crema

⅔ cup sour cream
¼ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Instructions

For the Slow Cooker

Put the meat, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salsa into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours.
Add the bell pepper and black beans to the slow cooker and season to taste with salt. Continue to cook on LOW for an additional 2 hours.
Combine the sour cream with the cilantro and lime juice in a small bowl and set aside.
When the chili is done, serve topped with the crema, tortilla chips, cheese, and diced avocado.

For the Instant Pot

Place the meat, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salsa and 1 cup beef broth in the Instant Pot. Lock the lid in place, making sure the venting valve is sealed.
Set Instant Pot to cook on high for 35 minutes. When the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the venting valve to release any remaining pressure. When the pressure pin drops, remove the lid.
Set the Instant Pot on "Saute' mode and stir in the red pepper and black beans. Bring to a simmer and cook just until the peppers are tender to your liking.
If a thicker chili is desired, stir 2 tablespoons of masa harina into the chili and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until thickened. Cancel "Saute" mode and serve topped with the cilantro crema.

For the Stove Top

Place the meat, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salsa, and 1 cup beef broth in a large pot on the stove.
Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. When simmering, cover and reduce the heat to low.
Allow to simmer for 1.5-2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
Stir the beans and peppers into the chili and continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until the peppers are tender to your liking.
If a thicker chili is desired, stir 2 tablespoons of masa harina into the chili and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove the chili from the heat and serve topped with the cilantro crema.

Notes

Use a “thick and chunky” salsa: This type of salsa adds some body to the chili and holds its shape better than thinner varieties.
Use more beef stew meat for a meatier chili: 1 pound of beef is enough to add a few big pieces in every bowl but doesn’t make the batch super meaty. Feel free to add another half pound if you like!
Let it simmer longer for better flavors: The longer you let the chili simmer in the crockpot, the better the flavor will be! Alternatively, store the batch of chili in the fridge overnight and eat it the next day or bigger and bolder flavors.
If you like a thick chili: Masa harina, or corn flour, is an excellent thickener. Sprinkle a tablespoon or 2 over the finished chili and stir. Simmer in the crockpot for about 10 minutes. The masa harina will absorb some of the extra liquid and make your chili thicker. The crockpot version of the chili is pretty thick made as is, but you may want it if you're cooking it in the Instant Pot or on the Stovetop.

Nutrition

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili

By Heather LAST UPDATED October 14, 2019 · FIRST PUBLISHED October 17, 2014, Leave a Comment

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili - We've arrived! It's officially soup season and I have a super simple and easy recipe for you today. For those of you that have had slow cooker salsa chicken, this is a lot like that with the addition of beans, corn, and some fresh cilantro and lime to brighten it up.

Delicious Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili

There's not a whole lot that tops a bowl of hot, filling chili when it's chilly. It's chilly time chili. Chili chilly.

Alright, I'll stop.

Top this salsa chicken chili with some tortilla chips, shredded cheese, a little sour cream and even some avocado. Everything is better with avocado.

Other Soup Recipes You Might Like

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4.50 from 8 votes

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili

I have a super simple and easy recipe for you today. For those of you that have had slow cooker salsa chicken, this is a lot like that with the addition of beans, corn, and some fresh cilantro and lime to brighten it up.

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy chili recipe, jarred salsa recipe, quick chili

Servings: servings

Calories: 394kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

2-3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
28 ounces black beans undrained
14.5 ounces pinto beans undrained
2 cups jarred salsa
¼ cup taco seasoning
14.5 ounces canned corn drained
½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 fresh lime juiced
1 tablespoon masa harina corn flour optional

Instructions

Place chicken, beans, salsa, corn, and taco seasoning in a slow cooker, stir to combine and set to cook for 4 hours on HIGH.
Remove chicken from the chili and shred.
If you'd like the chili a little thicker, stir in 1 tablespoon of masa harina, cover the slow cooker and cook an additional 10 minutes.
Stir shredded chicken, cilantro and lime juice into the chili and serve with chips, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

Nutrition

Restaurant Style Salsa

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 25, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED April 28, 2014, 1 Comment

Restaurant Style Salsa - I'm kind of freaky when it comes to chips and salsa. Like I can't stop eating them sort of freaky. Basically if you put me in front of a bag of tortilla chips and a bowl of salsa I'm not walking away until they are gone.

Making Restaurant Style Salsa

My one caveat on this is that it has to be the right kind of salsa-- I'm not that into the jarred stuff and anything that is spicy enough to make me cry and keep me up all night with heartburn can go too. I guess I'm more of a fresh, mild-medium type of girl and that's probably why this recipe is my go-to when I don't want to pay $32 for a plate of rice and beans at a restaurant just to eat their warm chips and salsa. I know, I'm exaggerating. But for reals people, just make it at home!

While this restaurant style salsa uses canned tomatoes, it gets it's freshness from all the other ingredients it includes: limes, jalepenos, garlic, onion and cilantro.

Everything is getting tossed in the blender so just give it a quick chop before throwing it in and you'll be good. Also, when you're only 3 feet tall, squeezing lime juice into the blender on the counter is kind of difficult, but she insisted. Also, also, what's up with the price of limes these days?!

I don't have a good caption for this picture but had to include it because it was pretty. The blender I'm using is a Ninja Ultima Blender and I LOVE it. Be on the look out for my review coming up soon on the blog. If you're on the market for a new blender this might be what you're looking for.

It doesn't take much time in the blender for it to come together, especially if you like yours a little bit chunky. I'm more of a smooth Stanley when it comes to that so pulse it as many times as you'd like and you're done.

Now, if only I wasn't so high maintenance about my tortilla chips I'd have it all!

Did I mention that this recipe come from The Pioneer Woman? Ree, I'm eternally grateful that you posted this recipe like 4 years ago. That is all.

Interested in more delicious meals?

Amazing Pineapple Salsa Chicken, So Quick and Easy!
Slow Cooker Green Salsa Soup
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili

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5 from 3 votes

Restaurant Style Salsa

Fresh and easy to make, this salsa recipe will save your pocket book from unneccesary trips to the mexican food restaurant!

Prep Time20

Cook Time0

Total Time20

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: blender salsa, canned tomatoes, pioneer woman

Servings: servings

Calories: 5kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

1 can 28 Ounce whole tomatoes with juice
2 cans 10 Ounce Rotel (diced tomatoes w/ green chilies)
¼ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic minced
1 whole jalapeño quartered And sliced thin
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ cup fresh cilantro more to taste
½ whole lime juiced (more to taste)

Instructions

In a large food processor or blender, combine whole tomatoes, Rotel tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you'd like. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

Nutrition

8 Ingredients or Less Instant Pot Dinners eBook

By LAST UPDATED June 5, 2025 · FIRST PUBLISHED May 29, 2025, Leave a Comment

Hey friend, want to whip up easy, delicious dinners without a ton of ingredients or effort?

Let me tell you — this 8 Ingredients or Less Instant Pot Dinners eBook is about to become your go-to.

Inside, I’ve packed 31 simple, crowd-pleasing recipes — like mango salsa chicken, creamy one-pot ziti, Italian beef sandwiches, and beef & broccoli. These aren’t fussy or complicated; they’re the kind of dinners that taste amazing, come together in a snap, and won’t leave your kitchen looking like a tornado hit.

Why you’ll love this eBook:

✅ Easy, no-fuss instructions — because you don’t need dinner to be another chore
✅ Only 8 ingredients or less per recipe (yes, really!)
✅ Perfect for busy weeknights when you just want to get dinner on the table
✅ Makes the most of your Instant Pot magic — no standing over the stove, no extra pots to clean

New to the Instant Pot? No stress! I’m including my friendly, step-by-step Instant Pot Cooking Guide to help you feel confident and in control, even if you’re brand new.

Seriously, skip the takeout apps — these dinners are faster, cheaper, and honestly way more satisfying. Plus, they’ll impress your family or roommates (or just make you feel like a kitchen boss — you deserve that).

💛 Here’s the best part:
I didn’t just test these recipes on my own. I worked with over 100 home cooks who cooked, tasted, and gave feedback on every single dish — so you can trust that these recipes are reliable, delicious, and foolproof.

⭐ My Promise to You ⭐

I want you to love this eBook and feel 100% happy with your purchase.

If, for any reason, you’re not totally thrilled, just email me within 30 days and I’ll give you a full refund — no awkwardness, no guilt, no hard feelings. 💛

Mexican Style Ground Beef Taco Meat

By Heather LAST UPDATED May 21, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED May 21, 2021, 11 Comments

This is the recipe I reach for most often when we're making ground beef taco, burritos or nachos. It's full of flavor, saucy, and not much harder than reaching for that big bottle of taco seasoning!

3 crunchy tacos on white platter — Dig in!

If you're tired of reaching for the Costco-sized container of taco seasoning every time you want need ground beef for tacos, enchiladas, or nachos, you have to try this recipe!

I know I'm guilty of going the easy route too, but this recipe is really not that much harder than stirring in premade seasoning.

It is perfect for a myriad of Mexican ground beef recipes and tastes so much better than anything you can shake out of a canister.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

📋 Why This Recipe Works

This recipe uses cumin, paprika, chili powder, and dried onion which are all elements in traditional taco seasoning. What sets it apart is the use of green enchilada sauce! The enchilada sauce adds acidity, moisture, and tons of flavor making these ground beef tacos saucy and delicious.

Mexican ground beef in a cast iron skillet — Ready to be put to work!

🔪 How To Make The Recipe

Ingredients for Mexican style ground beef — All you need!

1.) Gather your ingredients

You'll need ground beef, paprika, cumin, chili powder, dried onion, and green enchilada sauce.

2.) Brown and crumble the beef

Place the meat in a skillet, cook, and use a spatula to break up and crumble the meat.

3.) Remove the excess fat

I like to fold up a paper towel and move it around in the pan to absorb the excess fat. Sometimes it takes a few paper towels, but it's much easier than transferring the meat into a strainer, in my opinion.

4.) Add the seasoning!

Stir the spices, onion and enchilada sauce into the meat.

5.) Let it it simmer

Let the meat simmer on low to soften the onion and allow the sauce to thicken up a bit. Allow it to simmer as long or little as you'd like or until it's your desired consistency.

6.) Assemble!

See my serving and topping tips below for suggestions on how to use this super versatile meat.

Crunchy tacos with meat and cheese on their sides — Ready for toppings.

👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tips

Salsa or Enchilada Sauce: Use what you have on hand! I've used both salsa and enchilada sauce with great results. Sometimes salsa is thicker and you may need to add a little bit of water to the meat while it simmers.
Bake the Shells: If you're making crunchy tacos with this meat, remember to bake or heat up the crunchy shells before assembling. It makes a huge difference!

👪 Scaling The Recipe

Cooking for two or a crowd? This recipe is easily adaptable. Use the slider on the recipe card to change the quantity and the ingredient amounts will change accordingly.

🍽 Serving and Topping Suggestions

I love to eat this taco meat in basic taco form with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese but here are some other ideas:

Wrapped up in a tortilla with beans, spanish rice, and pico de gallo for burritos.
On top of corn chips with refried beans and cheese for some epic nachos
Mixed with red enchilada sauce and stuffed inside corn tortillas for beefy enchiladas
Served on greens with beans and veggies for fresh taco salads

Want Super Fine Taco Meat?

Ever wonder why some taco meat found at restaurants or in chili is ground SUPER fine and how they get it that way? That is the result of actually boiling the hamburger first. This method of cooking brings the temperature of the meat up slowly and prevents it from clumping, keeping it finely ground.

If you'd like to try this method with this recipe, place the beef in a deep pan and add enough cold water to cover the meat. Slowly bring the pan to a boil, stirring often to separate the meat into small crumbles. Once it's to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the meat is brown and fully cooked.

At this point, you'll drain off the water and add the remaining ingredients to the meat, following the recipe card below.

3 crunchy tacos on a white platter — Is there anything better than a basic, crunchy taco?

💭 FAQs

Can I use red enchilada sauce instead?

Yes! The finished meat won't be as tangy, but will be saucy and flavorful!

What kind of ground beef should I use?

It's totally up to you! Both lean and fatty ground beef works well with this recipe. I prefer about 10% fat to keep things lean but still flavorful.

Can I use ground turkey?

Yes! Standard ground turkey works wonderfully! Ground turkey breast doesn't work AS well because it's so lean but will work.

🥘 Leftovers and Storing

This taco meat can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days. It can also be place into a freezer zip-lock bag and kept frozen for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat, place in a skillet with a little bit of water, bring to a simmer, and serve!

Taco meat in a skillet with toppings all around — Dinner, ready to go!

🥣 Handy Tools For This Recipe

Lodge 10" Cast Iron Skillet: Cast Iron Skillets are your BEST friend and are totally underrated. Cast iron retains heat really well and allows you to get that irresistible sear on steaks and other meats you can usually only get at a restaurant. Pair this with the fact that they are CHEAP it's a no-brainer.
Chop Stir: This strange little tool makes short work of browning ground meat with its odd shape that allows it to crumble the meat quickly as it cooks.

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4.64 from 190 votes

Mexican Style Ground Beef

Forget that bottle of taco seasoning, try this recipe instead. You'll never go back!

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex

Keyword: green chiles, no taco seasoning, quick

Servings: servings

Calories: 169kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
10 ounces green enchilada sauce
2 tablespoons minced dried onion
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brown and crumble ground beef until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
Return meat to pan and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Let simmer for 5-6 minutes over medium-high heat or until most of the liquid is absorbed and is the consistency you like.

Notes

Salsa or Enchilada Sauce: Use what you have on hand! I've used both salsa and enchilada sauce with great results. Sometimes salsa is thicker and you may need to add a little bit of water to the meat while it simmers.
Bake the Shells: If you're making crunchy tacos with this meat, remember to bake or heat up the crunchy shells before assembling. It makes a huge difference!
Add Water: If the meat seems a little dry after adding in the spices and enchilada sauce, add ½-1 cup water and stir to combine. Allow the meat to come to a simmer and reduce down to your desired consistency.

Nutrition

Southwest Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 22, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED January 15, 2021, Leave a Comment

Look no further than these Southwest Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes for an easy, quick, and filling vegetarian dinner. Made in the Instant Pot, these potatoes are done in no time and stuffed with all of the flavorful toppings you can imagine.

I’ve already figured out how to make the perfect baked sweet potato, but what about stuffed sweet potatoes? And how can we speed things up?

These Southwest Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are just as good as the baked version but are ready to eat faster, thanks to the Instant Pot. The recipe is super flexible, so you can fill the potatoes with almost anything you like. It’s easy, quick, and stress-free!

This vegetarian dinner has lots of flare and doesn’t skimp on the flavor. With black beans, corn, onion, cheese, and all the toppings you want, you’ll be full and satisfied after just one potato. Serve these as a main with a few healthy side dishes, like Mexican Rice and Coleslaw.

Why This Recipe Works

As usual, the Instant Pot comes to our rescue and helps us cook sweet potatoes in a flash. These usually take up to an hour in the oven! Top the potatoes with your favorite Southwest-inspired toppings and warm them in the microwave if desired.

3 sweet potatoes on a plate stuffed with toppings

What’s the best way to cook sweet potatoes?

Almost any way you can imagine! I like to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot because it’s the fastest method. Otherwise, they can be grilled, baked in an oven for around 1 hour, or cooked in the microwave for about 5 minutes per side.

bowl of black beans and corn and other southwest flavored toppings

How to make Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Let’s turn regular black bean sweet potatoes into a treat from the Southwest in only a few simple steps:

Step 1:

Place a trivet on the bottom of the Instant Pot, then pour in 1 cup of water. Add in the sweet potatoes.

Step 2:

Secure the lid and seal the pressure valve. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.

Sweet potatoes cut in half with the middles scooped out

Step 3:

Remove the potatoes and slice in half. Scoop out a bit of the filling in the centers.

Step 4:

Fill the centers with black beans and corn, then top with cheese. Heat them in the microwave for a minute or until the cheese is melted. Garnish with more toppings and serve!

Sweet potato halves stuffed with black beans, corn and cheese

Topping suggestions

Throw as many Mexican or Southwest toppings onto these potatoes that you like. My favorites are sour cream, sliced jalapenos, fresh cilantro, red onion, sliced avocado, guacamole, or salsa. You can even use tortilla chips to scoop out the center!

If you want to get really fancy, make my Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili and add a scoop to the inside of the potatoes with avocado or cilantro on top. Otherwise, my regular chili will work just as well.

Heather's Tips for Recipe Success

Cooking sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes come in a variety of sizes and their size will dictate how long you will need to cook them. The recipe card shows the cooking time for an up to 2-inch wide sweet potato. If your sweet potatoes are bigger, use these times:
- 2-3 inches wide: 30 minutes cook time, 10 minutes natural pressure release
- 3-4 inches wide: 60 minutes cook time, 10 minutes natural pressure release
To make this recipe vegan: Just remove the cheese!
To add meat: Add in shredded cooked chicken to the bean and corn mixture, or use pulled pork for a bit more flavor.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Definitely! Cook the sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot as normal and wrap them in foil or store in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready, slice them open, stuff with your toppings, and reheat in an oven or the microwave.

half a sweet potato stuffed with mexican toppings on a white plate

More vegetarian dinner recipes

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half sweet potato on a plate with onion, jalepeno, black beans and cheese

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4.64 from 11 votes

Southwest Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: black bean stuffed sweet potatoes, southwest sweet potatoes, Stuffed sweet potato

Servings: servings

Calories: 388kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

4, 2 ”-wide sweet potatoes
1 cup water
1 cup black beans
1 cup corn
⅔ cup red onion - chopped
1 cup mexican cheese- shredded
Optional garnished: sour cream jalapeno, fresh cilantro, avocado, salsa

Instructions

Place 1 cup of water in Instant Pot. Add trivet and sweet potatoes.
Close lid, seal pressure valve, and cook on high for 15 minutes.
Let pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
Carefully remove the sweet potatoes and slice in half. Scoop out a small amount of the sweet potato centers.
Fill with black beans and corn. Top with cheese. Microwave for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Garnish with preferred toppings.

Notes

Cooking sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes come in a variety of sizes and their size will dictate how long you will need to cook them. The recipe card shows the cooking time for an up to 2-inch wide sweet potato. If your sweet potatoes are bigger, use these times:
- 2-3 inches wide: 30 minutes cook time, 10 minutes natural pressure release
- 3-4 inches wide: 60 minutes cook time, 10 minutes natural pressure release
To make this recipe vegan: Just remove the cheese!
To add meat: Add in shredded cooked chicken to the bean and corn mixture, or use pulled pork for a bit more flavor.

Nutrition

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Southwestern Potato Corn Chowder

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 11, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED October 14, 2019, 1 Comment

Potato Corn Chowder full of all the goodness of the classic chowder, loaded with tons of southwestern flavor-- peppers, chiles, black beans, cumin, and chili powder! It's seriously good.

This Southwest Corn and Potato Chowder is hearty and has tons of flavor. On the night that I was working on this recipe (many years ago, I'm finally updating the pictures for this recipe!), I was craving tacos, but I had already prepped that morning to make a regular corn and potato chowder. So like any reasonable person, I spent 3 hours developing a soup recipe that should have taken 30 minutes to make.

Thankfully, it won't take YOU that long to make this. 🙂

Why This Recipe Works

This potato corn chowder recipe is delightful for a few reasons! It combines zesty southwest flavors like green chilies, cumin, and chipotle chilies, with a creamy soup base of potatoes and corn. This creamy soup base is made possible by making a basic Monterrey Jack cheese sauce and stirring it into the soup at the end. This brings the creamy and cheesy factor into the soup BIG TIME and ties the whole thing together.

How to Make Southwestern Potato Corn Chowder

Step-by-step collage of how to make southwest potato corn chowder

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Place onions and garlic in oil and let cook until the onion begins to soften-- about 6 minutes.
Add in the cumin and chili powder and stir until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and diced potatoes to the pot, bring to a low boil, cover and cook until the potatoes pierce easily with a fork.-- about 20 minutes.
Once the potatoes are cooked, stir the corn, beans, and green chilies into the broth and potatoes.
Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Once butter is melted, stir in the flour and cook, continually stirring for a minute.
Gradually stir in milk and continue to stir, making sure to clean the bottom of the pan with each stir, so it doesn't burn. As it comes to a boil, the mixture will start to thicken. Continue to stir and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Add the cheese sauce into the broth mixture and stir until well combined.
Season with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, adding more depending on the salt content of the broth you used. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro and a spoonful of pico de gallo if desired.

close up picture of potato corn chowder with black beans and cilantro

Tips for Making the BEST Corn and Potato Chowder

Cut your potatoes into even pieces-- If your potatoes are cut into pieces that are about the same size, they will cook evenly. This prevents some of the pieces to be mushy and others overdone.
Bloom your spices! In step #2 you'll add the spices to the hot pan and cook until fragrant. This step will allow the spices to release their flavor oils and create a more flavorful soup!
Season, season, season! The key to delicious corn and potato chowder is building layers of flavor. You're doing this by browning your onions, blooming your spices, and making a separate cheese sauce to stir in. Make sure to season each step with a little bit of salt and make sure to taste it at the end and season to taste before serving.

Can You Freeze Potato Corn Chowder?

Milk-based soups don't typically freeze very well because they often separate and curdle upon reheating. I've had some success with warming frozen milk-based soups very slowly, constantly stirring while heating, and adding a little bit of cream while stirring.

What Do You Serve Corn Chowder With?

This Southwest Corn Chowder is best served with cornbread or corn chips, some fresh pico de gallo, and some diced avocado.

What Is The Difference Between Soup and Chowder

Soups are typically thinner with more broth, while chowders are thicker with ingredients cut into larger pieces.

How Do I Thicken Potato Corn Chowder?

Chowder is traditionally thickened by a roux (flour + butter) and is added to the recipe before the broth is introduced into the pan. If your chowder needs to be thickened after it's cooked, combine a couple of tablespoons of flour or cornstarch with some cold broth or water and whisk into the chowder. Bring the soup to a boil, and cook, stirring for one minute.

What Type of Potatoes Should I Use For Potato Corn Chowder?

It depends on the results you're looking for. Starchy potatoes, like russets, break down more quickly and create a thicker chowder base. Choose a waxy potato like Yukon gold if you'd like your potatoes to stay in-tact after cooking.

How to Make Potato Corn Chowder In The Slow Cooker or Instant Pot

Slow Cooker Directions

Combine onion, garlic, chicken broth, potatoes, corn, black beans, chiles, cumin, chili powder, and salt in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or 6 hours on low, or until the potatoes are tender.
Cook cheese sauce, as stated in the recipe, and stir into the slow cooker.
If chowder is too thin, combine two tablespoons of corn starch with ¼ cup cold water and whisk into the chowder. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened.

Instant Pot Directions

In the Instant Pot, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in cumin and chili powder and cook, stirring for one minute more or until fragrant. Stir in chicken broth, potatoes, corn, black beans, and chiles. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes.
Cook cheese sauce, as stated in the recipe, and stir into the Instant Pot.
Season to taste with salt and serve.

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4.69 from 19 votes

Southwest Potato and Corn Chowder

This Southwest Potato and Corn Chowder is full of all the goodness of classic corn and potato chowder and loaded with tons of southwestern flavor-- peppers, chiles, black beans, cumin, and chili powder!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Potato and Corn Chowder

Servings: servings

Calories: 429kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Equipment

Ingredients

3 cups russet potatoes peeled and diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ whole medium onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
14.5 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
15 ounces canned corn or frozen
4 ounces canned diced green chiles
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
12 ounces evaporated milk
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese grated
¼ teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Place onions and garlic in oil and let cook until the onion starts to soften-- about 6 minutes.
Add in the cumin and chili powder and stir until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and diced potatoes to the pot, bring to a low boil, cover and cook until the potatoes pierce easily with a fork.-- about 20 minutes.
Once the potatoes are cooked, stir the corn, beans, and green chilies into the broth and potatoes.
Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Once melted stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for a minute.
Gradually stir in the milk and continue to stir, making sure to clean the bottom of the pan with each stir so it doesn't burn. As it comes to a boil, the mixture will start to thicken.
Continue to stir and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese.
Add the cheese sauce into the broth mixture and stir until well combined. Season with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, adding more depending on the salt content of the broth you used. Stir in cilantro and serve topped with fresh pico de gallo.

Notes

Cut your potatoes into even pieces-- If your potatoes are cut into pieces that are about the same size they will cook evenly. This prevents some of the pieces to be mushy and others overdone.
Bloom your spices! In step #2 you'll add the spices to the hot pan and cook until fragrant. This step will allow the spices to release their flavor oils and create a more flavorful soup!
Season, season, season! The key to delicious corn and potato chowder is building layers of flavor. You're doing this by browning your onions, blooming your spices, and making a separate cheese sauce to stir in. Make sure to season each step with a little bit of salt and make sure to taste it at the end and season to taste before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 429kcal

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Crockpot Chili-- My Award Winning Chili Recipe!

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 21, 2022 · FIRST PUBLISHED February 23, 2018, 6 Comments

If you're in the market for a good, basic crockpot chili recipe, this one is it! This chuck roast chili is studded with big pieces of beef, chiles, and black beans and comes together super quickly before being slow-cooked for hours. If you have a chili cookoff coming up, I think you're going to want to tuck this award-winning chili in your back pocket for later.

Award Winning CrockPot Chili

What is it about chili cook-offs and why are they so popular? I mean, we don't have pot roast competitions or scalloped potato cook-offs. Why the heck do we feel the need to show our kitchen prowess in the form of meat and beans and spices?

I mean, chili IS delicious and there are about 25,478 different ways to make it, so I guess that might have something to do with it. But, really, wouldn't you rather your work/church/community sponsor a cinnamon roll bake-off?

Am I right?

I digress.

Being that chili-cookoffs are so popular, I've thrown my hat into the ring more times than I'd probably like to admit and have won more times than I'd like to admit as well. I've got to stay humble, after all. But, some of my favorite award-winning recipes I've used are Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Chili with Pineapple, White Chicken Chili, and this Amazing 30 Minute Chili.

Why This Crockpot Chili Recipe is Different

I've used and created a few different recipes over the years, but this crockpot chili recipe is my favorite! It strays just a little bit from a basic chili recipe using two kinds of paprika in addition to chili powder and packs incredible flavor with very little effort. I also use chuck roast instead of ground beef which means big chunks of seasoned tender beef in the finished chili making it phenomenal!

slow cooked chili in a white bowl with a fork

How To Make The BEST Crockpot Chili

Step 1. Pick The Right Kind of Meat

I love a good chunky chili with big pieces of meat in it! So, I for-go the ground beef with this recipe and head straight for a beef chuck roast. You could use prepackaged/cut beef stew meat from the meat counter, but for this chili but I much prefer to cut my own.

Typical "stew meat" is made from trimmed bits and pieces of various cuts, with no real uniformity. Cutting your own beef chuck will ensure that you have the meat you want in uniform pieces that will cook evenly.

How to Cut Chuck Roast: First, pull the roast apart at its major seams (where the fat and silverskin is). Then, with a sharp knife, trim off the thick layers of fat and silverskin. From here you can cut the roast into even pieces, ready for your chili.

hearty chili in a white bowl with green onions

Step 2.) Bloom Your Spices

Slow cookers just make everything easier, right? There's nothing better than throwing everything into a pot and forgetting about it until hours later! But, if you're not careful, they can steal flavor that is otherwise present in other cooking methods. To make sure this doesn't happen with your crockpot chili, you'll want to bloom your spices before adding them to the rest of the ingredients.

Blooming spices brings their aromatic oils to the surface, creating a stronger more complex flavor.

How To Bloom Spices: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add the spices to the hot oil. Stir the spices for one minute, until they become very aromatic and then remove from the heat.

This small step will increase the flavor of your chili immensely! Just make sure your oil is not too hot, or the spices will scorch.

Step 3.) Place in Crockpot

Once you have the right meat picked out and cut and your spices bloomed you're ready to cook! You'll add your beef, sugar, oregano, onion, vinegar, garlic, tomatoes, green chilies, beef broth, beans and salt to the slow cooker, followed by your bloomed spices and stir. Cover and cook for at least 4 hours on high or until the meat is tender, about 6 hours on low.

How to Make Crockpot Chili Thicker

Sometimes crockpot chilis can be a little thin because the slow cooker doesn't allow the same kind of evaporation that stovetop or oven cooking does. My recipe is pretty thick on it's own, but if you'd like to thicken it, masa harina is a great thickener for chili.

Masa harina is a the flour used in making tortillas, tamales and other Mexican dishes. It's a flour made from dried masa dough-- a dough made from lime-treated corn.

When using it to thicken chili, you'll sprinkle a tablespoon or 2 of it over your finished chili and stir, allowing to simmer for about 10 minutes. The masa harina will absorb some of the extra liquid and make your chili thicker.

Tools used in making this Award Winning Crockpot Chili:

3-in-1 Ninja Cooking System: I've owned this slow cooker for about six years (when they were first introduced), and I still love it. The stovetop feature allows me to sear and cook meats before allowing them to slow cook (fewer dishes) and there's a bake feature as well.
Anolon Nouvelle Copper Non-stick Pans: These non-stick pans are metal utensil safe and last a long time. I've been using Anolon's pans exclusively for the past five years and am still in love with them!

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4.53 from 85 votes

Award Winning Crockpot Chili

If you’re in the market for a good, basic chili recipe, this one is it! This chuck roast chili is studded with big pieces of beef, chiles and black beans and comes together super quickly before being slow-cooked for hours. If you have a chili-cookoff coming up, I think you’re going to want to tuck this award winning crockpot chili in your back pocket for later.

Prep Time10

Cook Time6

Total Time6 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef chuck, seasoning mix, Slow Cooker

Servings: servings

Calories: 470kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
1-1 ½ pounds boneless beef chuck cut into 1 ½" cubes
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
1 medium onion medium diced
3 cloves garlic minced
14 ounces diced tomatoes undrained
4 ounces can diced green chilies
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
28 ounces black beans 2 cans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a medium-sized skillet. When the oil shimmers, stir paprikas, cumin, chili powder and onion powder into the pan. Cook for 1 minute or until spices are very aromatic and remove from heat.
Add beef, sugar, oregano, onion, vinegar, garlic, tomatoes, green chilies, beef broth, beans and salt to the slow cooker. Transfer spices from the skillet into the slow-cooker and stir to combine.
Cover and cook for at least 4 hours on high or until the meat is tender-- 6 hours on low.

Nutrition

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Zesty Queso Keto Chicken Soup

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 22, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED February 12, 2018, 17 Comments

Whether you eat keto or not, this zesty queso keto chicken soup is my new favorite for chilly nights. You can make it in the slow cooker or instant pot and it's creamy, slightly spicy and full of flavor.

While I'm ready for winter to be over, I'm never ready for soup season to end. This queso chicken soup is creamy and smooth and packs a big punch of flavor from the use of salsa verde in the soup base.

You can make this as low carb or high carb as you'd like, too! This chicken queso soup would be great with the addition of some black beans and frozen corn. Serving it up with some tortilla chips is also delicious!

I'm very non-committedly trying to eat keto for a while (with lots of help from these delicious little peanut butter balls) so I keep the recipe as is and eat with a good serving of diced avocado and Monterrey jack cheese. I'm pretty sure I could live off this soup... or this creamy chicken one when I'm not eating keto. I clearly have a thing for creamy soups.

Making Chicken Keto Soup in the Instant Pot

This chicken queso soup can be made quickly in the Instant pot and it's definitely my favorite way to make it! Directions for doing so are in the recipe card below.

Making Queso Chicken Soup in the Slow Cooker

When I think ahead this recipe is great in the slow cooker, too. Just throw all the ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on low for at least 6 hours or until the chicken shreds easily. This recipe is pretty similar to my green salsa chicken soup with hominy, so if you want a soup that is a little less creamy and lighter you should try it!

Recipe Tips for this Queso Keto Chicken Soup

Adding ingredients: like I mentioned above, if you don't need this soup to be low-carb, this soup is great with the addition of black beans and frozen corn. Just add them in with the rest of the soup ingredients and cook as directed.
The recipe calls for salsa verde or green salsa. Note that prepared salsa verde can vary greatly in heat. I've found that Herdez brand has a medium heat that my family can handle. La Costena is another brand I've used and liked.

Can I use Neufchatel Cheese instead of full-fat Cream Cheese?

Neufchatel cheese is very similar to cream cheese but is a bit moister and has a lower fat content (⅓ fat) of regular cream cheese. I haven't tried using it in this recipe specifically, but have in other soup recipes with success. It may be a bit harder to incorporate into the soup, so you may have to put a little bit of muscle into it, but it should melt fully and leave you with a soup that is lower in fat. I do not advise using fat-free cream cheese, however.

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4.80 from 69 votes

Zesty Queso Keto Chicken Soup

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: cream cheese broth, keto, low carb soup

Servings: servings

Calories: 237kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

2 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
28 ounces petite diced tomatoes not drained
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup salsa verde or green salsa
8 ounces cream cheese softened
avocado and monterrey jack cheese for topping

Instructions

Instant Pot:

Place chicken, taco seasoning, tomatoes with juices, salt, chicken broth, and green salsa in Instant Pot. Set to manual mode and cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. Allow pressure to release naturally (about 15 minutes), remove and shred the chicken. Set aside.
Stir softened cream cheese into the soup in the pot and whisk until fully melted into the soup. Return chicken to the soup and serve with diced avocado and monterrey jack cheese.

Slow Cooker:

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or until the chicken is tender and shreds easily. Whisk cream cheese into the broth fully if needed after cooking time is up.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 237kcal

Greek Style Turkey Burgers

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 22, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED January 22, 2018, 9 Comments

Up your burger game with these Greek Style Turkey Burgers! Topped with a fresh cucumber relish and whipped feta cheese, these pita pockets are bursting with flavor and are constantly being requested for dinner at my house!

These greek style turkey burger patties are so moist and flavorful-- and are especially fantastic when paired with the cool cucumber and tomato relish and whipped feta cheese.

Our favorite way to make these burgers is by making "mini" patties using a meatball-sized amount of meat. Making them this small gives each one nice crusty edges and makes it easy to stuff a couple inside a pita to make the sandwich.

The turkey patties are absolutely delicious on their own, but the thing that really puts these burgers over the top is the condiments! We've got a cool cucumber and tomato relish and some whipped feta here that just tie the whole thing together so nicely.

And, for the record, if you have never tried whipped feta, today is the day to change that, my friend! If you like feta cheese, you are going to be blown away by how good it is whipped with a few other ingredients and slathered on pita bread.

Tips for making these Greek Style Turkey Burgers with Whipped Feta:

The turkey burger recipe calls for "2 pita bread halves, soaked in milk". Weird request? Not really. This is called a "panade" or a starch and liquid added to ground meat to keep it tender, moist, and flavor. It's the same concept as adding bread crumbs and milk to your meatloaf recipe, but a panade breaks down into the meat better, creating a juicier, more tender product.
Easy to find 80% turkey/20% fat ground turkey works best in this recipe. Ground turkey breast can be used but will create a drier hamburger patty.
Don't forget to toast your pita bread before assembling your burger. It adds such nice texture and helps the burger to be a little more sturdy against the juices from the burger and relish.

Other Sandwich Recipes You Might Like

Tools used for making Greek Style Turkey Burgers

Get it Right Silicone Spatulas: I have waaaaay too many of these spatulas floating around in my kitchen, but I just love them! They are heat-resistance and can be used for both baking and cooking, so they are my go-to kitchen tool. I love that they come in lots of vibrant colors and are easy to clean. Most of the spatulas I have are at least four years old and still look new!
Lodge Reversible Cast Iron Griddle: This rectangular pan fits over two of my burners and has a flat griddle side and a grill side. I love that I can use it to make pancakes and griddled burgers, like these turkey burgers, or flip it to make steaks or anything else that I want grill marks on. You can take it camping, too!

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4.89 from 9 votes

Greek Style Turkey Burgers with Whipped Feta

Up your burger game with this flavorful turkey burger recipe! Topped with a fresh cucumber relish and whipped feta cheese, these pita pockets are bursting with flavor and are constantly being requested for dinner at my house!

Prep Time25

Cook Time15

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: feta cheese spread, pan fried, panade

Servings: Servings

Calories: 822kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

For the burger patties

1 ¼ pounds ground turkey
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 /4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¾ cup sweet onion finely chopped
¼ cup flat leaf parsley chopped
1 egg
2 pita bread halves soaked in milk

For the relish

1 whole tomato diced
½ whole seedless cucumber diced
1 whole small bell pepper diced
1 /2 cup sweet onion diced
¼ cup kalamata olives diced
¼ cup flat leaf parsley chopped
½ teaspoon dried dill weed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the whipped feta cheese spread

4 ounces greek yogurt
6 ounces feta cheese crumbled
½ teaspoon dried dill weed
1 clove garlic chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil
8 pita bread halves

Instructions

Combine tomatoes, cucumber, yellow bell pepper, sweet onion, dill, parsley, kalamata olives, lemon juice and olive oil. Stir and set aside.
Combine Greek yogurt, feta cheese, garlic, olive oil and dill in a food processor or blender. Mix until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Combine ground turkey with smoked paprika, cardamom, dill, cumin, salt, pepper, and oregano. Soak 2 pita bread halves in milk until very soft and pliable. Using your hands, wring the extra milk out of the moist dough and add to the meat. Add an egg, finely chopped onion, and flat leaf parsley; stir well but don’t overwork the meat.
Scoop your meat into small balls using a cookie scoop and flatten into patties.
Cook the patties in a bit of olive oil on the stove-top until they are browned on both sides and cooked through- about 4-5 minutes. Brush pitas with a bit of olive oil and heat on the stove-top until warm and slightly toasted.
Stuff each pita with a few turkey patties, a big spoonful of veggie salsa and a dollop of whipped feta cheese.

Nutrition

Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 22, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED January 12, 2018, 1 Comment

This Shortcut Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup has all the flavors of traditional chicken noodle soup with an added richness and texture that takes this comforting soup to a whole new level.

This Creamy Chicken Noodle soup is one of my favorites! I've always loved traditional chicken noodle soup, but the thickened creamy broth in this soup makes it special and hearty.

How do I make chicken noodle soup creamy?

If you already have a tried and true homemade chicken noodle soup recipe that you love, you can make it creamy! Just add a bit of flour to thicken the broth and add a bit of cream to richen the broth. These additions are what used in this recipe, and it creates a super velvety broth. Creamy chicken soups are kind of magical, so I also love this chicken queso soup that is even keto friendly.

If you don't have already have a chicken noodle soup recipe that you love, I don't think you'll be disappointed with this recipe at all!

This recipe is my shortcut version of chicken noodle soup, and I add canned chicken at the end instead of cooking fresh chicken. Doing this cuts down on prep and cooking time and means you can still make a delicious soup when you forgot to pull the chicken out of the freezer!

Tips for Making Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Homestyle egg noodles are found in most grocery stores in the pasta aisle and add a little bit of "homemade" flair to your soups without being homemade noodles. Check the freezer section if you can't find it near the pasta as some varieties are frozen.
Slow Cooker Preparation: When cooking creamy chicken noodle soup in the slow cooker I typically use fresh chicken breast instead of canned. You'll season 2 chicken breasts with the poultry seasoning, salt, and dried onions and lay them in the slow cooker. You'll then add the celery, frozen veggies, and broth to the slow cooker and set to cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4. When the chicken is cooked through, shred it and return to the broth. Combine flour with ½-3/4 cups of cold milk and stir until smooth. Slowly whisk flour/milk mixture into the broth until all the way combined. Add noodles to the pot, cover and continue to cook another 30 minutes or until thickened and noodles are tender. Stir remaining ingredients and seasonings into the soup and serve.
Season to taste! I LOVE the little bit of added acidity and oomph that just a small amount of Tobasco gives to chicken soup, but if it's not your thing, don't do it! Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Want More Easy Soup Recipes?

Tools used in making homemade creamy chicken noodle soup:

OXO Mini Wisk: Sometimes you just need more than a fork to mix up small amounts! I love this whisk because it's the perfect size to mix in small bowls, cups or even saucepans. It's perfect for making gravy and soups.
OXO Handheld Slicer: I love this little tool when making soup because it slices small amounts of veggies quickly and easily and I don’t have to dirty a cutting board– I just slice right over the pot and especially love it for carrots and celery.

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4.67 from 21 votes

Shortcut Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This Shortcut Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup has all the flavors of traditional chicken noodle soup with a little added richness and texture that takes this comforting soup to a whole new level.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: canned chicken, creamy, One pot

Servings: Servings

Calories: 447kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
4 stalks celery diced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons minced dried onions
¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
6 cups chicken broth
12 ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables
8 ounce homestyle egg noodles
12.5 ounce can chicken drained
⅓ cup cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup fresh parsley minced
few shakes tabasco

Instructions

Heat butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Saute celery in butter until it starts to soften and stir in flour, dried onion, poultry seasoning, and salt. Cook for 1 minute.
Stir chicken broth into the both and stir until the flour is fully incorporated into the broth. Bring to a simmer.
Add noodles and frozen vegetables to the pot and cook for 15-2o minutes or until the noodles are tender. Remove from the heat.
Stir canned chicken, cream, lemon juice and parsely into the soup. Season with a few shakes of tobasco sauce if you wish and serve.

Nutrition

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Chili with Pineapple

By Heather LAST UPDATED October 14, 2019 · FIRST PUBLISHED November 1, 2017, 48 Comments

My BBQ Chicken Chili is not only easy to make, it's won a few chili cook-offs, too! It's saucy, sweet, and has a little bit of a kick.

BBQ Chicken Chili- it's not exactly traditional chili but I'm here to tell you it's a people pleaser. I've taken this chili to multiple chili cook-offs over the years and it just about always wins in at least one of the categories. In fact, just this last weekend it took "Best Non-Traditional Chili" at our church's Halloween party.

I think the zinger in this BBQ Chicken Chili is the addition of pineapple. No one expects to bite down into a piece of juicy pineapple when eating chili, right? The combo of sweet, spicy, and smoky just works so well. Plus, everyone loves BBQ Chicken, so it is a crowd-pleaser all around.

Pin This Recipe To Your Chili Board

Tips for Cooking BBQ Chicken Chili:

I make this version in my Instant Pot because it's so quick, but if you don't have one, no problem! You can easily make this in the slow cooker, too. Just brown your chicken on the stovetop and add ingredients to your slow cooker as listed in the recipe. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours until the chicken shreds easily and continue to follow the directions as written.
Smoked Paprika vs. Regular Paprika-- using smoked paprika in this recipe really adds that extra smokiness that makes it pop, so I definitely recommend using it if you can. Smoked Paprika can be found in most spice aisles at the grocery store. I use it often in recipes where I want just a little bit of smokiness without using liquid smoke or a real-live smoker.
The "Ranch Dressing Mix Step"-- as you read through the recipe you'll see that after the chicken is cooked I toss it in ranch dressing mix before adding back to the chili. This step may seem odd but it adds just the right amount of flavor and seasons the chicken well.

Other Ingredient Options for BBQ Chicken Chili:

This chili is also fabulous when you substitute a pork roast for the chicken and turns it into BBQ Pulled Pork Chili.
Any kind of bean can be used-- Kidney and great northern beans work well, I'm just partial to Pinto and Black.

Pin This Recipe To Your Chili Board

Want More Easy Chili Recipes?

Tools Used For This BBQ Chicken Chili:

The Instant Pot-- This is the model that I have and LOVE. It’s been with me for over a year and I’ve definitely put it through the ringer but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!

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4.53 from 19 votes

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Chili with Pineapple

My BBQ Chicken Chili is not only easy to make, it's won a few chili cook-offs, too! It's saucy, sweet, and has a little bit of a kick.

Prep Time10

Cook Time11

Pressure Release Time15

Total Time36

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: award winning, Instant Pot, ranch dressing mix

Servings: servings

Calories: 402kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless chicken chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 whole medium onion diced
1 whole green bell pepper diced
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
20 ounce can pineapple tidbits drained with juice reserved
10 ounce can Ro-Tel Tomatoes or diced tomatoes with green chilies
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
14 ounce can pinto beans rinsed and drained
14 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons corn meal
3 tablespoons or 1 packet ranch dressing mix
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Set Instant Pot on "Saute" mode and heat until the display reads "HOT". Add olive oil to the pot.
Season chicken with ½ teaspoon of salt and the full amount of pepper and brown in the pot until golden brown on both sides.
Add onions and bell pepper to the chicken and stir. Continue by adding the chili powder, cumin, ginger, and smoked paprika to the pot. Stir and allow to cook for 1 minute longer.
¾ cup of the reserved pineapple juice to the pot followed by the Ro-Tel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beans and BBQ sauce. Stir to combine and place the lid on the Instant Pot.
Set the Instant Pot on "Manual' mode and set the timer for 11 minutes. When cooking time is up, allow the pot to release pressure naturally or allow about 10 minutes before doing a manual pressure release.
Remove chicken from the chili and set aside on a plate.
Set Instant Pot on "Saute" mode once again and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle cornmeal over the chili and stir to combine. Simmer, stirring frequently until slightly thickened. Turn off the Instant Pot.
Shred the chicken breasts and sprinkle ranch dressing mix over the chicken, tossing to coat. Return chicken to the chili, followed by the pineapple and cilantro. Stir to combine and serve.

Nutrition

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Creamy Slow-Cooker Tortellini Soup

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 21, 2022 · FIRST PUBLISHED October 30, 2017, 27 Comments

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is a comforting soup that takes just a few minutes prep time, 7 ingredients, and basically makes itself.

Tortellini in a creamy soup base in a white bowl

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is just what your busy weeknights need! You can get it started in the slow cooker in the morning, and then just a few minutes before serving, throw the tortellini and spinach into the slow cooker to cook for a few minutes and you're done! It's quick, easy, and totally delicious!

I think the ingredient that really makes this slow cooker tortellini soup special is the cream cheese. It adds just a little tang to the soup that cream or bechamel doesn't. And, I LOVE that this soup only takes a total of 7 ingredients but tastes complex and hearty.

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Tips for Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup:

This soup can be made on the stovetop, too! I like to use the slow cooker because I feel like it gives the soup that simmered-all-day-taste. But, if you'd rather just make it up quick and speedy on the stovetop you can totally do that! Just brown the sausage in your soup pot, add the sauce, mushrooms, broth and cream cheese as listed in the recipe and bring to a simmer. Add the tortellini and spinach and cook until the tortellini float to the top.
Types of Sausage-- I love the flavor that pork sausage gives but I don't love all the fat. For this reason I like to use a 50/50 mix of pork and turkey Italian sausages. I buy a pound of each, split each in half and then store the remainder in the freezer until I need it again.
Types of Cream Cheese- Some readers have had problems with using low-fat and fat-free cream cheeses as they curdle and don't blend well into the soup. I've personally used Neuftachel cheese without any problem, but to be on the safe side I recommend using regular, full-fat cream cheese.

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Tools Used for Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup:

Ninja 3 in 1 Cooking System (My Slow Cooker): I've owned this slow cooker for about 6 years (when they were first introduced) and I still love it. The stovetop feature allows me to sear and cook meats before allowing them to slow cook (less dishes) and there's a bake feature as well.
The Chop Stir Tool: This strange little tool makes short work of browning ground meat with its odd shape that allows it to crumble the meat quickly as it cooks.

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4.65 from 39 votes

Creamy Slow-Cooker Tortellini Soup

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is a comforting soup that takes just a few minutes prep time, 7 ingredients, and basically makes itself.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: cream cheese broth, italian sausage soup, quick

Servings: servings

Calories: 671kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

1 pound ground Italian sausage I like ½ pork ½ turkey
24 ounce jar favorite spaghetti or marinara sauce
4 cup chicken broth
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
16 ounces frozen cheese tortellini
2 ounces fresh spinach leaves

Instructions

Brown and crumble sausage until cooked through on the stovetop. Place cooked sausage in the slow cooker.
Add sauce, chicken broth, cream cheese and mushrooms to the slow cooker. Don't worry about stirring in the cream cheese, just put the whole brick in.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH or 2-3 hours.
20 minutes before serving, turn heat to high if it isn't already and stir in frozen tortellini and spinach. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until tender and hot.
Serve topped with parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

By Heather LAST UPDATED June 18, 2020 · FIRST PUBLISHED October 23, 2017, Leave a Comment

Instant Pot Lentil Soup cooked in the Instant Pot is a quick and easy soup that is filled to the brim with flavor.

Instant Pot Lentil Soup is basically what my fall dreams are made of. It's rich and hearty without being heavy like many hearty soups are.

If you've been turned off by lentil soup before because of its lack of flavor or texture you're going to want to give this recipe a try-- I really don't think you'll be disappointed! Everyone I've made this Instant Pot Lentil Soup for has raved about it and asked for the recipe.

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Tips for this Instant Pot Lentil Soup:

If you don't have an Instant Pot, no problem! In order to cook this soup on the stovetop, follow the recipe directions through step #2. Bring your soup to a simmer on the stovetop and cook for about 30-35 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Continue with the directions as printed on the recipe.
This recipe is a fantastic vegetarian/vegan soup as is, but I'm of the camp that believes everything is better with just a little bit of bacon. Adding a couple of slices of chopped bacon to the pan in step #1 adds a nice smokiness to the soup that I love.
Soup is always better with a good hunk of bread to dip in it and this N0-Knead Bread goes perfectly with this Lentil Soup.
Don't skip the lemon juice or use concentrated lemon juice! The FRESH lemon juice really makes all the flavors in the soup POP and turns it into something magical. Concentrated lemon juice (the kind in the bottle) does not have the same flavor as fresh and might make your soup taste a little off. Use fresh lemons and you'll be glad you did!

Want More Instant Pot Soup Recipes?

Tools Used For this Instant Pot Lentil Soup

An Instant Pot: This is the model that I have and LOVE. My pot been with me for over a year, but still works like new! It's changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
OXO Handheld Slicer: I love this little tool when making soup because it slices small amounts of veggies quickly and easily and I don't have to dirty a cutting board-- I just slice right over the pot! I especially love it for carrots and celery.
Better Than Boullion: I use a lot of chicken/beef/vegetable broth in my recipes because it adds such nice flavor but I don't love keeping cans or cartons of it in my pantry. For this reason (and more) I use this broth base anytime I call for broth in my recipes. It only takes 1 teaspoon of base to make 1 cup of flavorful broth and can be stored for quite a while in the refrigerator.

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4.50 from 8 votes

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Instant Pot Lentil Soup cooked in the Instant Pot is a quick and easy soup that is filled to the brim with flavor.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Pressure Release15

Total Time25

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: Instant Pot, quick, Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Calories: 227kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 whole medium onion chopped
2 whole carrots peeled sliced
4 whole garlic cloves pressed or minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
28 ounce can diced tomatoes drained
1 cup brown lentils rinsed and picked over
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt more to taste
Pinch red pepper flakes
Ground black pepper to taste
1 cup chopped fresh kale tough ribs removed
Juice of ½ to 1 lemon to taste

Instructions

Preheat Instant Pot on the "Saute" setting until hot and pour in olive oil. Cook onion, carrots and garlic in the oil until fragrant and stir in the cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Pour tomatoes, lentils, broth, water, pepper and salt into the pot. Close lid and set manual timer for 20 minutes
Allow to Instant Pot to release pressure naturally or wait 5 minutes and manually release the pressure if you're in a pinch for time.
Remove about 2 cups of the soup, place into a blender, and blend until smooth. Stir pureed soup back into the rest of the soup. Alternately you can use an immersion or stick blender to lightly blend the soup and thicken it up a bit.
Adjust salt and pepper seasoning to your preference and stir in lemon juice-- this really makes the flavors pop! Stir in chopped kale and set Instant Pot on saute mode to bring the soup to a simmer and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the kale is tender.
Serve hot!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate

Nutrition

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Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup

By Heather LAST UPDATED October 14, 2019 · FIRST PUBLISHED August 25, 2017, 1 Comment

This Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup is the perfect comfort food! It's a hearty soup full of veggies, tender chicken, and topped with dumplings.

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings are one of my family's favorite meals lately. It's heartier than chicken noodle soup, and my kiddos love the drop biscuit dumplings.

This recipe is one that I've used for as long as I can remember for the stovetop and I just modified to cook in the Instant Pot.

I was nervous about how the dumplings would cook under pressure, but they turned out great! I will admit that they aren't quite as fluffy as their stovetop-cooked counterpart but for the time cooking in the Instant Pot saves me, I think it's worth it.

Cooking Tips for Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup:

Don't have an Instant Pot? No problem! This can be easily made on the stovetop. Follow the direction in the recipe through mixing the dumpling batter. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Place small spoonfuls of dumpling dough into the soup, cover pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the dumplings are set. Cooking on the stovetop yields less tender chicken, but is still delicious!
Instead of using frozen veggies, feel free to use up any veggies you have in the fridge/pantry. Carrots, zucchini, brussels sprouts, potatoes, green beans, corn, spinach, etc. all work well and will make the soup your own!

Want More Easy Instant Pot Soup Recipes?

Tools I Use For Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup:

The Instant Pot 🙂 : This is the model that I have and LOVE. My Instant Pot has been with me for over a year and I’ve definitely put it through the ringer, but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
OXO Handheld Slicer: I love this little tool when making soup because it slices small amounts of veggies quickly and easily and I don’t have to dirty a cutting board– I just slice right over the pot! I especially love it for carrots and celery.

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4.30 from 10 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup

This Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup is the perfect comfort food! It's hearty, full of veggies and tender chicken and topped with dumplings. So good!

Prep Time5

Cook Time7

Pressure Release10

Total Time12

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dumplings from biscuit mix, easy, One pot

Servings: servings

Calories: 388kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 stalks celery diced
½ whole large onion diced
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
1 bag 12 oz mixed frozen vegetables
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch cayenne pepper
4 cups chicken broth
2 ¼ cups baking mix like bisquick
⅔ cup milk

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to "Saute" and cook onion and celery in the butter until translucent.
Add chicken, poultry seasoning, salt, basil, and cayenne to the pot and stir to combine. Top with the frozen vegetables and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine baking mix with milk and stir until just combined. Scoop small spoonfuls of the dough into the boiling broth and continue until all the dough is used.
Place and secure the lid on the Instant Pot, cancel the "Saute" mode and set it on "Manual" mode. Enter 7 minutes cooking time at High Pressure and allow to cook.
Once cooking time is up, do a manual release of pressure or allow it come down naturally. Remove lid and serve.

Nutrition

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Easy Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen

By Heather LAST UPDATED October 14, 2019 · FIRST PUBLISHED February 28, 2017, Leave a Comment

I love little short cuts in the kitchen and this Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen makes for a super flavorful meal without taking a ton of time to make thanks to cheap-o ramen noodles and ready made curry and lemon grass pastes. Easy and so, so flavorful!

I've eaten my fair share of cheap-o ramen noodles in my day in all their MSG-y goodness. It's not something I'm proud of, but it is what it is, right? I mean, we all do stupid stuff as kids and into adulthood. If only I had known how to dress those little orange packages up with a few ingredients and turn it into something like this Coconut Lemongrass Ramen! If only...

But, I'm trying to right some of the wrong done to my taste buds by sharing this recipe today. Yes, I am using a few cheap-o packs of ramen noodles but we're throwing away the seasoning packet and turning these noodle cakes into something pretty spectacular, if you ask me.

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All it takes is some coconut milk, chicken broth, red curry paste, ginger, and some lemon grass! Oh, and we'll add some chicken into the mix too.

The result is creamy and rich with just a little kick from the curry. The noodles and chicken are cooked with the seasoned broth and come out with such great flavor, you'll hardly recognize them.

Top off your bowl of Coconut Lemongrass Ramen with a big squeeze of fresh lime juice and a sprinkling of cilantro and you've got a bowl of noodles you won't only be unashamed of, but that you'll actually want to share!

If you like your ramen, I've doctored up some other ramen recipes, too! This Confetti Chicken Big Bowl is a huge hit as is this Teriyaki Chicken Big Bowl. Check. Them. Out.

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4.91 from 10 votes

Easy Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: Instant ramen recipe, ramen noodles, red curry ramen

Servings: servings

Calories: 308kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Fresh chopped cilantro
Juice of ½ lime more for serving
1 tablespoons soy sauce or fish sauce
2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced
2 pkgs ramen noodles seasoning discarded
1 tablespoon Lemongrass Paste *See Notes
1 tablespoon Red Curry Paste
½ piece ginger peeled
2 cup chicken broth
15 ounce can coconut milk

Instructions

In a medium-sized sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in curry paste and cook for 1 minute until very fragrant.
Stir coconut milk, chicken broth, ginger, and lemongrass paste into the curry paste until well combined. Bring to a simmer, turn heat to low and gently cook for 5 minutes.
Stir sliced chicken and ramen noodles into the broth, bring to a simmer, return heat to low and cook just until the chicken and noodles are cooked-- about 3 minutes.
Remove chunk of ginger, and stir juice from ½ of a lime, soy sauce, and fresh cilantro into the soup and serve immediately. * See Notes

Notes

Lemongrass paste can be found at most grocery stores in the fresh herb section of the produce aisle. It comes in a toothpaste-like tube and can be stored for a LONG time in the freezer.
Packaged ramen noodles absorb liquid freakishly fast after being cooked, so I advise that any leftover noodles be removed from the broth and stored separately until ready to reheat. Alternately, if you have leftover broth and no noodles left, you can reheat the broth to cook additional noodles-- I do this all the time!

Nutrition

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The Best 11 Things I Ate On My Carnival Cruise

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 22, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED October 18, 2016, 2 Comments

Going on a Carnival Cruise? Today I'm dishing on the top 11 things I ate on my carnival cruise this summer. I really shouldn't be writing this while hungry....

My sweet hubby gladly played the part of my "light bounce" all week on the ship while I took photos of the food we ate. We'll just say that ship lighting isn't exactly ideal --especially at dinner time-- so keep that in mind as you scroll through the pictures.

It's been a few months, but I wanted to jump on and share with you some of the incredible things we ate while on our Carnival Cruise this last summer. We had such a blast on our cruise and we can't wait to sail again. I'm especially feeling like I want to run away and live life as an ocean drifter as I look through these pictures with the rain pounding outside my house.

Take me away!

If you've never been on a cruise you should know that there's A LOT of food. At any given time during the day or night you can just sit down for a meal, whether you're hungry or not. It's crazy, it's fun, and I kind of wanted to be rolled down the ramp alla Violet Beauregarde once we docked.

Nevertheless, it was worth it.

So here, in no particular order, are my top picks from our Carnival Cruise.

1. Cereal Crusted French Toast

This is served in the dining room during breakfast and brunch and is so fun. I opted for the Frosted Flake version with Fruit Loops being an alternate option.

2. Chocolate Melting Cake

It's like ooey-gooey molten crack. It's chocolatey and rich and served EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. at dinner. GET IT.

3. Popovers

These scrumptious viddles about banished everything else I wanted to eat for Sunday Brunch from my belly because I couldn't stop eating them. Do you see how flaky, light and buttery these are?!

4. Fried Shrimp

Admittedly, I'm not a huge shrimp person. *shocker* But, this shrimp was worth eating. Every crunchy, tender, juicy, flavorful bite.

5. Spinach and Sausage Pastries

These were one of my absolute favorite finds on the ship. They were only served twice on the breakfast line in the casual dining hall and were kind of tucked behind some of the more "traditional" breakfast food. But, if you can find them you won't be sorry. They have the best spinach and sausage stuffing and the pastry it's wrapped up in is so flaky and buttery.

6. Strawberry Bisque

This strawberry bisque is served at dinner as an appetizer but I could have had a bowl or 3 for dessert and been completely happy. It's a creamy and cool "soup" with hints of lime and mint, topped with finely diced strawberries.

7. Guys Burger Joint

You can basically order anything from the burger bar and be happy. The burger below has a patty of bacon, yes BACON, nestled on top of the beef. I can't complain about a burger that gives me a bite of crispy bacon with EVERY bite. Can you?

8. Loaded French Fries

This is technically not on the ship's "menu" but you can put it together at Guy's Burger Joint really easily. Once you get your burger, order some fries and ask really nicely if you can have some onion rings. The main dining hall serves regular onion rings, but Guy's has special spicy amazing ones that are supposed to go on the burgers. If the counter workers are feeling generous they might give you couple-- I only got resistance one time. Once you have your fries and onion rings take them over to the burger topping bar and load them up with peppers, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, and sauces. You can even skip over to the taco topping bars and use the shredded cheeses and salsas there. Best. Thing. Ever.

9. Beet Carpaccio Salad

This beet salad blew me away. I'm already a huge fan of beets as it is, but this salad was spectacular. Thinly sliced beets, grapefruit, radish, arugula, blue cheese, capers, horseradish, shaved bread slices and a tangy aioli dressing. Not sure if it's something that will stay on the dinner menu long- term, but worth looking for!

10. Warm Apricot Date Cake with Vanilla Sauce

The picture doesn't do this cake any justice whatsoever. It is a warm, lightly spiced cake with bits of apricot and date and when you pour the warm vanilla sauce over the top, it. is. to. die. for.

11. Pizza Pirate

I really hate finishing this round up of delicious food with a picture of my foot, but I didn't get any other pictures of the pizza! I'm a pizza girl for life and there was just something about the pizza from Pizza Pirate that I loved. It could have been that it allowed me to wallow in my misery while I nursed my foot. But it's more likely that it's just good pizza.

Carnival hosted my husband and I on this cruise in exchange for this honest post. All thoughts and comments are my own!

BEST. DECISION. EVER.

I'm not getting paid to promote them and they didn't give us a complimentary trip for this blog post. We paid for our trip like anybody else and I'd pay it over and over again!

The day we went snorkeling with Diego, the owner of Baja Blue Diver, was our favorite day of our entire trip. We still grin thinking about it. It blew us away that out of the 2000 people on that cruise ship, we were the ONLY ones that got the pleasure of going snorkeling with them!

Diego and his buddy Jorge picked us up close to the Cruise terminal and took us on a drive through Ensenada, into the country, and up many bumpy dirt roads to get to where we were snorkeling: Arbolitos Cove.

What To Do In Ensenada Mexico — First time in a wet suit for me! So hard to get on!

These pictures really don't do the cove justice. The water was so clear and warm and we had it all to ourselves!

It took me a few minutes to get down on the rocky beach with my hurt ankle but as soon as I got into the water it felt fine! I was so relieved that I'd be able to snorkel!

Diego and Jorge were the greatest teachers and really let us take our time and explore. They are both excellent divers (Diego was a rescue diver when The Walking Dead was filmed there) and they know their sea life. I'm a big wuss when it comes to water sports even when I'm not hurt, and I felt calm and safe the entire time. We were out in the water for about 2 ½ hours and it just flew by. So fun!

LUNCH TIME!

As part of our trip they took us to have the best fish tacos known to man. No joke.

Fish Tacos Lupita sits on the side of the road and is an open air stand. The fish and shrimp is fried right at the counter! The fish is actually Mako shark and is so tender and flavorful!

All of the sauces, salsas and veggies are right there too.

They applauded us for being Americans that knew how to each fish tacos the right way. 🙂 Apparently they've taken many people here that eat the tacos plain. Who does that?

Thanks so much to Diego and Jorge for making our trip memorable. They were kind, hospitable, funny and we had the best time. If you're ever wondering what to do in Ensenada Mexico and want to try out snorkeling or scuba diving, I can't recommend Baja Blue Diver enough!

One Pan Breakfast Burrito Bake

By Heather LAST UPDATED July 17, 2019 · FIRST PUBLISHED January 22, 2016, 2 Comments

Zesty breakfast burritos don't have to dirty every pan in the cupboard to be a reality! With a little bit of trickery you can have burritos ready to eat while only dirtying one pan!

I lurrrve breakfast burritos.

There's this little mexican restaurant right around the corner from my house that makes THE BEST breakfast burritos. Not only do they taste really good, they are huge and cheap! Win-win-win! However, many cheap burritos turn into a not-so-cheap habit if you're not careful so I've had to resort to making them at home.

But here's the problem-- breakfast burritos have a lot of different elements to them which means lots of dishes.

No bueno.

So I came up with a way that reduced that mess into a single pan, didn't keep me standing over the stovetop monitoring it all and still left me with an amount of filling that is enough to feed my entire family BIG burritos. Let's get started!

First up: the meat. You can use any breakfast meat you'd like for this recipe. Just get it cooked up the way you'd like in a large skillet and set aside when you're done. I used regular breakfast sausage so I put it on some paper towels to drain off the excess fat.

Depending on the type of meat you're cooking you'll probably end up with some amount of fat in the bottom of your skillet. Pour off all but a tablespoon or two and if you need to add a little in because your meat was lean, pour in a little bit of oil at this point. Put the skillet back on the heat and get the fat nice and hot.

For potatoes, I like to use O'Brien style frozen potatoes because they have onions and peppers in them and that just ups the flavor a little bit for burritos.

Pour your potatoes into the hot fat and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt over the top of the potatoes and transfer the skillet into a 450 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and the bottoms are a little browned.

While the potatoes are cooking you'll mix up your eggs. I like to use water when I'm making scrambled eggs because the eggs don't brown as quickly as they do when using milk due to the milk solids, etc. But use what you like.

Eggs, water, a can of chopped green chiles, and a little bit of salt are all you need.

Once the potatoes are done, slide the oven rack out and pour the eggs right over the potatoes. DON'T STIR. Just slide the pan back into the oven and let cook for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes you'll give the eggs and potatoes a stir and continue to cook an additional 3-8 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

Take the skillet out of the oven and stir your meat back into the pan. The eggs and potatoes will be hot enough to warm the meat back up.

All that's left to do is to make your burritos! Warm tortillas, salsa, cheese, and whatever else your little heart desires.

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5 from 3 votes

One Pan Breakfast Burrito Bake

Zesty breakfast burritos don't have to dirty every pan in the cupboard to be a reality! With a little bit of trickery you can have burritos ready to eat while only dirtying one pan!

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy breakfast, green chile eggs, one pan meal

Servings: burritos

Calories: 425kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

1 pound breakfast sausage
28 ounces frozen O'Brian Potatoes with Onions and Peppers
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 eggs
4 ounces diced green chiles
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup water
cheese
tortillas
salsa

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 Degrees
In a large skillet, brown and crumble sausage until fully cooked. Remove from pan and set aside on paper towels to drain off excess fat.
Return skillet to the stove top and heat up any remaining drippings from the sausage. Pour potatoes into the pan, season with ½ teaspoon salt, let cook for 1 minute and transfer into the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes (uncovered) or until potatoes are tender and browned on the bottom.
While potatoes are cooking, beat eggs well with green chiles, ½ teaspoon salt and water.
When potatoes are cooked, open the oven, slide the skillet out on the rack, and pour eggs over the potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes stir the eggs and potatoes well and continue to cook for an additional 3-8 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Remove from oven.
Return sausage to the skillet and stir to combine and heat sausage.
Spoon mixture into warm tortillas, top with cheese and enjoy!

Nutrition

B-52's Concert at The Oregon Zoo

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 11, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED July 17, 2015, 2 Comments

A few weekends back the hubs and I had the chance to break away for a evening with some friends and rock out to the B-52’s at the Oregon Zoo. The B-52’s!! SO fun. I thought I'd share some pics of our night today. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’ve added page up above in the navigation bar call “Heather Likes Portland” and every now-and-again I’ll be posting about the places we’ve ate, visited, and played. I love living here and want the world to know just how kick-butt Portland is. This DOES NOT mean I’ll be cutting back on recipes at all so if following along in our adventures isn’t your gig, you’ll still have all the recipes you need.

Every year the Oregon Zoo lines up a summer concert series and brings in some seriously fun acts throughout the summer. The stage is in the middle of the Zoo and and there’s lots of room to spread out a blanket and lounge about until the show starts.

Since I’m all about the food, we decided to grab a bite to eat before the show started and were actually very pleasantly surprised with how good our meal was from the Afri-café, the zoo’s small cafeteria. We split a burger topped with bacon, guacamole and mango salsa on a Brioche Bun and a basket of parmesan-herb fries.

The sauce that came with the fries was a black pepper aioli and was really good.

Most of the tickets are general admission and since we weren’t able to get there super early we ended up towards the back of the lawn but still feel like we had great seats. The back of the lawn really isn’t that far from the stage to begin with so it’s hard to have a bad seat.

The opening act was a crazy band called The Fabulous Downey Brothers. They were entertaining but kind of crazy. I’m also not sure how their name came about because there was at least one girl in the band. Their costumes made it hard to tell but it definitely wasn’t just brothers. And then the B-52's came out and they are a hoot.

We found out through the evening that there are some BIG B-52’s fans. I hesitate posting this video but you can’t see his face so I think it’s safe. Sitting behind this guy absolutely made our night. I wish I would have gotten video of him doing the same dance but with lobster claws during "Rock Lobster" but my phone wasn't cooperating. The people watching we did there was just as fun, if not more fun, than the concert itself. It was quality, really.

This girl and I never get to hang out so we needed to document the joyous occasion. Isn’t she the cutest?

There are many more concerts coming up this summer at the Zoo and if you’re in the area, I definitely recommend it. It’s such a fun, pretty venue and your concert ticket is good for admission to the zoo on the same day.

Disclosure: I was given complementary tickets for this concert but was not obligated to post about my experience. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 🙂

Slow Cooker Cumin Roasted Pork

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 18, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED April 10, 2015, 1 Comment

So I've done it, I've officially gone off the deep end. I'm doing Whole 30. Never, ever, EVER in my life would I have thought that I would purposely refrain from eating 2 major food groups (grains and dairy) and shun sugar for a full month. But alas, I'm on the train to crazy town and I don't hate it... yet.

I'm only on day 10 and but I'm ⅓ of way done and I think I'm going to stick it out this time! Woot woot! I am missing cheese and if someone rubbed a baguette under my nose right now I might punch them in the face. But I've got this.

Obviously.

Today's recipe is a great, easy way to get a little more protein into your life. It's a full flavored pork roast rubbed with cumin and left to simmer in a tomato-y sauce all day. The meat ends up tender, shredded and perfect for topping rice, a salad or just on its own.

We'll start with a pork sirloin roast, seasoned with salt, pepper and cumin and browned until golden brown on the stovetop. From there you'll plop it into the slow cooker and cover it with a sliced onion.

In the same pan that the roast was browned in, simmer a can of italian diced tomatoes with a cup of your favorite salsa. You'll then toss in a little more cumin and give it a stir.

Pour the sauce over the roast, cover the slow cooker and walk away until its tender and juicy and makes your house smell amazing.

Once it's cooked you can leave the sauce as is, but you'll take it to a whole new level if you remove the roast and pour the sauce into a pan to reduce and thicken. The flavors intensify and really bring the dish to life.

On a side note, if you're interested in doing some sort of a diet change but aren't ready to jump full into a Whole 30, the Beef Council (I know this post is all about pork and is totally not sponsored) is hosting a 30 day protein challenge. The challenge just encourages you to up your protein intake and they have a step by step plan that might be a good spring board for change. Check it out here.

Have a great weekend!

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5 from 2 votes

Slow Cooker Cumin Roasted Pork

Slow Cooker Cumin Roasted Port-- this stuff is amazing. Cooked all day in a hearty sauce, it's perfect for topping rice, eating on a salad, or just by itself.

Prep Time20

Cook Time6

Total Time6 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crock pot pork, cumin pork sauce, pork roast

Servings: Servings

Calories: 243kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

2 pounds pork sirloin roast
kosher salt, pepper, and cumin
2-3 tablespoons oil l I used coconut
14.5 ounces Italian Seasoned Diced Tomatoes
1 cup favorite prepared salsa
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 whole yellow onion sliced

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season roast generously with salt, pepper, and cumin on all sides. Place roast in hot skillet and sear until golden brown on all sides. Place roast in slow cooker.
In the same pan used to sear the meat, cook tomatoes and salsa over medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and stir in the cumin. Remove from heat.
Sprinkle the sliced onions over the roast in the slow cooker and pour the sauce into pot. Cover and let cook for 7-8 hours on low or 4-6 on high. Roast is done when its tender and shreds easily with a fork.

Nutrition

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing {Cafe Rio CopyCat}

By Heather LAST UPDATED July 17, 2019 · FIRST PUBLISHED March 31, 2015, 1 Comment

There are very few things in my fridge that I would pour on my cereal besides milk and this dressing is so good I might consider it.

I'm kidding, that would be gross.

All joking aside though, this is my ALL TIME FAVORITE dressing like, EVER. It was love at first bite some 13 years ago when I had my first Cafe Rio Salad and I've been smitten ever since. It's creamy, tangy, kicky, fresh and tastes good on just about everything. I will say that if you have an aversion to cilantro you should stay far, far away but if you're looking at a recipe for Cilantro Lime Dressing I'm going to guess that's not an issue for you.

Top taco salads and nachos with it, dip quesadillas and taquitos in it or just drizzle over your favorite veggies and you've got something pretty darn good!

Other Cilantro Ranch Recipes You Might Like

Cilantro Lime Ranch Layered Salad

Crockpot Chicken Ranch Tacos

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4.50 from 2 votes

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing {Cafe Rio CopyCat}

This Cilantro ranch dressing is perfect for drizzling over taco salads, nachos, or just dunking veggies in. It's easy to make and has so much flavor!

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Total Time10

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: copycat recipe, salad dressing, utah recipes

Servings: cups dressing

Calories: 854kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

1 ounce package Ranch Dressing Mix
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup milk
1 clove garlic
¼ cup green salsa
Juice of 1 fresh lime
½ cup fresh cilantro washed with tough stems removed
a few dashes Tobasco sauce until it reaches your desired heat

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Loaded Vegetable Diet Soup

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 25, 2021 · FIRST PUBLISHED February 6, 2015, 4 Comments

This loaded Vegetable Diet Soup is, like the name, loaded with veggies and good-for-you fiber like kidney beans and barley. It's low in calories and super filling, making it my go-to lunch when I'm watching what I'm eating.

Loaded Vegetable Diet Soup-- I mentioned in my last post that I've lost 11 lbs in the past 3 weeks and I'm pretty excited about it. This is the first time since having babies that I've had success with diet and exercise. Previously, every time I'd try to lose some of the baby weight I'd have a really good first week, lose motivation, and be frustrated a week later. No good.

This time has been different because I'm actually doing it with a group of friend and we're able to keep each other in check and on track. The accountability has been huge for me! Aside from that I've cut out all refined sugars and flours, upped the fruit, veggies, and water intake, and am exercising 6 days a week. It probably sounds a little harsh, but so far it's worked! I don't intend on this being a permanent, everyday change for me but I figure I can do it for 8 weeks, lose some weight, maintain for a bit and hit it again until I'm down to where I want to be! Woot woot!

This "diet soup" has been a staple for me the past few weeks and I'm not sick of it yet! Its FULL of vegetables and has the addition of kidney beans and barely so that it keeps you full and satisfied. It's been my go-to lunch when I'm not in the mood for salad and want something hot and comforting. And since a single cup (8 oz) is only 80 calories you can eat until you're full and stay full! Yay!

If there's interest, I may do a post on the specifics of what I'm doing and eating to lose weight. Let me know what you think!

Want more easy soup recipes?

Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Slow Cooker Green Salsa Soup
Roasted Tomato, Corn and Zucchini Soup
Cauliflower Chowder
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon

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4.50 from 2 votes

Loaded Vegetable Diet Soup

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: high fiber, low calorie soup, low carb soup

Servings: servings

Calories: 138kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

1 tablespoons Olive oil
1 whole medium onion chopped
8 ounces white mushrooms
3 whole stalks celery chopped
2 whole small carrots peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups low-sodium V8 or tomato juice
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
14.5 ounces Italian Seasoned Diced Tomatoes Undrained
14.5 ounces kidney beans drained
2 whole medium zucchini chopped
2 cups fresh or frozen green beans cut
¼ cup pearl barley
hot sauce to taste-- I use 1 teaspoon

Instructions

Saute onion, mushrooms, carrots, and celery in olive oil and salt until the vegetables are just tender.
Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, V8, chicken broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, zucchini, green beans and pearl barley and bring to a simmer.
Cook at a low simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the barley and all the veggies are tender. Season to taste with hot sauce and serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

White Chicken Chili

By Heather LAST UPDATED March 6, 2019 · FIRST PUBLISHED February 21, 2013, 4 Comments

Easy slow-cooker meals are definitely the way to my heart during crazy weekdays. If I can throw it in into the pot and not have to think about it again until I come home hours later to a deliciously scented home, I'm in love. Well, as long as it tastes good--there are a lot of things you can throw into a slow cooker and forget about that I wouldn't touch with a pole. 20 even.

This white chicken chili is the perfect "set it and forget it" kind of meal that I would gladly curl up in bed next to (I'm not sure what that even means). It goes into the pot and 3,4,5,6 hours and a few stirs and shreds later you have a super flavorful meal.

Place your chicken, chicken broth, green salsa (click here for a few notes on green salsa), onion, beans, herbs and spices in your slow cooker. Set it to cook on LOW for 5-6 hours, or HIGH 3-4 hours.

When time's up take the chicken out to shred and return to the chili; stir in some sour cream and cilantro.

It should look a little something like this:

Looks delish, no? Serve it with some tortilla chips or even better, this corn bread. You're welcome. 🙂

Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?
Try my Other Crockpot Chili Recipes:

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4.92 from 12 votes

White Chicken Chili

My favorite, creamy white chicken chili recipe! It's rich, flavorful and super easy to make!

Prep Time20

Cook Time8

Total Time8 20

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy chili recipe, sour cream chili, spicy chicken chili

Servings: servings

Calories: 204kcal

Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 8 oz can green salsa
1 onion chopped
3 C chicken broth
2 cans beans any variety I used 1 white, 1 kidney, drained
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 C sour cream
½ C chopped cilantro

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except for the sour cream and cilantro in a slow cooker.
Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, HIGH 3-4 hours.
Remove cooked chicken from pot, shred into bite-sized pieces, and return to to chili.
Stir in sour cream and fresh cilantro.
Serve with tortilla chips or corn bread.

Nutrition

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