Crock Pot Fiesta

This recipe literally took me 5 minutes to make.  And would probably take me 5 minutes to write about, so I am going to give you a nutrition lesson in the mean time!  You're welcome.  

I find myself talking about protein a lot these days, so I thought I would fill you in on some protein facts - it does tie into the recipe, I promise!  Proteins are made up of amino acids, some of which the body can make (non-essential), and some of which must be provided to the body through diet (essential).  With proteins, there are what we call complete proteins and incomplete proteins.  Complete proteins contain all 9 of the essential amino acids and generally come from animal sources (chicken, fish, eggs, beef, etc...).  Incomplete proteins only contain some of the essential amino acids and generally come from plant based foods (legumes, grains, etc...).

So, especially for vegetarians, pairing incomplete proteins together to form a complete protein is pretty important!  Beans and rice is one of the most common food pairings that combines two incompletes to form a complete...and also happens to be one of my favorite foods. =)

Which brings us to the recipe...

1 lb frozen chicken breast (I used tenders because that's what I had)

16 oz of your favorite salsa

1/2 cup brown rice

2 cans of black beans, undrained (low sodium if you can find them, but it was slim-pickings at my store on Sunday night)

Place slow cooker liner into your crock pot and put frozen chicken on the bottom.

Cover with salsa.

Then add rice...

And pour in beans.

I cooked it on high for 4 hours, but I'm sure it would work on low for 6-8 hours.  Stir before serving.  Chicken should break up into smaller pieces upon stirring. We had this in some low carb tortillas for dinner, but I'm sure it would be good over a salad, or just by itself!

ENJOY!