Crockpot Monday - Mexican Cream Cheese Chicken

I used to think that if something could be thrown together in less time than it takes to make mac n' cheese from a box... it couldn't possibly be a great dinner!  

Then I found this recipe! 

And then I cried for joy.

And then I made it over and over because it takes NO time, NO effort, AND it tastes darn delicious!!!  

Thank you Jodi for sharing this recipe with me... and now I pass it along to you to love, cherish and enjoy!

MEXICAN CREAM CHEESE CHICKEN (Crockpot edition)

Chicken, Corn, Black Beans, Salsa & Cream Cheese - 5 ingredients, that's all!!

It doesn't get much simpler than this folks...really five ingredients.  And they're not even fancy!

Start by throwing in some frozen chicken.  Yep... you don't even have to defrost it... this is the ultimate in "throw together" meals!

Now cover that chicken with some frozen corn (or canned, or fresh if you don't have frozen).

To the chicken and corn add a can of rinsed & drained black beans.

And then one jar of your favorite kind of salsa.

This is my favorite right now - it's got some nice heat but still a bit of sweetness that I find gives a really nice taste balance to the dish.  But regular ol' salsa works just fine too.

Now turn your crockpot on low and cook for about 6 hours or until chicken is cooked through.

This is my chicken at the 6 hour mark... looks and smells delicious.  Last step - throw in a block of cream cheese and let it sit on the top for about 20 to 30 minutes til it softens.

Then stir your mixture all together and PRESTO - you're done!

Now serve it up over some rice and dig in.  

It's creamy.  It's delicious.  The chicken is tender and flavorful.  The corn adds some sweetness while the black beans give a great texture that balances out the dish.  The salsa pulls the entire dish together and cream cheese... well it's my friend!

* NOTE:  If you are opposed to cream cheese, you could substitute with sour cream.  This dish can also be prepared in a skillet rather than crockpot if you don't have a slow cooker, or if you forgot to turn your crockpot on and no longer have 6 hours to wait for dinner.

Go ahead and try this - you'll be glad you did!