Instant Pot Black Bean Chicken Bowls

We have been making this recipe for about a year now. It is a family favorite. No complaints ever. For our large family utilizing Instant Pot recipes is a huge time saver.

These Instant Pot Black Bean Chicken Bowls are perfect for a busy weeknight. This cooks super fast- just 10 minutes!

With six kids (one is a teen) and two adults someone always has something to say. It never fails, there is that one child that picks something out of their plate at dinner.

This is so simple and packed with protein, you just can’t go wrong. And everyone can customize their bowl the way they like it.

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 15.5 oz cans of black beans, drained
1 16 oz jar of salsa this is our favorite
2 cups of instant brown rice or make Instant Pot Brown Rice
1 3⁄4 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings optional

Pepper Jack Cheese
Sour Cream
Jalapeños
Cilantro

This is such a simple meal. First we’re going to get the chicken going in the pressure cooker.

Place chicken breast into Instant Pot and pour salsa and black beans over the top. This is the Instant Pot I use and love. It is 6 quarts and perfectly sized for my family.

Lock lid into place and set vent to sealing.

Set Instant Pot to manual high pressure(or poultry if you have that setting) for 10 minutes.

When Instant Pot beeps, let natural release for 10 minutes before quick releasing remaining pressure.

While chicken is naturally releasing, make rice according to box directions. For time saving you can use instant brown rice, but honestly I love making brown rice in the Instant Pot. It cooks in 22 minutes. I like to make up an bunch and freeze it. Then all I have to do is reheat as needed.

Remove chicken breast and slice at an angle.

Make a bed of rice in a bowl and lay chicken breast on top.

Spoon black bean salsa over the top of the chicken and rice.

Add your favorite toppings and serve.

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Instant Pot Black Bean Chicken Bowls

These instant pot black beans chicken bowls are amazing, flavorful and done in no time right in your instant pot.

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 15.5 oz cans of black beans, drained
1 16 oz jar of salsa this is our favorite
2 cups of instant brown rice or make Instant Pot Brown Rice
1 3⁄4 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings- pepper jack cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, cilantro

Instructions

Place the chicken in the instant pot.
Cover with black beans and salsa.
Cover and set instant pot to sealing cooking on high pressure for 10 minutes.
Once done allow to slow release for 10 minutes. While instant pot is slow releasing cook the rice according to the package directions.
Remove the chicken from the instant pot, slice and add over a bed of rice.
Top with cilantro, jalapeno, and black bean salsa mixture from the instant pot.

One Pot Pasta Chicken Alfredo with Veggies

By Crystal VanTassel-Lopez 7 Comments

Have you tried any of the one pot pasta dinner ideas? If you are a busy mom or running out of inspiration for your weeknight dinners you have to check them out!

One of my friends who is a fellow blogger has an awesome one pot cajun chicken pasta recipe on her site. It looked amazing, but I knew my kids likely would not go for the cajun flavor. And, I had a lot of veggies in my fridge that I needed to use up. I knew this was a recipe I could convert for my family.

Let me show you how easy this is to make! Now, I made this for my large family. You could divide this recipe in half for a family of 4.

Ingredients:

6 chicken breasts
4 T butter
2 (16 oz) packages of fettuccine noodles, uncooked
2-3 garlic cloves, I use the jarred stuff
4 c milk
6 c chicken breasts
1 c Parmesan cheese
6 oz feta
1 bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 head of broccoli, cut into small pieces
2 c fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste

In a large cooking pot, I used a cast iron dutch oven like this one, over a medium heat melt the butter.

Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add the milk, chicken broth and noodles. I moved the heat up to medium high so it would boil.

Stir here and there because you do not want your noodles to stick together.

When the milk has boiled about half way down, I added my veggies.

Continue to cook until the noodles are tender all the way through and the milk mixture has almost all cooked away.

Add your cheese and stir, stir, stir.

All of the noodles should be coated evenly with your milky cheese sauce.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Plate it up!

I served this with garlic bread. Super easy dinner. You could even make a delicious side salad.

More Dinner Help

25 One Pot Pasta Recipes

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How to Meal Plan in 5 Steps

Chicken with Spinach and Grapefruit over Angel Hair

By Crystal VanTassel-Lopez 10 Comments

You know I am all about easy recipes, right? Dinners that come together quickly are an awesome bonus at my house and what I constantly strive to create.

Next time you’re at the grocery store, I want you to grab a bag of grapefruit and think outside the box. Let me show you how delicious and simple it is to incorporate this gorgeous fruit into your chicken and pasta dish.

Ready?

Ingredients:

6 chicken breasts
3 cloves of garlic, minced (I use the jarred stuff)
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 1/2 c chicken broth
juice from 1 whole grapefruit, I used Sweet Scarletts (This post was sponsored by Sweet Scarletts Texas Red Grapefruit.)
one grapefruit segmented, I used Sweet Scarletts
1/2 c toasted walnut
1 c fresh spinach, washed
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pk of angel hair pasta

In a large pan, I used my Dutch oven, add the olive oil to the pan. Place the chicken breasts on top of the oil.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Top evenly with the minced garlic.

Cook over medium heat, flipping after 5-7 minutes.

Cook on both sides until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, bring water to a boil for the angel hair pasta.

Squeeze the juice from one Sweet Scarletts over the chicken.

Try Sweet Scarletts, the sweetest Texas red grapefruit. Check out the Sweet Scarletts Facebook page for more from the reddest, sweetest, and best grapefruit you’ve ever tasted.

Add the chicken broth over the chicken and toss in 2 tablespoons of butter into the pot.

Continue to cook over medium to medium/high heat until the broth comes to a boil.

If your water is boiling for the pasta, add it to the water. Cook the pasta for 7 minutes, or until done all the way through.

While your pasta is boiling and your chicken is cooking, segment one Sweet Scarletts. Set this aside.

Once the chicken broth comes to a boil, add the spinach and toasted walnuts to the Dutch oven.

Stir the chicken mixture well to combine the walnuts, spinach and chicken.

Turn the heat down to simmer.

Drain your pasta.

Add a helping (or two) of pasta to a bowl.

Top the pasta with chicken.

Ladle some sauce, nuts and spinach over the chicken and pasta.

Place a few Sweet Scarletts segments on top of the pasta.

Dinner is ready! Serve with bread and a salad if you wish.

You could even top with some shredded Parmesan cheese.

Don’t like walnuts? That’s ok. Use pinenuts instead. Yum!

I bet you never thought to use grapefruit in pasta with chicken, did you? This is so amazing and tasty. A perfect light dinner for any weeknight!

Are your kids not a fan of grapefruit? They may be shocked how the segments are not as tart with the chicken and pasta and broth. You could always delete the segments on top of their pasta, but they will get the savory flavor of this fruit in the sauce.

This recipe was totally a winner!

Easy Recipes: Cranberry Apple Butter Chicken

By Crystal VanTassel-Lopez 2 Comments

I have been in an apple butter mood lately. I mean, it is Fall.

I am having a hard time finding apple butter without high fructose corn syrup at the local grocery store and I have not had a chance to make a trip to the area apple orchard to buy it fresh. So, on my last trip to Trader Joe’s I searched their shelves.

I found an amazing jar of cranberry apple butter and thought it would be perfect to simmer chicken in on the stove top. I love recipes using apple butter ideas and this is the perfect opportunity to think outside the box.

You could totally use regular ol’ apple butter for this too. Feel free to improvise. Obviously I love to improvise myself.

Ingredients:

6 chicken breasts
1 cup of Trader Joe’s Cranberry Apple Butter, or regular apple butter
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
2 cups of chicken broth

In a large skillet, add the olive oil and garlic over a medium heat.

Add your chicken breasts and cook on each side for about 3 minutes each.

Add the cranberry apple butter (or apple butter) to the tops of the chicken breasts.

I spread it evenly over each breast and let it cook for about 2-3 more minutes.

Then, flipped to the other side to cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Now the sauce, garlic, olive oil and chicken will all mix together.

Pour in the chicken broth and move the heat to low.

Cook for about 20 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and all of the broth is cooked down and evaporated.

The chicken will have a nice brown caramelized coat on it. I love that!

My children said this was the most delicious chicken they have ever eaten. They say that after most meals for what it’s worth.

I served this over a bed of Trader Joe’s Rice Medley. (I cook it in chicken broth too. Great flavor!) Really, regular brown rice or white rice would work great too! Try swapping out the water for broth in any case.

I also made a pan of baked garlic butter asparagus. This time I added grape tomatoes. So good!!!

Dinner was ready in 30-45 minutes. I love that!

If you’re looking for more apple butter recipes, try out my Crockpot Apple Butter Pork Chops and my Apple Butter Crescent Rolls. The cranberry apple butter would work great in either of these as well!

MORE RECIPES:

Two Ingredient Honey Catalina Chicken in the Crockpot

By Crystal VanTassel-Lopez 21 Comments

I’ve told you guys about my good friend Tiffany before. Real life friend not online friend.

She and I have known each other since we were in the 6th grade. I adore her.

She is very creative when feeding her large family. We love bouncing recipe ideas off of each other. Especially inexpensive meal ideas.

Well back when the twins were babies I remember being at her house one afternoon and she was making Baked Catalina Chicken.

I had used salad dressing before to cook or marinate chicken, but I had only used Italian dressing. Nothing adventurous like Catalina.

This chicken had amazing flavor.

Recently I was thinking about that chicken she made and I knew it could be recreated in the crockpot. Now there are a few Catalina varieties on the shelves at the supermarket. I grabbed a Honey Catalina flavor. It has poppy seeds in it. Yum!

Dinner does not get any easier than this- two ingredients.

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken breasts (or desired chicken parts)
1 16 oz bottle Honey Catalina salad dressing

Place your chicken in the crockpot.

As usual I threw mine in there frozen.

Pour the bottle of dressing over top.

Coat it evenly and then pop a lid on it.

Cook it on high for about 6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.

(You could certainly bake it in the oven at 350 for about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of your chicken breasts.)

Is your mouth watering?

This has amazing flavor to it. A little sweet, a little tangy. A lot good!

I served it with macaroni and cheese, dinner salad and baby carrots.

Let me know when you make it. I know you are going to love it.

Honey Catalina Chicken in the Crockpot

Recipe Type: Dinner

Author: Crystal & Co.

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 6 hours

Total time: 6 hours 5 mins

Serves: 6+

Ingredients

4-6 chicken breasts (or desired chicken parts)
1 16 oz bottle Honey Catalina salad dressing

Instructions

Place your chicken in the crockpot.
Pour the bottle of dressing over top.
Coat it evenly and then pop a lid on it.
Cook it on high for about 6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.
Enjoy!

Notes

You could certainly bake it at 350 for about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of your chicken breasts.

I am sharing this recipe on these delicious sites: i heart naptime, the girl creative, C.R.A.F.T. craftomatic, crafts keep me sane, skip to my lou, making the world cuter, a southern fairytale, sumos sweet stuff, mad in crafts, tip junkie, tasty tuesday, tempt my tummy tuesday, craft edition, hope studios, todays creative blog, sew much ado, someday crafts, we are that family, blue cricket designs, somewhat simple, paisley passions, house of hepworths, fun to craft, fingerprints on the fridge, tidy mom, a few of my favorite things and it’s a hodge podge life. Looking for a more copious list? Here are over 50 sites to search for and share projects and tutorials.

Crockpot Lemon Chicken

By Crystal VanTassel-Lopez 24 Comments

A while back one of my wonderful Facebook readers, Erin Burns, shared a delicious crockpot recipe with me. I’ve made it about 5-7 times now and it is super yummy. I’ve also shared the recipe with family and friends and they have enjoyed it as well. I love that it partners well with pasta and my kids gobble it up. It goes well with fresh fruits and veggies, too.

Hi Erin!

This is more of a fancy crockpot meal, as it has more steps in it than my recent super-simple-plop-and-go recipes.You’re gonna love it.

Ingredients

2 onions, cut in eighths
3 cloves garlic, peeled
8 pieces of chicken, skinned
salt and pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1/2 cup chicken bouillon
4 sprigs of tarragon (or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon)
1/3 cup heavy cream

Add the sliced onions to the bottom of the crockpot.

Add the garlic on top of the onions.

Add your chicken pieces (I used breasts and threw them in frozen).

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover the chicken in Dijon mustard.

Add the chicken bouillon. I used chicken broth.

Squeeze the lemon juice over

Sprinkle with tarragon or add fresh tarragon leaves.

Cover and let it cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.

Once it is done cooking, remove the chicken and the tarragon if you used fresh springs.

Add the heavy cream to the crockpot and mix well.

Return the chicken to the crockpot and leave it on warm until you are ready to serve.

We like to serve the chicken over fettuccine noodles with sauce over top.

Super yummy- you’re gonna love it.

Is there a recipe you would like to share with me? Send it to me.

I am sharing this recipe on these resourceful sites: i heart naptime, the girl creative, C.R.A.F.T. craftomatic, crafts keep me sane, skip to my lou, making the world cuter, sumos sweet stuff, mad in crafts, tip junkie, tasty tuesday, tempt my tummy tuesday, craft edition, hope studios, todays creative blog, sew much ado, someday crafts, we are that family, blue cricket designs, somewhat simple, paisley passions, house of hepworths, fun to craft, fingerprints on the fridge, tidy mom, a few of my favorite things and it’s a hodge podge life. Looking for a more copious list? Here are over 50 sites to search for and share projects and tutorials.

Crockpot Lemon Chicken

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

This crockpot lemon chicken is simple and easy!

Ingredients

2 onions, cut in eighths
3 cloves garlic, peeled
8 pieces of chicken, skinned
salt and pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1/2 cup chicken bouillon
4 sprigs of tarragon (or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon)
1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Add the sliced onions to the bottom of the crockpot.
Add the garlic on top of the onions.
Add your chicken pieces (I used breasts and threw them in frozen).
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cover the chicken in Dijon mustard.
Add the chicken bouillon. I used chicken broth.
Squeeze the lemon juice over
Sprinkle with tarragon or add tarragon leaves.
Cover and let it cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
Once it is done cooking, remove the chicken and the tarragon if you used fresh springs.
Add the heavy cream to the crockpot and mix well.
Return the chicken to the crockpot and leave it on warm until you are ready to serve.
We like to serve the chicken over fettuccine noodles with sauce over top.

Notes

For extra lemon flavor, place a couple of slices of lemon on top along with the tarragon before cooking.

Easy Recipes: Crockpot BBQ Chicken

By Crystal VanTassel-Lopez 19 Comments

A few months back my friend Kim shared a crockpot secret with me. A solution I had not thought of.

She told me she makes BBQ in the crockpot all the time.

Brilliant.

So I tried it. Totally simple. My children devoured it.

And now it is a regular on my weekly meal plan.

And in the summer with all the Texas heat, this is a great way to enjoy a delicious summery food without heating up the oven.

Brace yourself. This is beyond simple. And like most of the recipes I share here, this doubles easily when feeding a large family.

Ingredients:

10-12 chicken drums or 6 large chicken breasts
1 container of your favorite BBQ sauce

Place your uncooked chicken in the crockpot.

Cover the chicken in your favorite BBQ sauce.

I even add a little bit of water to the container to get the last of the remnants out.

There is really no need to smear each piece of chicken with the sauce. As it cooks, it all gets coated.

Put the lid on it and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10.

When it is done, this is how your chicken will look.

Plate it up and serve.

My kids like mac and cheese with their BBQ chicken.

Throw in some fresh cut pineapple, some carrot sticks and cantaloupe cubes and you have a winner!

More Recipes:

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Recipe Type: Dinner

Author: Crystal & Co

Serves: 6-8

Perfect summer food without heating up the kitchen! We like to serve this with mac and cheese and fresh fruit. A nice dinner salad goes lovely with this recipe as well.

Ingredients

10-12 chicken drums or 6 large chicken breasts
1 container of your favorite BBQ sauce

Instructions

Place your uncooked chicken in the crockpot.
Cover the chicken in your favorite BBQ sauce.I even add a little bit of water to the container to get the last of the remnants out.
There is really no need to smear each piece of chicken with the sauce. As it cooks, it all gets coated.
Put the lid on it and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10.
Plate it up and serve.

Notes

This is a recipe that doubles very easily which is perfect for large families or someone wanting to batch cook.

Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

By Crystal VanTassel-Lopez 26 Comments

A long, long time ago I worked for a local brick manufacturer. Acme Brick. Ever heard of them? ( I started working there when I was 17 years old.)

This is where I met a good friend of mine, Lisa. Still to this day we keep in touch.

At least once a week Lisa and I would go to this yummy deli down the street and order this pesto pasta with pine nuts and chunks of cheese.

It was to die for.

Until we over indulged.

We ate it so often that eventually I could not stand the smell of pesto. I went about 10+ years wanting to gag when I would get a whiff of it.

A few years ago I longed for some pesto pasta salad like we used to eat at that nifty little deli.

I added some chicken to it and made it a yummy dinner meal.

This is a super simple recipe that is easily at the table in 30 minutes or less.

The longest step is waiting for your water to boil.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chicken (I used 4 grilled chicken breasts)
1 box of bow tie pasta
8 oz mozzarella cheese
7-8 oz of pesto sauce (more or less depending on your taste)
1/2 cup pine nuts (more or less based on your liking)

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.

While you’re waiting for the water to boil, chop your cooked chicken.

You could use chicken that you grilled from a previous dinner, chicken that you cooked in the crockpot during the day, or a rotisserie chicken you grabbed from the deli at the grocery store. I used 4 grilled chicken breasts that I cooked in mass quantity a few nights before.