Chicken Fajita Chowder

Living in the South for 6 months has officially made us wimps... the 30 degree days we've had the past few days have felt brutally cold compared to the nice 50s and 60s we've been experiencing lately.  But, I can't say I totally mind.  I am really, really, really missing snow and Missouri winters (call me crazy) and so the cold weather has just made it all that more enjoyable for me to snuggle in and cook some good, warming, winter soups. 

Tonight I tried a recipe given to me by a friend last year- one that I never got around to trying myself until tonight.  It was a winner!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Chicken Fajita Chowder
Makes 8 servings
1 1/4 cups= 7 Points Plus

You will need:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 can green enchilada sauce
• 1 small can chopped green chiles
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 3 cups water
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup 2% shredded cheese (I used cheddar because it's what I had- a mexican blend would be good too)
• 1 cup fat free sour cream

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large soup pot.  Cook chicken, peppers, and onions in oil until chicken is cooked through, stirring frequently. 

Stir in corn, enchilada sauce, chiles, rice, water, and salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer over low heat for 35-40 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in cheese and sour cream. 

Creamy Chicken, Vegetables and Noodles

We're back on the Weight Watchers train as of today, which means I'm back on the cooking wagon.  We tried a new recipe tonight that was absolutely delicious, so I wanted to document it before  I forgot!  The Italian dressing really gives the chicken and broccoli a nice sweet flavor, and a little Velveeta goes a long way to make a creamy sauce.  I got right around 5 two-cup servings out of this; with that amount of servings, the Points Plus value came out to 9 per serving.  The serving size was hearty and the meal was very filling! 

Creamy Chicken, Vegetables and Noodles (adapted from kraftfoods.com)

You will need:

• 4 cups egg noodles, uncooked
• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup fat free Italian dressing
• 3 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1 large red pepper, cut into strips
• 6 oz. reduced fat 2% Velveeta
• 1 tbsp. skim milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook noodles as directed on package; drain.

Meanwhile, cook chicken in dressing in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for around 7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.  Stir in the vegetables, reduce heat to medium, and cover.  Simmer 5 minutes or until the veggies are crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, place Velveeta in a small microwave-safe bowl.  Add milk and microwave for 2-3 minutes (stirring once after 1 1/2 minutes) or until Velveeta is melted and the mixture is smooth. 

Mix noodles, chicken, and veggies together.  Pour Velveeta mixture over and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.