Slow Cooker Bold Ranch Pork Chops

Cold weather can sometimes make me ‘cooking lazy’. That’s when I just want to toss a few out-of-the-pantry and out-of-the-fridge ingredients into a slow cooker, turn it on, and come back half a day later to a done dish. Doesn’t mean it has to be all out of a can, but it doesn’t have to all be from scratch either. But it does still have to be good. And spicy. Gotta have spicy and these slow cooker bold ranch pork chops deliver on that. And they deliver on tasty too. Not too bad for ‘cooking lazy’ if I do say so myself!

Slow Cooker Bold Ranch Pork Chops

I served these slow cooker bold ranch pork chops with warmed leftover mashed potatoes. The gravy from the slow cooker is great over mashed potatoes, but I think it’d be even better over grits, so I’ll give that a whirl next time. They’ll be instant grits, though, to keep with my ‘cooking lazy’ mood.

These chops are also great served over a long-time boxed favorite, Rice-a-Roni. Believe it or not, I make a crazy good copycat of it too. It’s really not that hard to make and box, is it ever delicious!

Also try my slow cooker balsamic pork sliders.

Slow Cooker Bold Ranch Pork Chops
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Slow Cooker Bold Ranch Pork Chops

Gotta have spicy and these slow cooker bold ranch pork chops deliver on that.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword crockpot, pork chops, slow cooker
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 232kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Note: Between the soup and Cajun seasonings, this dish can be salty. I recommend a low-salt soup and making your own Cajun seasoning, cutting the amount of salt in half.
  • Turn your slow cooker on low.
  • Whisk together the soup, Ranch dressing mix, and Cajun seasoning in a small bowl.
  • Place the pork chops in the slower cooker.
  • Add the soup mix.
  • Cover and cook for 6 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 540mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 868IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Spicy White Chicken Chili

Whew, oh boy! This spicy white chili chicken isn’t some boring, barely-seasoned, overly-tame, put-you-to-sleep white chicken chili, no sir! You pretty much open your pantry and grab everything in it that is spicy and throw it in a pot with some chicken, some beans, some roasted peppers, and some broth. Done! Not too much later you get rewarded with something you’ll want to make again and again. I didn’t used to be a fan of chicken chili. But I sure am now.

Spicy White Chicken Chili

I really enjoyed the smokiness of this spicy white chicken chili. There are so many different flavors coming together in every spoonful. I’m thinking you could easily make this a beef chili by substituting cooked crumbled ground beef (or small pieces of chuck) along with beef broth. Or you can easily go the turkey route, using crumbled cooked ground turkey.

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this chili and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

Also try my 6 bean chili. Because more beans is more better.

Spicy White Chicken Chili
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5 from 1 vote

Spicy White Chicken Chili

Whew, oh boy! This spicy white chili chicken isn’t some boring, barely-seasoned, overly-tame, put-you-to-sleep white chicken chili, no sir! 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken, chili
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 133kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat oil in large Dutch or pot over medium-high heat.
  • Add onion and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
  • Add cumin, chili powder, cayenne, chipotle powder and salt and pepper and stir.
  • Add roasted poblanos, roasted jalapeno, green chiles, cilantro, 3 1/2 cups of the chicken broth, chicken, lime zest and juice.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook 30 minutes.
  • Add the beans and cook another 15 minutes, adding more broth if necessary.
  • Serve with desired toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 542mg | Potassium: 416mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1198IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Chipotle Tartar Sauce

I’m a big fan of po boy sandwiches. Sometimes fancy, sometimes not so fancy. Last weekend I made two ‘cheater’ fried clam and fried shrimp po boys. I call them ‘cheater’ because I used frozen already-fried seafood. But just because I’m cheating doesn’t mean I’m not going to step up my game a bit by adding a fantastic chipotle tartar sauce. A bit spicy and a bit tangy, this is the perfect tartar sauce to kick up any seafood.

Chipotle Tartar Sauce

You want to use a mayonnaise that isn’t too thin or your chipotle tartar sauce will, of course, be thin. Not that that’s a bad thing, but most people like a nice, thick tartar sauce. You could call it a remoulade or comeback sauce if yours turns out a bit on the thin side!

I recently discovered Blue Plate mayonnaise, which I think is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Chipotle Tartar Sauce
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Chipotle Tartar Sauce

A bit spicy and a bit tangy, this is the perfect tartar sauce to kick up any seafood.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword spicy, tartar sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 16
Calories 1716kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth.

Nutrition

Calories: 1716kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 169g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1946mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 892IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Anchonero Hot BBQ Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

One thing that I love about chicken wings is that there isn’t just one perfect combination of rub. Or sauce. There are an infinite number of great wings. These Anchonero Hot BBQ wings are just another example of a perfect combination of a spicy southwestern rub and sauce.

A little heat and a little sweet, you’d think I hadn’t eaten in a month when I devoured these Anchonero hot BBQ wings. ‘Anchonero’  is a combination of ‘ancho’ and ‘habenero’ chiles. You get great chile pepper flavor in every bite, that’s for sure. I found the spice level to be great, not too hot but definitely not mild either.

Anchonero Hot BBQ Wings


The Anchonero rub and BBQ sauce i used on these wings comes from AlbuKirky Seasonings, in yep, you guessed it, Albuquerque, New Mexico. They have lots of southwestern-flavored rubs and sauces and jellies. Check them out, you’ll love them all! I’ve also made some amazing red chile wings using their red chile rub.

I cooked these wings on my Weber Jumbo Joe using the Vortex insert but you can use a deep fryer, oven, gas grill, Char-Broil Big Easy, or whatever you prefer!

I absolutely love chicken wings, cooked any way, with any sauce (or without). I love them so much that I created a free eCookbook that is full of my favorite wing recipes.

Anchonero Hot BBQ Wings
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5 from 1 vote

Anchonero Hot BBQ Wings

hese Anchonero Hot BBQ wings are just another example of a perfect combination of a spicy southwestern rub and sauce.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword spicy, wings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 354kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutritional values do not include the rub or sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Protein: 22g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 191mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Kick’N Chicken Legs on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.

It just occurred to me the other day. I have never cooked chicken legs by themselves on my Char-Broil Big Easy. I’ve done plenty of whole chickens, and tons of wings and breasts, but never legs. What the heck was I thinking? I immediately set out to remedy that situation. These Kick’N chicken legs on the Char-Broil Big Easy came out fantastic, just like all the other poultry I’ve ever cooked on the Big Easy. Super moist and tender, and thanks to Weber’s Kick’N seasoning, nice and spicy!

KickN Chicken Legs on the Char-Broil Big Easy

You won’t end up with crispy skin when you make these Kick’N chicken legs, but you will end up with delicious meat bite after bite. I’d say I used the right amount of the seasoning because I do prefer a little kick to my chicken, but not so much that I’m balled up on the floor crying. These legs were fantastic and spiced perfectly.

The bunk bed basket lets you double the amount of cooking space you have on your Big Easy. And it’s easy to take in and out of the cooker too!

Also try my spicy roasted chicken legs and my garlic Parmesan drumsticks ready in no time on the Big Easy!

Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and my free Big Easy eCookbook!

Kick'N Chicken Legs on the Char-Broil Big Easy
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5 from 1 vote

Kick’N Chicken Legs on the Char-Broil Big Easy

These Kick’N chicken legs on the Char-Broil Big Easy came out fantastic, just like all the other poultry I’ve ever cooked on the Big Easy. Super moist and tender.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword Big Easy, Char-Broil, chicken
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings
Calories 551kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your Big Easy.
  • Lightly brush the chicken legs with oil and season, to taste, with the Kick’N chicken seasoning.
  • Transfer legs to the Big Easy.
  • Lower the basket into the Big Easy and cook for approximately 20 minutes per pound, or until the legs reach 165-175 F as measured in several spots.
  • Remove and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

I used a bunk bed basket because it makes for easier cleaning. You ‘ll need a basket to cook 8 legs at a time.

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 240mg | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 523mg | Vitamin A: 237IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Harissa Chicken Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

After making roasted harissa cauliflower the other day (my first encounter with harissa) I knew after the first bite that the next thing I was going to make with the spicy red pepper paste would be Harissa chicken wings. There was no doubt in my mind that I was in for a wonderful treat. You get a nice kick, but don’t be afraid. Harissa is not crazy spicy, not at all. It has a wonderful earthy flavor to it. I could eat it all day, On wings I could eat it all week.

Harissa Chicken Wings

The paste for making these harissa chicken wings can be found in the Mediterranean section of your local grocery store. I haven’t tried making it home yet, but I will. The consistency reminds me a bit of hummus, though it’s certainly not hummus. But, oh…. it just hit me… harissa sure would be great in hummus! I’m off to try that now!

I store my leftover homemade sauces in squeeze bottles. If refrigerated, I set them out an hour before using so they come to room temperature. You don’t want to put cold sauce on hot wings!

I absolutely love chicken wings, cooked any way, with any sauce (or without). I love them so much that I created a free eCookbook that is full of my favorite wing recipes.

Harissa Chicken Wings
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5 from 1 vote

Harissa Chicken Wings

These have a nice kick, but don’t be afraid. Harissa is not crazy spicy, not at all. It has a wonderful earthy flavor to it. I could eat it all day, On wings I could eat it all week.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Asian wings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 408kcal

Ingredients

For the wings

For the sauce

  • ½ cup Harissa paste
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 lemon juiced and zested

Instructions

For the wings

For the sauce

  • Place all ingredients into a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  • Stir occasionally until the butter has melted and the sauce is combined.

Nutrition

Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 395mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 572IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fire-Eater Burger Sauce

I love just putting the ‘usual’ condiments on my burgers. My favorite is mayonnaise. If find that odd since I definitely did not grow up a mayo fan. Sometimes though, I need a little kick to my burger. A little wake up. Since I absolutely love Fire-Eater seasoning, I knew it would find its way into this nice creamy, but a tab bit spicy, Fire-Eater burger sauce.

Fire-Eater Burger Sauce

If you don’t have Sriracha on hand (???), then you can certainly substitute your favorite hot sauce for this Fire-Eater burger sauce, from the mild to the wild. Oh, and yes, this sauce is also fantastic on sandwiches or wraps. And now that I ponder it more, I bet it would be great on grilled chicken wings. I’m gonna try that next!

I like to keep my sauces in squeeze bottles. I love squirting sauce onto burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches… Anything that can be squirted! I write the contents and date-of-mixing on painter’s blue tape and put that on the bottles so I can keep track of them.

Also check out my copycat Smashburger Sauce, or another one of my seriously spicy favorites, 18000 Island sauce. For a little kick, make some Angry Whopper sauce.

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Fire-Eater Burger Sauce

Sometimes I need a little kick to my burger. Since I absolutely love Fire-Eater seasoning, I knew it would find its way into this nice creamy, but a bit spicy, Fire-Eater burger sauce.
Course Burger Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword burger sauce, spicy
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 104kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Whisk together all ingredients until smooth.

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 38IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Spicy Chicken Salad

A better name for this spicy chicken salad would be ‘the greatest, absolutely fantastic, totally different, outrageously superb chicken salad’, but that’s too long for a blog post title. This is not your typical chicken salad. Sure, it’s mayonnaise-creamy, but there are special, unexpected ingredients in there too. Like cheese (in a chicken salad????! Seriously, who does that?). And bell pepper (why didn’t I think of that? It adds great crunch and flavor). And tart sour cream???! And my favorite flavors, spicy smoky chipotle and cooling creamy avocado. What a great and definitely different chicken salad this is!

Spicy Chicken Salad

I wouldn’t change a thing about this spicy chicken salad. If you aren’t going to use the entire batch at once, I do recommend that you only mix in avocado with what you will use. After all, the avocado isn’t going to keep for long. You’re better off mixing it in when you need it.

I recently discovered Blue Plate mayonnaise, which I think is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Got leftover fried chicken? Also try my fried chicken salad and one of our favorites, Big Daddy’s Kick’n Chicken Salad.

Spicy Chicken Salad
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4 from 1 vote

Spicy Chicken Salad

A better name for this spicy chicken salad would be ‘absolutely fantastic, totally different, outrageously great chicken salad’, but that’s too long for a blog post title. This is not your typical chicken salad..
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken salad, spicy
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 1050kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, salt, garlic powder, chipotle powder, onion powder and cumin in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth.
  • Add the chicken, bell pepper and cheese and stir.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  • Gently fold in the avocado and serve on bread, in wraps, or on crispy lettuce.

Nutrition

Calories: 1050kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 124g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 382mg | Sodium: 811mg | Potassium: 1443mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 630IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Angry Chicken Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

I was big time happy with these angry chicken wings. ‘Angry’ because they pack a little kick, but not so much that your mouth is on fire. A very nice kick. This was my first time cooking with gochujang chile paste, and I really loved it. It’s sort of savory, sort of sweet, and sort of spicy. It contains fermented soybeans but the flavor isn’t overwhelming. A little gochujang does go a long ways, but it sure makes for one fantastic wing sauce.

Angry Chicken Wings

The angry chicken wing sauce would also be good on grilled pork chops or grilled ground chicken or turkey burgers. Just dab a little on top before you dig in. If you make the sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, it might thicken up a bit. Just add a few drops of water and stir to get the desired consistency.

I store my leftover homemade sauces in squeeze bottles. If refrigerated, I set them out an hour before using so they come to room temperature. You don’t want to put cold sauce on hot wings!

Love spicy wings like I do? Also try my fiery Catalina wings.

I absolutely love chicken wings, cooked any way, with any sauce (or without). I love them so much that I created a free eCookbook that is full of my favorite wing recipes.

Angry Chicken Wings
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5 from 1 vote

Angry Chicken Wings

I was big time happy with these angry chicken wings. ‘Angry’ because they pack a little kick, but not so much that your mouth is on fire. A very nice kick. 
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword spicy, wings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 507kcal

Ingredients

For the wings

For the sauce

Instructions

For the wings

For the sauce

  • Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Add a bit more water if needed if the sauce is too thick.

Nutrition

Calories: 507kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 278mg | Potassium: 372mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1061IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Spicy Grilled Mushrooms

At first I thought maybe I just loved these spicy grilled mushrooms so much because I hadn’t grilled mushrooms in a while. Or maybe it was because of the full moon. But no, it was because these are now officially my favorite mushrooms. They have a perfect light Asian-inspired flavor, with a little vinegar tang and, as with everything I make, a little spicy kick. My goodness they were just delicious. I could (and did) eat them just like popcorn!

Spicy Grilled Mushrooms

I used cremini mushrooms, also known as baby Portobellos to make these spicy grilled mushrooms. You can use any mushrooms you like, even mix a few different kinds in. Just remember that the smaller ones will cook faster. You might have to move the smaller mushrooms away from the hottest part of your grill before the bigger ones get done.

I recommend that you use a grill basket when making this dish. It makes cooking easier and you don’t have to worry about anything falling through the grates. And cleanup is easier too!

If you prefer your mushrooms to have a more mellow flavor, try my dilly dilly mushrooms and my easy roasted mushrooms. Oh, and my grilled marinated mushrooms are divine, too!

Spicy Grilled Mushrooms
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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Grilled Mushrooms

At first I thought maybe I just loved these spicy grilled mushrooms so much because I hadn’t grilled mushrooms in a while. Or maybe it was because of the full moon. But no, it was because these are now officially my favorite mushrooms. 
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword grilled, mushroom
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 66kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Whisk together the soy sauce, red wine vinegar, pepper and hot sauce in a large bowl.
  • Add the mushrooms.
  • Let marinade for 1 hour, turning occasionally.
  • Fire up your grill.
  • Shake off any excess marinade from the mushrooms and grill for 10 minutes until starting to soften.

Nutrition

Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3248mg | Potassium: 496mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.