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Cake Batter Popcorn

This Cake Batter Popcorn is sweet, crunchy, and loaded with sprinkles! We toss the popcorn in melted chocolate and an actual cake mix for a true cake batter flavor experience!

Cake Batter Popcorn

Cake Batter Popcorn

One of my family’s favorite treats is cake-batter-flavored ice cream from Coldstone Creamery®. Toss in some crumbled cookies and hot fudge and be prepared to have a new dessert addiction!

It may sound strange (I was certainly skeptical), but a friend recommended this combo, and we can’t get enough of it –it’s ridiculously tasty.

So after making this Oreo popcorn, cake batter-flavored popcorn came to mind next. So now all that is left to try is combining both the Oreo and Cake Batter Popcorn to see if we can rival that ice cream combo in popcorn form instead! 

This popcorn is very sweet — just like a big spoonful of cake batter is. It’s such a fun variation on movie theatre popcorn or coated chocolate popcorn. If you love popcorn and love all things cake batter flavored, you are going to be obsessed with this recipe!

What Popcorn To Use in this Cake Batter Popcorn

Store-bought popcorn shortcut. Purchasing already popped popcorn makes this recipe come together a lot quicker and easier, but it’s a bit more spendy. If you’d rather pop your own, here’s what we use. Make sure to let popped corn cool completely before using it in this Cake Batter Popcorn recipe. Whatever popcorn you use, check the ingredient list to make sure the only ingredients being added to the popcorn is oil and salt. Purchasing a flavored or buttered popcorn will make this popcorn taste “off”.

Process shots-- images of the white chocolate being melted and the cake mix and salt being added to it and mixed together

Let’s chat cake mix

Cake mix is one of the ingredients in this Cake Batter Popcorn. While normally, the cake mix is heated to a high temperature during the course of baking it, and that kills any potential bacteria that may be in the flour, this popcorn isn’t baked, so that means it contains “raw” flour. If you are concerned about this, I recommend heat treating the cake mix to ensure any potential bacteria are killed. There are two options for heat-treating your mix.

  • Use the microwave: Add the cake mix to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in bursts of 30 seconds, stirring in between each burst. Take your time stirring well to make sure none of the mixture burns. Use a thermometer to test the mixture in a few places to make sure it has reached 165 degrees F throughout all the mixture. If you get less than 165 degrees, return the flour for another burst of 30 seconds. 
  • Or treat it in the oven: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. and line a large sheet pan (with sides) with a nonstick liner or parchment paper. Spread the cake mix on the pan and bake, removing and stirring the mix every 1 and 1/2 minutes. Every time you remove the cake mix to stir, test it with the thermometer. As soon as it reaches 165 degrees F, it’s safe to use in the recipe.
  • If heat treating, let the mix cool completely before using it. Place the pan with the cake mix in the fridge or freezer to quickly bring it to room temperature.
  • Discard any discolored sections of cake mix, and break up any clumps as they will make the popcorn taste burnt. We want the heat-treated cake mix to look just like it did before heat treating it — the appearance shouldn’t change at all.

QUICK TIP

Our favorite cake mix to use in this Cake Batter Popcorn is Betty Crocker® Super Moist Rainbow Chip cake mix (not sponsored).  We’ve also tested this recipe with a Funfetti® (by Pillsbury) cake mix and enjoyed that as well!

Process shots of the cake batter popcorn-- images of the chocolate mixture being poured over the popcorn, sprinkles being added, and everything being mixed together

Cake Batter Popcorn Chocolate Melting Tips

  • Use high-quality chocolate chips for a better melt and a richer taste. My favorite is Ghirardelli® or Guittard® (not sponsored). Cheaper brands of white chocolates are more resistant to melting and can often have a waxy flavor. We don’t love using almond bark in this Cake Batter Popcorn since it’s not nearly as flavorful. Almond bark is artificial chocolate made with vegetable fats instead of the cocoa butter that is in real chocolate.
  • Microwave the chocolate chips in sturdy, heatsafe bowls instead of using plastic or melamine. 
  • To avoid burned chocolate chips, microwave the chips for 30 seconds at a time, and stir them for at least 20-25 seconds between each microwave burst. Remember, the chocolate is still melting even after it has been removed from the microwave. 

QUICK TIP

Be careful when melting chocolate. If a drop of water gets in it, it may seize–get hard and grainy. If it’s overheated, it may turn cloudy and sticky. Going slowly and gradually is the best way to prevent ruined chocolate!

Cake Batter Popcorn on a tray and in a serving bowl

STORAGE

Cake Batter Popcorn Storage

Popcorn gets stale quickly, but especially when it’s tossed with chocolate and cake mix and left in an uncovered bowl!

  • Transfer any leftover Cake Batter Popcorn to a large zip-top plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible from the top and then store in a dry, cool, and dark area. Keep out of heat/sunlight where the chocolate could melt.
  • Cake Batter Popcorn is best enjoyed within 1-3 days; even when stored properly, the cake mix quickly begins to soften the popcorn.
  • We don’t recommend freezing leftovers; they thaw out softened. If you aren’t sure about being able to finish the entire recipe, cut it in half or thirds! 

QUICK TIP

Quick Kernel Removal Idea: There are few things worse than crunching down on a stray unpopped kernel in your Cake Batter Popcorn! Here’s how to ensure they don’t sneak in: Lay one or two wire cooling racks on top of a large tray. Carefully pour the popped popcorn over the cooling rack(s). All the unpopped kernels will fall through the holes onto the tray. Once you’ve scooped up the popcorn and measured it for this recipe, you can dump the kernels left behind on the tray into the trash — easy!

More ways to use sprinkles

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Cake Batter Popcorn

5 from 2 votes
This Cake Batter Popcorn is sweet, crunchy, and loaded with sprinkles! We toss the popcorn in melted chocolate and an actual cake mix for a true cake batter flavor experience!
Print Recipe

Cake Batter Popcorn

5 from 2 votes
This Cake Batter Popcorn is sweet, crunchy, and loaded with sprinkles! We toss the popcorn in melted chocolate and an actual cake mix for a true cake batter flavor experience!
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword cake batter popcorn
Prep Time 20 minutes
Setting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 12 cups (~8 servings)
Chelsea Lords
Calories 210kcal
Cost $6.12

Ingredients

Instructions

  • PREP: Line an extra-large sheet pan with parchment paper or wax paper. Set aside. Set aside a very large bowl (the larger the better and easier it is to toss!). Pop the popcorn. (See Note 3 if you want to heat treat the cake mix.)
    Now let's get rid of unpopped kernels: Lay a wire cooling rack on top of a large tray. Carefully pour the popped popcorn over the cooling rack. All the unpopped kernels will fall through the holes onto the tray. Once you've scooped up the popcorn and measured it for this recipe (12 cups), you can dump the kernels left behind on the tray into the trash -- easy! Add the measured popcorn to the large bowl. Check again to ensure there are no kernels in the bowl.
  • WHITE CHOCOLATE: Melt white chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl in bursts of 30 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 15 seconds until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Mix in the salt (if using) and cake mix (make sure it has fully cooled down if you heat treated it). Stir until combined. Pour this mixture over the popcorn using a spatula to scrape every bit of the melted chocolate onto the popcorn. Working quickly, toss the popcorn until well coated. Pour in the sprinkles and again, toss (gently) until integrated into the popcorn.
  • LET SET: Pour popcorn onto prepared sheet pan and use the spatula to spread it out in an even layer. Let harden at room temperature (or in the fridge for about 20 minutes) and then break apart and enjoy!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1Popcorn: This is our favorite popcorn to use for this recipe. It's lightly salted, but not flavored! If you don't want to pop your own popcorn, grab an original (plain) already popped popcorn bag.
Note 2: Chocolate chips: We recommend high-quality chocolate chips for a better melt and a richer taste. My favorite is Ghirardelli® or Guittard® (not sponsored). Microwave the chocolate chips in sturdy, heat-safe bowls instead of using plastic or melamine. If it's overheated, it may turn cloudy and sticky. Going slowly and gradually is the best way to prevent ruined chocolate!
Note 3: Cake mix: If you are concerned about the raw flour in the cake mix, I recommend heat treating it first. There are two options for heat-treating your mix: (Measure AFTER heat treating and not before; heat-treated cake mix should look the same after being heat treated and not before. If it is discolored, it's likely burnt and not useable in this recipe)
  • Heat treat it in the microwave: Add the cake mix to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in bursts of 30 seconds, stirring in between each burst. Take your time stirring well to make sure none of the mixture burns. Use a thermometer to test the mixture in a few places to make sure it has reached 165 degrees F throughout all the mixture. (If you get less than 165 degrees, return the flour for one more burst of 30 seconds).
  • Heat treat it in the oven: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan (with sides) with a nonstick liner or parchment paper. Spread the cake mix on the pan. Bake the cake mix, removing and stirring it, every 1 and 1/2 minutes. Every time you remove the cake mix to stir, test it with the thermometer. As soon as it reaches 165 degrees F, it's safe to use in the recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 131mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

Peach Smoothie

This Peach Smoothie whips together in just a few minutes and only requires five ingredients: frozen peaches, frozen strawberries, frozen mango, frozen banana, and freshly squeezed orange juice. This smoothie is healthy, sweet, creamy, and so flavorful! 

 

Peach Smoothie

Peach Smoothie

Today I’m excited to bring you a recipe my kiddos can’t get enough of — a peach smoothie! And this is not a watered-down, bland smoothie like you may have experienced in the past. Instead of packing this beverage full of ice (like a lot of smoothie shops will do), we add fully frozen fruit instead. That way we aren’t detracting from the fruits’ flavors with loads of ice!

If you have fully frozen fruit, you’ll get the perfect thick smoothie consistency.

Process shots: steps to freeze bananas.

How To Make A THICK Peach Smoothie

  • Good ripe bananas make all the difference in this smoothie. Freeze the bananas when they’re ripe and use only when completely frozen. Bananas truly thicken up healthy smoothies like nothing else.
  • Mango is actually a great thickening agent in smoothies, so add extra mango if you want it thicker. 
  • Reducing the amount of liquid will also make the smoothie thicker. Of course if there isn’t enough liquid, everything might not blend together as smoothly — there is a fine balance here!

Process shots: putting the frozen fruit in a blender; adding milk; processing until smooth.

VARIATIONS

Peach Smoothie Variations

  • To make this smoothie without orange juice, use apple juice or pineapple juice in its place.
  • Additional nutrition: Add some greens! A few handfuls of baby spinach would work well in this smoothie. Or check out my green smoothie recipe for our favorite green smoothie!
  • Use any milk you’d like! Regular milk or a plant-based milk — either will work well in this peach smoothie.

Peach Smoothie

Peach Smoothie Tips 

I know: How complicated can making a peach smoothie be, right?! But I still have a few tips.

  1. Good ripe bananas are what ensure a thick, ice-cream-like consistency for this Peach Smoothie. Freeze the bananas when they’re ripe and use only when completely frozen. Add to the blender and watch how creamy they turn!
  2. While it might seem silly to actually measure out ingredients for a smoothie instead of just throwing everything in, I highly recommend measuring ingredients the first few times you make this until you have a feel for the quantities. Throwing random ingredients in a blender can often end up giving you WAY too much smoothie with an unbalanced flavor.
  3. To get the right Peach Smoothie consistency, you’ll want to use a very high-powered blender. It takes some patience in blending, since the majority of the ingredients are frozen. This is intended to give you a super-thick base with a creamy, smooth texture.

Peach Smoothie

STORAGE

Peach Smoothie Storage/Leftovers

I recommend drinking this Peach Smoothie all in one sitting, preferably right after making it. This smoothie doesn’t sit or store well as the ingredients quickly begin to separate and the thick smoothie consistency is lost.

If you’re uncertain it will all get finished in one sitting, I recommend halving the recipe — this drink is very forgiving as quantities are cut down.

More Smoothie Recipes

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Peach Smoothie

5 from 1 vote
This Peach Smoothie whips together in just a few minutes and only requires five ingredients: frozen peaches, frozen strawberries, frozen mango, frozen banana, and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Print Recipe

Peach Smoothie

5 from 1 vote
This Peach Smoothie whips together in just a few minutes and only requires five ingredients: frozen peaches, frozen strawberries, frozen mango, frozen banana, and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Course Breakfast, Vegetarian
Cuisine American
Keyword peach smoothie
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 smoothies
Chelsea Lords
Calories 132kcal
Cost $3.91

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup frozen mango
  • 1 and 1/4 cup frozen peaches
  • 3/4 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 of 1 frozen banana
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (~2 large oranges)
  • 1/2 cup low-fat milk or lactose-free or plant milk
  • 4-6 ice cubes

Instructions

  • PREP: Cut a ripe banana into coins, place in a zipper-top bag, and freeze the night before making this smoothie.
  • BLEND: Combine all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and no fruit chunks remain. This will require some patience and stirring in between blending. It's intended to be very thick.
  • ENJOY: Spoon the thick smoothie into a glass. Smooth with the back of a spoon and add a wide straw. Enjoy immediately!

Video

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1smoothie bowl | Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 548mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 1006IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 1mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

One-Pan Potatoes and Sausage

This One-Pan Potatoes and Sausage is a simple but tasty meal with roasted garlic and herb potatoes, asparagus, carrots, onions and sausage, all prepared on one sheet pan. It’s an easy family-friendly meal.

Pair this simple and hearty dinner with a light salad like this fruit salad recipe or this quinoa apple salad.

ONE PAN ROASTED GARLIC POTATOES AND SAUSAGE! Red potatoes, asparagus, carrots, and sausage all with herbs. Recipe via chelseasmessyapron.com

A sheet pan filled with a finished potatoes and sausage dinner, cooked to perfection and seasoned to enhance all the flavors, promising a delicious meal.

One-Pan Potatoes and Sausage

The One-pan Sausage and veggies recipe has ended up being one of the most popular recipes I’ve ever shared. Since developing this, so many of you have asked for variation ideas. I’ve loved coming up with those and sharing them here.

This One-Pan Potatoes and Sausage aims to please those meat-and-potato eaters in a lighter, more nutritious way. We’re still getting meat (sausage) and potatoes (yum!), but adding more veggies into the mix, a killer spice mix for flavor (without extra calories), and healthful fats (olive oil).

This meal is such a great well-rounded dinner, and it’s also crazy simple to make. One sheet pan, one spice blend, minimal prep and very minimal clean up.

Combining the seasoning blend, adding vegetables, oil, and seasonings to the pan, tossing to coat, and then baking in the oven.

One-Pan Potatoes and Sausage process overview

This recipe is fun because we get hearty veggies that typically take a long time to roast (the carrots and potatoes) while also getting in veggies that don’t take near as long (onion and asparagus). The secret? Staggering the cook times. It actually even makes everything go quicker because while the first half of this dinner is roasting, you have time to prepare the rest of it!

Below is a quick overview of how to make One-Pan Potatoes and Sausage. There is also a quick (under 1 minute) video on this post if you’d prefer to watch it!

  • Start by tossing together the seasoning mix. While we get the oven nice and hot, quickly mix the seasonings. The seasoning blend is made once and used twice in this dish!
  • Once the seasoning is prepped, chop the potatoes and open the bag of carrots (no chopping there!). Add both to the pan with some olive oil and half the seasonings. Roast.
  • Meanwhile, thinly slice the sausage and the onion, and coarsely chop the asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Garlic can also be minced here, or the pre-minced jarred variety can be used to save prep time.
  • The sheet pan is removed and carrots and potatoes get pushed to one side of the sheet pan. On the other side, we add the sausage, asparagus, onion, some more olive oil, the rest of the seasoning mix and the minced garlic. Toss it all together and continue roasting.
  • And that’s it! You’ve got your meat, potatoes, veggies and all deliciously seasoned in one sheet pan and in under an hour of time. Enjoy!

QUICK TIP

Ever wonder if you should select the roast or bake option on your oven? It really makes no difference. Roasting and baking are both dry heat methods of preparing something in the oven. The two settings are listed to make users feel comfortable. The difference between the two methods is what happens while food is in the oven. Baking usually changes the form of food from liquid, paste, dough, or powders to solid form. Roasting usually does not change the form of the food but makes it more tender or well-done and usually adds a fat of some sort.

What type of sausage to use

I recommend using smoked sausage for this recipe. We love using hardwood smoked turkey sausage (to keep this recipe on the healthier side). We’ve also used chicken sausage and enjoyed that.

Sausage, asparagus, onion, and garlic added to the seasoned veggies already in the pan, tossed to coat and roasted until done, then garnished with parsley and parmesan cheese before serving.

One Pan Potatoes and Sausage tips

  • Use an extra-large sheet pan. The more space the vegetables and sausage have (and the less-crowded they are) the better they roast in the oven. When vegetables are overlapping on a sheet pan, they end up steaming instead of roasting which results in softer, somewhat soggy-tasting veggies. I recommend using a (this) 15×21 inch sheet pan for One-Pan Potatoes and Sausage. (See quick tip).
  • Add some Parmesan cheese on top for the perfect finishing touch. I recommend grating the Parmesan cheese with a microplane, which gives it a great texture and allows the cheese to melt beautifully into the veggies and sausage.
  • Cut vegetables into roughly equal sizes. This ensures even roasting so there aren’t some under-cooked veggies and some over-cooked.
  • Choose petite baby carrots. For best results on cooking time, make sure to get petite baby carrots; these are quite thin and small and cook up in the recipe’s indicated time.
  • Pick your favorite potatoes. We love baby reds and also love baby Yukon golds in this meal. Use whichever you’d prefer — Yukon golds have a more delicate and buttery flavor while red potatoes are more hearty and savory. Whichever potatoes you use, make sure they are cut small enough to roast in time with everything else.

QUICK TIP

If an extra-large sheet pan isn’t used, the cooking time will be longer than the recipe indicates. When the veggies and sausage have plenty of room to roast, they’ll develop beautiful, caramelized edges and cook faster.

A mouthwatering assortment of vegetables, sausage, and spices in the finished one-pan potatoes and sausage dish, ready to be savored.

More Easy One-Pan Dinners

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One-Pan Potatoes and Sausage

5 from 45 votes
This One-Pan Potatoes and Sausage is a simple sheet pan meal with roasted garlic and herb potatoes, asparagus, carrots, onions, and sausage, all prepared on one sheet pan. It's an easy family-friendly meal.
A mouthwatering assortment of vegetables, sausage, and spices in the finished meal, ready to be savored.
Print Recipe

One-Pan Potatoes and Sausage

A mouthwatering assortment of vegetables, sausage, and spices in the finished meal, ready to be savored.
5 from 45 votes
This One-Pan Potatoes and Sausage is a simple sheet pan meal with roasted garlic and herb potatoes, asparagus, carrots, onions, and sausage, all prepared on one sheet pan. It's an easy family-friendly meal.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword One Pan Potatoes and Sausage
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 323kcal

Equipment

  • 15x21-inch sheet pan (See Note 1)

Ingredients

  • 1 pound baby red potatoes (or baby Yukon gold potatoes)
  • 8 oz. (1/2 of a 16-oz bag) petite baby carrots
  • 1 teaspoon EACH: dried basil, dried thyme, dried oregano, and paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • Fine sea salt and cracked pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil separated
  • 8 oz. (2 cups) asparagus
  • 1/2 large yellow onion
  • 1 package (13 oz.) skinless smoked sausage (we use turkey sausage)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Optional: fresh parsley

Instructions

  • PREP: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a very large sheet pan (15x21-inches) with parchment paper for easier clean-up (optional).
  • POTATOES AND CARROTS: Halve the baby red potatoes (or cube if they are larger). If not using baby potatoes, the potato pieces should be cut to ~1-inch pieces. In a small bowl, mix together all of the seasonings: the dried basil, thyme, oregano, paprika, onion powder, and salt and pepper (I use a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper). Mix together.
  • BAKE: Place the halved red potatoes and baby carrots on the sheet pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil and half of the seasoning mix on top. Toss to combine and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
  • ASPARAGUS, ONION, AND SAUSAGE: Meanwhile, prepare the asparagus by snapping off the ends and cutting into 2-inch pieces. Measure to get 2 cups asparagus. Thinly slice 1/2 of a yellow onion (1/4-inch thick slices). Cut the sausage into 1/2-inch thick coins.
  • ADD TO SHEET PAN: Remove the potatoes and carrots from the oven and using a spatula, push them to one side of the pan. On the other side, add in the chopped asparagus, sliced onion, sausage, and minced garlic. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining seasoning mix. Toss to combine and then toss everything together with the potatoes and carrots. Make sure to space out veggies/sausage; if the ingredients are overlapping, the bake time will be longer and the veggies will steam instead of roast.
  • BAKE AGAIN: Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until veggies are roasted to your desired preference. Top the dish with freshly grated Parmesan and fresh parsley as desired. Enjoy immediately.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Use an extra-large sheet pan. The more space the vegetables and sausage have (the less-crowded they are), the better they roast in the oven. When vegetables are overlapping on a sheet pan, they end up steaming instead of roasting which results in softer, somewhat soggy-tasting veggies. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 838mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 9008IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 287mg | Iron: 3mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

 

Mediterranean Wrap

Make this quick, flavorful, and nutritious Mediterranean Wrap with rotisserie chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, mixed greens, and lots of basil pesto!

Delicious mediterranean wrap cut in half, revealing the beautifully layered contents. Mediterranean Wrap

I know, I know! I just shared a Mediterranean sandwich recipe, but I clearly cannot get enough of these flavors! And you know, I’d say making this wrap is even faster than the sandwich, which is a must-have with the busy back-to-school season. I mentioned in my  BBQ chicken sandwich recipe post that I’d be sharing some of our go-to super-fast meals, and this is one of them.

Although a lot of the ingredients are the same between the sandwich and this wrap, the two taste surprisingly different. Mediterranean Wrap is cold and refreshing with distinguishable feta cheese chunks, as opposed to the toasted sandwich with the melty and gooey feta. My whole family loves this nutritious, feel-good kind of meal! Plus, there is virtually no prep besides the actual assembly: no creamy sauce to whip together and coat everything in (like these chicken salad wraps) and no cooking required.

Spreading cheese on the tortilla, adding mixed greens, chicken, sundried tomatoes, pesto, and feta cheese, folding in the top and bottom, and rolling tightly.

Mediterranean Wrap ingredients

  • Tortillas: Any tortilla or wrap will do, but I love using a spinach or sun-dried tomato tortilla–and the spinach tortilla especially complements the flavor. 
  • Laughing Cow® cheese: These cheese wedges add the perfect creaminess, so there’s no need for mayo or a sauce. However, if you don’t want to use these cheese wedges, I recommend adding a bit of mayo or some avocado. Gotta get that creamy element in!
  • Mixed greens lettuce: Choose whatever lettuce you prefer; Speed up the prep time with pre-cut and pre-washed packaged lettuce! You may want to consider packaged baby spinach.
  • Rotisserie chicken: We love the hot-and-ready rotisserie chickens at the grocery store, and I often shred a couple of them at the beginning of the week. That means I can use shredded chicken in quick recipes all week long.
    • If you’re looking for the fastest-possible prep time, I recommend buying pre-shredded and boned rotisserie chicken meat.  I’ve seen pre-shredded rotisserie chicken meat at Costco®, Smith’s® (Kroger®), Trader Joe’s®, and Walmart®.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes with herbs: These are my current fave sun-dried tomatoes. They’re sliced (julienne cut) and packed with herbs and olive oil. They add a lot to these Mediterranean Wraps while keeping the ingredient list short. 
  • Pesto: True to the quick-prep theme of this recipe, we use store-bought pesto. If you have some homemade pesto lingering in your fridge, though, use that! I highly recommend using freshly made basil pesto, not the preserved or jarred kind. You’ll find it near the fresh (not dried) pasta or in the produce section of the store. My absolute favorite is Rana’s® Basil Pesto.
  • Feta cheese: Crumble it right on top of everything, and the Mediterranean Wrap is ready to be rolled up and devoured!

QUICK TIP

Feta cheese, which originated in Greece, contains sheep or goat milk. It’s naturally lower in calories than most standard cheeses, and is a crumbly, creamy way to add a tangy pop of flavor to many foods!

Stacked halves of mediterranean wraps on a plate, showcasing the delectable ingredients inside.

More sandwich and wrap recipes

QUICK TIP

This recipe makes one Mediterranean Wrap. Increase to as many wraps as you’d like.

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Mediterranean Wrap

5 from 4 votes
Make this quick, flavorful, and nutritious Mediterranean Wrap with rotisserie chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, mixed greens, and lots of basil pesto!
Delicious mediterranean wrap cut in half, revealing the beautifully layered contents.
Print Recipe

Mediterranean Wrap

Delicious mediterranean wrap cut in half, revealing the beautifully layered contents.
5 from 4 votes
Make this quick, flavorful, and nutritious Mediterranean Wrap with rotisserie chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, mixed greens, and lots of basil pesto!
Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course, Sandwich
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword Mediterranean Wrap
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1 wrap
Chelsea Lords
Calories 484kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tortilla wrap (I use spinach wraps)
  • 1 Original Laughing Cow cheese wedge
  • 1/2 cup (loose measure) mixed greens lettuce (or baby spinach)
  • 1/4 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and herbs
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil pesto (we love Rana's)
  • 1-2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

  • ASSEMBLY: Set out the tortilla and spread the Laughing Cow cheese wedge down the center of the tortilla.
  • ASSEMBLY: Slightly to the left of the cheese, add the mixed greens. Top with the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes (add these with a fork to drain out some of the oil), and then spoon and gently spread the pesto on top. Crumble the feta cheese over the pesto.
  • ENJOY: Fold the top and bottom in slightly and then tightly roll up the tortilla. Use a sharp knife to cut the wrap in half and enjoy immediately!

Video

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 1096mg | Potassium: 1400mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 12339IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 302mg | Iron: 5mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

Harvest Vegetables and Sausage

An easy one pan meal -- harvest herb-seasoned sausage and veggies baked together and topped with dried cranberries and pecans. Delicious, hearty, and healthy! Recipe via chelseasmessyapron.com

An easy one-pan meal — Harvest Vegetables and Sausage--is baked in one pan and topped with sweetened dried cranberries and pecans. It’s a delicious, hearty, and nutritious fall-inspired meal.

 

Tray of harvest vegetables and sausage, cooked and seasoned to perfection, ready to serve.

Harvest Vegetables and Sausage

After sharing this One-Pan Sausage and Veggies meal with you all, and then this Italian version of that recipe, I had quite a few requests for a fall-inspired version– and so here it is! Harvest Vegetables and Sausage has all the great attributes you love one-pan meals:

  • Little clean-up: Only one pan is needed for this recipe!
  • Nutritious: Loads of veggies and turkey (or chicken) sausage pack this meal with good-for-you ingredients.
  • Kid-friendly: Yes, not too many kids love steamed Brussels or broccoli, but have they tried them roasted? I know my kids can’t get enough!
  • Plenty of flavor: We aren’t just throwing veggies on a sheet pan, we add tons of flavor with olive oil and an array of delicious fall-inspired seasonings.

Cutting sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and sausage, with seasonings being mixed.

One-Pan Harvest Vegetables and Sausage Tips

  • Use a very large sheet pan. The more space the Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and sausage have, the less crowded everything is and the better everything will roast. When vegetables are overlapping or crowded onto a sheet pan, they end up steaming instead of roasting. This greatly affects the end taste and texture. We use this 15×21-inch sheet pan and I can’t recommend it enough. You’ll get perfectly caramelized roasted veggies every time! See the quick tip below.
  • Add some Parmesan cheese on top for the perfect finishing touch. I recommend grating the Parmesan with a microplane, which gives it a great texture and melts beautifully into the roasted vegetables and sausage. Pecorino Romano is a hard, salty Italian cheese and makes for another great finishing touch. And if you’re craving a creamy element with this meal, check out the “serving suggestions” section below for sauces to add to this meal.
  • Cut vegetables into indicated sizes. Cut veggies evenly to ensure even cooking. The sweet potatoes need to be diced into 1/2-inch sizes and Brussels need to be halved to cook in the right amount of time.

QUICK TIP

If you aren’t using an extra-large sheet pan, you’ll need to increase the cooking time more than the recipe indicates. When the veggies and sausage have plenty of room to roast, they’ll develop beautiful, caramelized edges and cook faster. Use two sheet pans if needed for this recipe.

Ingredients being spread on a sheet pan, seasoned, drizzled with olive oil, and baked.

What type of sausage to use

We love smoked turkey sausage best in Harvest Vegetables and Sausage; turkey sausage keeps this meal on the healthier side, especially when paired with all the veggies. We’ve also used chicken & apple sausage, which works well with the other flavors. Smoked beef sausage also works great in this recipe.

Process shots-- images of Harvest Vegetables and Sausage fresh out of the oven with Parmesan cheese being added on top.

Harvest Vegetables and Sausage Serving Suggestions

  • As is. We love this meal straight from the oven as is! Served this way, it makes a great keto/low-carb dish. 
  • Over a grain. We also like to serve Harvest Vegetables and Sausage over a cooked and seasoned grain such as white rice, brown rice or quinoa. This meal can also be served over cauliflower rice to keep it low carb.
  • With a sauce/dressing. If you’re craving some creaminess or a sauce to go with this meal, I’d recommend a ripe avocado (healthy creaminess), a Dijonaise sauce, maple-Dijon sauce, or a mustard dressing. (See recipes for these sauces below in the “quick tip” section). This copycat Chick-Fil-A sauce would also be delicious!

QUICK TIP

For a quick Dijonaise sauce combine 1/3 cup whole grain Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons Best Foods/Hellman’s® mayo, and 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/8 teaspoon each).

For a quick maple-Dijon sauce combine 3 tablespoons maple syrup and 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/8 teaspoon each).

For a quick mustard dressing combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard (not Dijon), 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I add about 1/4 teaspoon each).

Harvest sausage and vegetables, with a spoonful being scooped up and topped with cheese.

More one-pan meals

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Harvest Vegetables and Sausage

5 from 7 votes
An easy one-pan meal -- Harvest Vegetables and Sausage baked together and topped with dried sweetened cranberries and pecans. A delicious, hearty, and healthy fall-inspired meal.
Tray of harvest vegetables and sausage, cooked and seasoned to perfection, ready to serve.
Print Recipe

Harvest Vegetables and Sausage

Tray of harvest vegetables and sausage, cooked and seasoned to perfection, ready to serve.
5 from 7 votes
An easy one-pan meal -- Harvest Vegetables and Sausage baked together and topped with dried sweetened cranberries and pecans. A delicious, hearty, and healthy fall-inspired meal.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Harvest Vegetables and Sausage
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 864kcal
Cost $5.12

Equipment

  • 15×21 inch sheet pan

Ingredients

  • 13 ounces (368g) smoked sausage (we use smoked turkey sausage or chicken-apple sausage)
  • 4 cups (550g) chopped sweet potatoes (2-4 sweet potatoes)
  • 1 pound (3 cups; 336g) Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
  • 1/4 cup (49g) olive oil
  • 3/4 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Seasoned salt and pepper
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1/3 cup (46g) dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup (36g) dry roasted pecans, coarsely chopped
  • Optional: freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • PREP: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coin the sausage into 1/2-inch thick slices. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes (we want these fairly small so they'll cook in time). Trim the ends off the Brussels and remove any damaged/browned exterior leaves. Slice the Brussels in half. (Quarter extra-large Brussels).
  • SHEET PAN: Add the prepared sausage, sweet potato, and Brussels to the large sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil over everything.
  • SEASONINGS: In a small bowl, combine oregano, thyme, basil, paprika, garlic powder, seasoned salt (I use 1/2 teaspoon -- scale to preference), and cracked pepper (I use 1/2 teaspoon). Sprinkle over the veggies. Stir to generously coat everything in the oil and seasonings. Spread everything out into one even layer (See Note 1).
  • BAKE: Add 3-4 sprigs of rosemary on top and then bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss everything around, and return to the oven to bake for another 10-20 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender.
  • ADD CRANBERRIES AND PECANS: Remove from the oven and toss again. Add in the dried cranberries and coarsely chopped pecans. Discard the sprigs of rosemary. If desired, top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy immediately!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: The more room everything has to roast, the quicker and better they will turn out. If veggies are crowded/overlapping they will steam, not roast, making a huge difference in end flavor.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 864kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 942mg | Potassium: 1505mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 34483IU | Vitamin C: 103mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 6mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

 

Crockpot Cajun Chicken

This simple Crockpot Cajun Chicken is chock full of succulent shredded chicken, a flavor-loaded broth, and plenty of tender veggies. Spoon it all over rice for a hearty and filling meal!

Pair Crockpot Cajun Chicken with a quick and crunchy salad like this cucumber salad or this panzanella salad.

 

Crockpot Cajun Chicken over rice in a bowl, garnished with fresh herbs, ready to be enjoyed.

Crockpot Cajun Chicken

This dish is a little bit of everything — the actual slow-cooked portion is part soup, part stew. And then everything from the slow cooker gets spooned over a bed of cooked rice, making it a thoroughly filling, hearty and warming meal. This dish is pure comfort food, but a meal that you’ll feel good after eating (thanks to all the veggies).

The inspiration for this dish began after a bowl of very nontraditional gumbo my boys and I shared at a local restaurant. The gumbo wasn’t authentic by any means, but it was so delicious. When creating this dish, I kept the ingredients similar — chicken, stewed tomatoes, and lots of veggies in a rich (but not overly heavy) sauce.

After mimicking the overall ingredients, I then simplified the prep to make this meal a simple “dump it and forget about it” process. Thank you, slow cooker!

Crockpot Cajun Chicken couldn’t be easier to assemble. There’s a bit of work involved after everything has slow-cooked, but overall, it’s a fairly simple meal and the perfect kind of cold-weather comfort food.

Combining ingredients in a slow cooker, stirring together before cooking begins.

Crockpot Cajun Chicken ingredients

Add the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook until tender — no other initial preparation is needed! Below I have a few ingredient notes to help you get the best possible flavor and texture.

  • Celery. Slice into 1/4th-inch thick slices.
  • Yellow onion. To avoid chunks of under-cooked or crunchy onions, be sure to dice the onion into small, even pieces. To save prep time. you can buy pre-diced onions in the produce section of the grocery store.
  • Green bell pepper. Dice into 1/4th-inch pieces.
  • Minced garlic. While jarred garlic works, you will get more flavor from fresh. Use a garlic press for ease and quicker prep.
  • Stewed tomatoes. This is arguably the ingredient that makes the biggest difference in this Crockpot Cajun Chicken meal! Get the best-quality tomatoes you can afford; the tomato is really the base of this meal. I like to get stewed tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano already added in which adds loads of flavor (without needing additional seasonings).
  • Chicken. While chicken breasts will work, I highly recommend boneless skinless chicken thighs. The thigh meat becomes exceptionally tender in the slow cooker and shreds quickly and easily.
  • Chicken stock or broth. Good chicken stock will add so much flavor; use homemade if you have it! My personal favorite brand to use in this recipe is Swanson’s® chicken stock (not sponsored).
  • Cajun seasoning. This seasoning can vary a lot from brand to brand. We personally use McCormick’s® Perfect Pinch Cajun or Tony Chachere’s® Original Creole Seasoning (neither sponsored).  You can also make your own Cajun seasoning mix if you’d prefer. (If making your own, only add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon to this dish, not all of the blend you create).
  • Cayenne pepper. A little of this seasoning goes a long way! If you’re worried about spice, I’d recommend either leaving out the cayenne or very gradually adding it in.
  • Bay leaf. Dried bay leaves work great in Crockpot Cajun Chicken; you can find them among other spices and seasonings in the grocery store.

Once everything has cooked to perfection, there’s a bit of prep required before eating. The chicken needs to be shredded, the rice needs to be cooked, and a quick roux gets whipped together and then poured into the slow cooker to thicken everything up and add flavor. I discuss these finishing elements of this dish in the next few paragraphs.

Chicken being lifted from a slow cooker to shred, cream sauce preparation and whisking, and chicken returned to the pot.

Let’s talk roux

Once the slow cooker has finished cooking everything, we add a roux to the mix. The roux is essentially just a thickened sauce of melted butter and flour. 

There’s not a whole lot of it, but it gives the meal a nice creaminess, thickness, and overall enhanced flavor.

Here’s a great step-by-step guide to making the roux. That guide includes pictures, so you can choose how dark and flavorful you’d like the roux to be. A traditional gumbo recipe will use a dark roux, whereas we like to keep it on the lighter side for this particular meal. 

QUICK TIP

Once the roux is finished, you can pour it into the slow cooker and then use the same pot to make the rice if you’re looking to save on dirty dishes–and aren’t we all?

The rice

Despite my best efforts to get the rice to cook alongside everything else in the slow cooker, I never did have success. The rice did not cook evenly (some rice grains bloated while other grains remained hard). Overall, the texture wasn’t ideal, so I do recommend cooking the rice separately from the slow cooker.

While rice can sometimes take upwards of 20-25 minutes to make, I have a short-cut method for foolproof delicious rice every time (the one catch is you’ll need to use basmati rice); here’s how:

  • Measure the basmati rice and rinse it in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear.
  • Place that rice in a bowl and cover it with water to soak for about 5-10 minutes (just until the water is boiling).
  • While the rice is soaking, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
  • Once the water is at a rolling boil, drain the rice and add it to the pot.
  • Cook without reducing the heat, for 5 minutes (taste and test to make sure it is tender, if not add another 1-2 minutes) and then drain and fluff with a fork.

You’ll love the texture of this rice and how easy it is to whip together!

Cajun crockpot chicken complete, with vegetables and rich flavors, in a bowl ready for consumption.

Crockpot Cajun Chicken Storage

Crockpot Cajun Chicken stores beautifully for 4-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. We prefer to store the chicken mixture separate from the rice and combine the two right before eating.

Warm the chicken gently over low to medium-low heat to avoid the sauce breaking. Because of the added roux, this dish doesn’t stand up well to freezing and thawing; the sauce tends to break upon being thawed.

More delicious slow cooker recipes

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Crockpot Cajun Chicken

5 from 9 votes
This simple Crockpot Cajun Chicken is full of succulent shredded chicken, a flavor-loaded broth, and plenty of tender veggies. Spoon it all over rice for a hearty and filling meal!
Cajun crockpot chicken complete, with vegetables and rich flavors, in a bowl ready for consumption.
Print Recipe

Crockpot Cajun Chicken

Cajun crockpot chicken complete, with vegetables and rich flavors, in a bowl ready for consumption.
5 from 9 votes
This simple Crockpot Cajun Chicken is full of succulent shredded chicken, a flavor-loaded broth, and plenty of tender veggies. Spoon it all over rice for a hearty and filling meal!
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword crockpot cajun chicken
Prep Time 25 minutes
5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 25 minutes
Servings 6 -8 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 409kcal
Cost $6.92

Ingredients

Crockpot

  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery (~2-3 stalks)
  • 1 cup finely diced yellow onion (~1 onion)
  • 1 cup green bell pepper (~1 pepper)
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (~4 cloves)
  • 2 cans (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes (I use stewed tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano.)
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (breasts will also work, but we prefer thighs)
  • 2 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 1/2 to 1 full tablespoon Cajun seasoning (See Note 1)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper

Add later

  • 1 cup white basmati rice (See Note 2)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 5 tablespoons white, all-purpose flour
  • Green onions optional

Instructions

  • PREP: Prepare the veggies (or buy pre-chopped veggies for an even quicker prep). Slice the celery into 1/4th-inch thick pieces. Very finely dice the onion. Cut the bell pepper into 1/4th-inch pieces. Finely mince the garlic. Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs.
  • CROCKPOT: Add everything to the slow cooker: the trimmed chicken thighs, sliced celery, diced onion, diced pepper, minced garlic, both cans of undrained stewed tomatoes, chicken stock, Cajun seasoning, ground cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I typically add 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Stir everything together.
  • COOK: Cook on low for 5-8 hours or on high for 3-5 hours, until the chicken easily shreds. Every slow cooker cooks a bit differently so watch yours carefully! Avoid opening the slow cooker more than needed, as it takes a while for everything to return to temperature.
  • CHICKEN: Once everything is cooked, use tongs to remove the chicken thighs to a bowl. Use two forks to shred.
  • ROUX: About 30 minutes before serving, place a pot on the stovetop and heat the pot to medium-high heat. Add the butter and whisk until completely melted and frothy. Briskly whisk in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, adding slowly. Whisk until smooth in between each flour addition.
  • ROUX CONT.: Whisk constantly until a creamy mixture forms (if it clumps you'll need to start again). Lower the heat and allow to slightly thicken and then remove from heat. Carefully pour it into the slow cooker (it sizzles when added, so be careful!) Gently stir the roux into the chicken-veggie mixture.
  • FINISHING CROCKPOT: Add the chicken back into the slow cooker. Stir, taste and adjust the dish to personal preference, adding more salt and pepper as needed and/or additional Cajun seasoning. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
  • RICE: (you can use the same pot here as the roux to save on dishes!) Cook rice according to package directions or follow my foolproof method for cooking rice in a fraction of the time! See Note 2.
  • SERVING: Divide rice evenly among bowls. Spoon the slow cooker mixture on top and stir the two together. If desired, add some chopped green onions to each bowl. Enjoy!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: I use McCormick  Cajun seasoning, which is a little milder than others I've used, but add slowly and to taste preference. We like to add a full tablespoon, but you may like less or more. Always start with less and add more at the end! If you're worried about spice, leave out the cayenne pepper and start with 1-2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning.
Note 2: Here's a short-cut method for foolproof delicious rice every time (the one catch is you'll need to use basmati rice).
  • Measure the basmati rice and rinse it in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear.
  • Place that rice in a bowl and cover it with water to soak for about 5-10 minutes (just until the water is boiling).
  • While the rice is soaking, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
  • Once the water is at a rolling boil, drain the rice and add it to the pot.
  • Cook without reducing the heat, for 5 minutes (taste and test to make sure it is tender, if not add another 1-2 minutes) and then drain and fluff with a fork.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 518mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 831IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

A very simple crockpot cajun chicken and vegetable dish. Serve it over rice for a delicious meal!

Chicken Sweet Potato Soup

You won’t believe how easily this Chicken Sweet Potato Soup comes together! Throw everything into a slow cooker and be rewarded with a comforting and nutritious meal. This soup is loaded with good-for-you and tasty ingredients: succulent shredded chicken, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, tender sweet potatoes, savory black beans and chewy quinoa.

Pair this hearty soup with some crusty bread or crushed chips and this simple kale salad recipe!

 

A bowl filled with chicken sweet potato soup, a healthy and hearty meal that's warm and full of flavor.

Chicken Sweet Potato Soup

 I love a hearty slow cooker meal and creamy soups are my ideal comfort food, but you don’t see very many healthy, broth-based, slow-cooked soup recipes on the internet.

And this is where Chicken Sweet Potato Soup comes in! Not only is it a very healthy soup, but it’s also broth based. And best of all, it’s anything but bland! This soup bursts with texture and flavor. It has plenty of protein, thanks to the black beans, quinoa, and chicken, and the tomatoes and sweet potatoes provide lots of veggies. Seasoning the soup with a chili seasoning mix means this soup is prepped in nothing flat. Seriously, you won’t believe how quickly this meal is ready to eat!

All the ingredients being added to the slow cooker to cook on high, and cooked meat being shredded and added back in.

Chicken Sweet Potato Soup notes

  • Chicken: Originally this recipe called for chicken breasts and they work great in this soup. However, lately, we’ve been into boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The meat is extremely tender, easier to shred and more forgiving (meat doesn’t dry out) if the soup cooks all day.
  • Rinse: Make sure to rinse the quinoa before adding it to the slow cooker. Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin which can make it taste bitter. Pour the uncooked quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water thoroughly for 30 to 60 seconds to remove any bitterness.
  • Cook time: As quinoa cooks, it expands and “pops” into the tender grain it’s meant to be–kind of like popcorn. That said, as quinoa continues to cook, it will keep absorbing liquid. The quinoa becomes mushy and soaks up so much liquid that this soup is more of a stew consistency than a soup. Tested in our slow cookers, this soup is done around 3-1/2 hours to 4 hours. If your cooker runs hot, it could be done even quicker than that.
  • High heat: I haven’t had much success cooking this soup on the low setting. The quinoa doesn’t cook evenly and takes on too much liquid. The sweet potatoes and black beans also tend to get too soft.
  • Small pieces: In order for the sweet potatoes to be cooked through in time, they need to be diced to 1/2-inch size. The smaller size means these dense vegetables will be as tender as everything else.
  • Spice levels: This soup can be mild or downright spicy, depending on the ingredients used. As written, I’d say this recipe is extremely mild. To add some heat, add in 1-2 tablespoons diced jalapeños and stir in some extra chili powder.
  • Seasoning: As with all recipes, salt and pepper can make or break the dish. If you feel the soup is missing anything, add a pinch or two of salt and pepper, taste, and continue to add until the flavors sing. (More tips for seasoning soup here.)

Homemade Chili Seasoning

We shorten prep time by using a packet of chili seasoning. I’ve tried a lot of chili seasoning packets in this soup and highly recommend McCormick’s® Chili Seasoning packet (not sponsored). Some chili seasoning packets can lack a lot of flavor and result in a less flavorful chicken sweet potato soup. This is a case where it pays to buy the national brand!

Of course, homemade is always best, so if you prefer to add your own seasoning blend to this soup, here are the ratios I recommend:

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder (McCormick is very mild)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon roasted garlic powder
  • Optional: 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add slowly; cayenne pepper adds a lot of spice!) Alternatively, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes could be used.
  • Salt and pepper to taste (I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper)

QUICK TIP

Looking to save even more time on the prep? Buy pre-diced sweet potatoes. Many stores sell peeled and diced sweet potatoes in the produce section of the grocery store.

A bowl of sweet potato chicken soup, topped with fresh herbs and avocados, ready to be enjoyed as a delicious and wholesome meal.

Toppings

While this soup is great as is, toppings add a lot of flavor and texture to this soup. Here are our favorite additions:

  • Sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese. We like to grate the cheese right onto each bowl and let it melt for a minute before stirring it throughout the soup.
  • Ripe avocado or guacamole. For an additional element of creaminess, we love a ripe avocado sliced on top. Not sure about avocado, but still want a creamy element? Try plain Greek yogurt or sour cream!
  • Fresh lime juice. A few squeezes of fresh lime heighten all the flavors in this soup and add a burst of brightness.
  • Chips. Crushed tortilla chips (or strips) add a nice crunch to Chicken Sweet Potato Soup.
  • Fresh cilantro. If you’re a cilantro fan, you’ll love how this herb adds freshness and a nice citrusy flavor. And if you’re not big on cilantro, try adding chopped parsley instead.

More quinoa recipes

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Chicken Sweet Potato Soup

4.80 from 85 votes
You won't believe how easily this Chicken Sweet Potato Soup comes together. Add everything to a slow cooker and be rewarded with a comforting and nutritious meal! This soup is loaded with good-for-you and tasty ingredients: succulent shredded chicken, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, tender sweet potatoes, savory black beans, and chewy quinoa.
A bowl filled with chicken sweet potato soup, a healthy and hearty meal that's warm and full of flavor.
Print Recipe

Chicken Sweet Potato Soup

A bowl filled with chicken sweet potato soup, a healthy and hearty meal that's warm and full of flavor.
4.80 from 85 votes
You won't believe how easily this Chicken Sweet Potato Soup comes together. Add everything to a slow cooker and be rewarded with a comforting and nutritious meal! This soup is loaded with good-for-you and tasty ingredients: succulent shredded chicken, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, tender sweet potatoes, savory black beans, and chewy quinoa.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken Sweet Potato Soup
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 404kcal
Cost $6.59

Ingredients

  • 1 and 1/2 pounds (24 oz. 679g) boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup (181g) quinoa
  • 3 and 1/2 cups (1004g) diced sweet potatoes (~2-3 large sweet potatoes)
  • 1 can (15.25 oz., 432g) black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (14.25 oz.; 411g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 packet (1.25 oz.; 35g) chili seasoning mix (See Note 1)
  • 5 cups (1160g) chicken broth or stock
  • Optional: fresh cilantro or parsley
  • Optional toppings: tortilla strips, sharp cheddar cheese, fresh lime, sour cream, diced avocado

Instructions

  • PREP: Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray. Remove the fat from the chicken breasts or thighs. If using large chicken breasts, cut them into 3-4 pieces so they'll cook more evenly. Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes into small 1/2-inch cubes.
  • ADD TO CROCKPOT: Add the chicken thighs or cut chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Add the rinsed quinoa (See Note 2), diced sweet potatoes, drained and rinsed black beans, undrained diced tomatoes, minced garlic, packet of chili seasoning, and chicken broth or stock to the slow cooker.
  • COOK: Cover and cook on high for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours (See Note 3)
  • SHRED CHICKEN: Using tongs, remove the chicken to a small bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken and then return to the slow cooker. Taste the soup and adjust for seasonings; I typically add an additional 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper here, but add until the flavors sing.
  • SERVE: Ladle soup into bowls and top with your favorite toppings. I love fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, and ripe avocado. My boys love sour cream and lots of Cheddar cheese.
  • STORAGE: The quinoa continues to absorb liquid making it a thick stew, so if you store leftovers, add broth when reheating to keep the soup consistency.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: We love McCormick's chili seasoning packet. Cheaper packets have resulted in a bland soup. Of course, you can always make your own chili seasoning blend; check out the post for a homemade chili seasoning recipe. Don't forget to taste the soup several times at the end to adjust for needed salt and pepper. If it tastes bland, that might be all you're missing!
Note 2: Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin which can make it taste bitter. Pour the uncooked quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water thoroughly for 30 seconds to one minute.
Note 3:  I haven't had much success cooking this soup on the low setting. The quinoa does not cook evenly and takes on too much liquid. The sweet potatoes and beans also become too soft. Watch carefully to avoid the quinoa taking on too much liquid and becoming bloated. As soon as the quinoa has popped and chicken shreds, it's ready!

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 931mg | Potassium: 1264mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 19696IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 3mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

 

The Best Simple Thanksgiving Dressing

The ultimate BEST EVER simple (and you can make ahead!) Thanksgiving dressing! via chelseasmessyapron.com #thanksgiving #dressing #easy #dinner #fall #bread #quick #makeahead

A delicious Thanksgiving Dressing with thick, crusty sourdough, a winning combination of fresh herbs, and aromatics sautéed in butter. I’m a huge believer in less is more for dressing, and this recipe definitely delivers. Simple, high-quality ingredients with fresh herbs make for the best dressing.

As you plan your Thanksgiving menu, this simple Thanksgiving Dressing is a must-have on the table! We love Wild Rice Salad, these Crockpot Potatoes Au Gratin, Roasted Vegetables, and a Crockpot Turkey to go along with it!

 

Casserole dish filled with delicious Thanksgiving dressing, warm and ready to be served.

Thanksgiving Dressing

Thanksgiving Dressing (or stuffing, if you put it in the turkey) is a must-have for Thanksgiving dinner. There are so many different ways to make dressing — stuffing it in the turkey, baking it up to a firm consistency in a casserole dish, adding eggs to give it a more “light and airy” consistency, and others. Some dressings are loaded with tons of ingredients (mushrooms, wild rice, dried fruit, etc.) while others keep the ingredient list simple.

The way I make Thanksgiving Dressing comes from the way my family made it growing up. We baked it in a dish and the consistency was medium-firm. The ingredients were simple, the herbs fresh, and the bread was always sourdough.

While this recipe doesn’t require lots of ingredients, the taste is anything but simple. It has always been wildly popular with Thanksgiving guests; in fact, I’m not allowed to show up to a Thanksgiving dinner without it.

How do you make homemade Thanksgiving dressing?

  • Bake the bread. Take a loaf of day-old bread and cut it into equal-sized 1-inch pieces, then bake the pieces on a low-heat temperature to dry the bread out as much as possible. The secret to avoiding soggy dressing is to use very dry, stale bread.
    • If you don’t have stale bread in your kitchen, first give yourself a pat on the back for managing your bread inventory better than me, and second, don’t worry! As long as it is given enough time in the oven to dry out, it will work great.
  • Sauté aromatics. While the bread is drying,  saute the onions, celery, and garlic in melted butter. The goal is to make them as tender and flavorful as possible so take your time. Low heat, frequent stirring, and a good 10-15 minutes and they’ll be perfect! Then add in the herbs to give this dressing an amazing depth of flavor.
  • Toss with eggs and chicken stock. Once the bread and onion/celery/herb mixture are ready, toss the ingredients together with good-quality chicken stock and eggs. 
  • Bake. Transfer the mixture to a pan and bake until lightly browned and crispy on top. Enjoy hot out of the oven with all your other favorite Thanksgiving dishes!

Bread baking in the oven to dry out while butter, veggies, and herbs are being cooked in a pot.

Thanksgiving Dressing Tips

  • Use room-temperature eggs. This ensures the eggs disperse more evenly into the mixture and won’t being to cook early. Soaking refrigerated eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for about 10 minutes is a quick way to do this.
  • Whisk the eggs first. Instead of just adding the eggs by themselves to the dressing, you’ll want to whisk them thoroughly with the chicken stock first. This ensures even coverage of the eggs throughout the dressing without too much stirring and tossing of ingredients– which will break down the bread.
  • Choose unsalted butter. There is a lot of butter (so you know this is going to be good!), but this Thanksgiving Dressing will end up too salty if you use salted butter. Choose unsalted so you can perfectly control the seasoning.
  • Chop flat-leaf Italian parsley (as opposed to curly parsley). Flat-leaf parsley has a more robust flavor and curly parsley is used more commonly as a garnish or decoration for food. We want the intense flavor of parsley in this Thanksgiving dressing.

Fresh herbs

Buying individual packages of each of the fresh herbs called for in this recipe can be pretty costly. Around Thanksgiving time, a lot of grocery stores offer a fresh “poultry” herb blend that you can pick instead. It usually has rosemary, sage and thyme. This leaves just parsley and fresh oregano to buy.

QUICK TIP

If you don’t want to buy an entire package of oregano just for this recipe, use 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano instead or simply leave it out.

Egg and broth mixture being combined with cooked veggies, followed by adding bread for the Thanksgiving dressing recipe.

How long do you cook homemade Thanksgiving dressing?

Homemade Thanksgiving Dressing does cook for a while. This particular recipe requires well over an hour of cooking time, so you’ll want to plan in advance if you have limited oven space.

To cut down on oven time, you can dry out the bread (in the oven) in the morning or even the day before.

Can you make the dressing ahead of time?

Yes! This Thanksgiving Dressing a great recipe to make in advance. To do this, completely assemble the ingredients according to the recipe right up until baking it. Instead of baking, cover the casserole dish tightly and refrigerate. The next day, remove the dressing from the fridge, allow it to come to room temperature and bake in a preheated oven. You may need to add some additional baking time to the dressing.

I wouldn’t recommend making this Thanksgiving dressing more than 1 day in advance.

A spoon scooping out some of the finished side dish, unveiling its delicious interior and texture.

Dressing or Stuffing?

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, dressing is served on the side and stuffing is stuffed inside the turkey–makes sense, right? But beyond that, there’s another thing to keep in mind about dressing versus stuffing. When you cook the stuffing inside the turkey, the potential for salmonella contamination is greater. According to the Center for Disease Control, stuffing is porous, and during the cooking process, juices from the turkey that may contain bacteria drip down and are absorbed by the stuffing. If you do cook stuffing inside the turkey, when checking the temperature, you need to also check the temperature of the stuffing, which needs to be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Any stuffing that contains meat juices must be cooked to the same minimum internal temperature as the meat itself in order to ensure any bacteria is killed during the cooking process. That’s one more reason to opt for dressing (like this Thanksgiving dressing) instead of stuffing!

More Thanksgiving side dishes

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Thanksgiving Dressing

4.58 from 7 votes
A delicious Thanksgiving Dressing with thick, crusty sourdough, a winning combination of fresh herbs, and aromatics sautéed in butter. I'm a huge believer in less is more for Thanksgiving dressing, and this recipe definitely delivers. Simple, high-quality ingredients with fresh herbs makes for the best dressing.
A spoon scooping out some of the finished side dish, unveiling its delicious interior and texture.
Print Recipe

Thanksgiving Dressing

A spoon scooping out some of the finished side dish, unveiling its delicious interior and texture.
4.58 from 7 votes
A delicious Thanksgiving Dressing with thick, crusty sourdough, a winning combination of fresh herbs, and aromatics sautéed in butter. I'm a huge believer in less is more for Thanksgiving dressing, and this recipe definitely delivers. Simple, high-quality ingredients with fresh herbs makes for the best dressing.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, thanksgiving
Keyword thanksgiving dressing
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12 -16 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 674kcal
Cost $6.81

Ingredients

  • 11 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 10 cups good quality, day-old white bread (we love sourdough best), cut into 1-inch wide by 1/2-inch thick cubes
  • 2 medium yellow onions diced (~2 and 1/2 cups)
  • 6-8 stalks celery thinly sliced (~1 and 1/3 cups)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley finely diced
  • 1 package fresh poultry herb blend mix (by other packaged fresh herbs in the refrigerated produce section of the grocery store or See Note 1 for individual herbs needed)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano finely diced (or use 1/4 teaspoon dried)
  • Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
  • 2 and 1/2 cups high quality (low sodium) chicken stock
  • 2 large eggs

Instructions

  • PREP: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
  • DRY OUT BREAD: Cut the bread into equal one-inch pieces and place in one layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, stirring the bread cubes every 15 minutes, or until completely dried out. Set aside to let the bread cool. Now increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
  • BUTTER AND VEGGIES: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions, celery, and garlic. Stir often until just beginning to lightly brown and the ingredients have become tender-- about 10-15 minutes. Prepare all the herbs by chopping finely. Once the veggies are tender, stir in all of the herbs: 2 tablespoons sage, 1 tablespoon rosemary, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons thyme, and 1 teaspoon fresh oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1 teaspoon pepper). Remove pot from heat and allow to cool until warm.
  • EGGS AND STOCK: In a separate bowl, add the eggs and whisk with a fork. Stir in the chicken stock until combined. Pour this mixture into the pot with the veggies and herbs (make sure the pot isn't super hot or it will scramble the egg mixture; pot should be warm or room temperature). Very gently stir everything to combine. Pour the toasted bread cubes into the pot and gently mix until bread is well coated.
  • BAKE: Gently transfer this mixture to the prepared 9x13-inch baking dish and press into one even layer. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until browned and crisp on top. Remove and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: I buy 1 package of fresh poultry blend which has sage, thyme, and rosemary. You'll want to have a total of 2 tablespoons fresh sage, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme, and 1 tablespoon rosemary. 
Prep ahead: Bread cubes can be baked up to 1 day in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Make ahead: Completely assemble the ingredients according to the recipe right up until baking it. Instead of baking, cover the casserole dish tightly and refrigerate. The next day, remove the dressing from the fridge, allow it to come to room temperature and bake in a preheated oven. You may need to add some additional baking time to the dressing. I wouldn't recommend making this Thanksgiving dressing more than 1 day in advance.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 674kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 1129mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1304IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 308mg | Iron: 8mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

 

Easy Zuppa Toscana

A copycat of the famous Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana soup made in 20 minutes or less. via chelseasmessyapron.com

Easy Zuppa Toscana is a simplified version of the famous Olive Garden recipe – made in just 20 minutes or less.

Pair this soup with Italian Bruschetta and a Italian Salad for a complete Italian-inspired meal.

A bowl of easy Zuppa Toscana soup topped with fresh herbs.

Easy Zuppa Toscana

Inspired by the popular 20-minute Chicken Parmesan Soup and Chicken Tortilla Soup, I’m introducing an Easy Zuppa Toscana, ready in just 20 minutes. This quick and effortless recipe delivers all the traditional flavors using time-saving tips and tricks.

Sausage being browned, bacon being added and cooked, then both added to the soup pot.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil is used for sautéing onions and garlic, and browning sausage.
  • Onion and garlic add foundational flavors in this Easy Zuppa Toscana.
  • Italian sausage provides the main protein and savory taste.
  • Red pepper flakes and fennel seeds add heat and aroma.
  • Salt and pepper season the dish.
  • Diced hashbrowns act as a hearty, starchy base.
  • Chicken stock forms the soup’s liquid base.
  • Bacon adds a smoky, rich flavor.
  • Kale introduces a leafy, nutritious element.
  • Heavy whipping cream creates a creamy texture.
  • Optional Parmesan cheese offers a salty, umami finish to your easy Zuppa Toscana.

"Ingredients being added to the pot and mixed together to create a delicious dish.

How To Make Easy Zuppa Toscana

  1. Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot, heat olive oil and sauté diced onion and minced garlic.
  2. Cook Sausage: In a skillet, brown Italian sausage with red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Add bacon to the skillet and cook until crispy.
  3. Simmer Potatoes: Add diced hashbrowns and chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender.
  4. Combine Ingredients: Transfer cooked sausage and chopped bacon to the pot. Add kale and heavy cream. Stir well.
  5. Season and Serve: Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with optional Parmesan cheese and remaining bacon.

A bowl of the best easy Zuppa Toscana recipe, full of flavor and hearty ingredients, warm and ready to serve.

STORAGE

Storage

  • Storage Tips: Avoid freezing this Easy Zuppa Toscana due to the heavy cream, which can cause a grainy texture upon thawing, and hashbrowns that may become mushy.
  • For reheating, gently warm the soup in a pot, stirring often, without boiling to prevent ingredient separation.

More Popular Soup Recipes

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Easy Zuppa Toscana

5 from 8 votes
Easy Zuppa Toscana is a simplified version of the famous Olive Garden recipe - made in just 20 minutes or less.
A bowl of easy Zuppa Toscana soup topped with fresh herbs.
Print Recipe

Easy Zuppa Toscana

A bowl of easy Zuppa Toscana soup topped with fresh herbs.
5 from 8 votes
Easy Zuppa Toscana is a simplified version of the famous Olive Garden recipe - made in just 20 minutes or less.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword Easy Zuppa Toscana
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 420kcal
Cost $6.89

Ingredients

  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 cup pre-diced yellow onion*
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 pound Italian sausage fresh, not smoked
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 package (32 ounces) frozen diced hashbrowns (just plain potatoes, no added ingredients)
  • 2 containers (32 ounces EACH) chicken stock
  • 5 slices bacon (See Note 1)
  • 1-2 cups pre-chopped packaged kale
  • 1 and 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
  • Optional: freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • PREP: Set a large stockpot and a large skillet on the stove top.
  • POT: Starting with the stockpot, heat over medium-high heat and add in 1 tablespoon olive oil, the pre-chopped onion, and minced garlic. Saute, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes. Increase heat to high, add in the diced hash browns and give them a quick stir (1 minute). Pour in all of the broth. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, cook just until the hash browns are fork tender (~3-5 minutes; basically as soon as your sausage is browned and bacon is crispy!). Once hash browns are tender, remove the lid and reduce the heat to a simmer.
  • SKILLET: Meanwhile, in the large skillet, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, the sausage, red pepper flakes, fennel, salt and pepper (to taste; I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper) over medium heat. Begin to brown the sausage and break it up (~4 minutes). Before it's cooked through, press the sausage to one side of the skillet and add the bacon slices (See Note 1) to the other side of the skillet. Continue to cook and break up the sausage until no longer pink and flip the bacon as needed.
  • BACON: Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined-plate. Coarsely chop or crumble the bacon.
  • FINISHING: Drain the sausage and add to the stockpot, along with the kale and heavy cream. Stir to combine. Add in half the bacon. Taste and adjust seasonings to preference (more red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, etc.).
  • SERVE: Ladle out soup and serve individual bowls topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and remaining bacon. Enjoy!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Alternatively, use pre-cooked bacon (microwaveable). Microwave the bacon and then coarsely chop. This saves some mess and a few minutes of prep time.
*The 20-minute prep time is dependent upon buying and using the listed ingredients -- prepared onions and pre-minced garlic, the frozen hashbrowns, and pre-shredded kale (grocery stores generally have a large bag of pre-shredded kale for super cheap).

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 526mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1420IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

 

Pumpkin Bread

This is the best-ever, tested-to-perfection, made-from-scratch Pumpkin Bread. It includes options for adding chocolate chips, or nuts and can be made as mini or full-sized loaves.

In the mood for some cozy Fall baking? Try our frosted Pumpkin Bars, crunchy Pumpkin Granola, or cozy Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal!

A loaf of the delicious pumpkin bread, with half sliced into individual pieces, ready to enjoy.

The Best Pumpkin Bread

I’m excited to introduce our fool-proof Pumpkin Bread. After refining this recipe every fall (along with these Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies), it’s finally ready. The secret? Premium pumpkin, the ideal blend of spices, and a delectable brown-sugar topping that creates an irresistible crust. 

Familiar with Starbucks’ Pumpkin Bread? Our homemade take is inspired by their incredible loaf, but we dare say, this recipe might just surpass it!

Mixing wet and dry components for the delicious pumpkin bread recipe.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe Ingredients

  1. Unsalted butter: Adds moisture and flavor.
  2. All-purpose flour: Gives structure.
  3. Baking agents and salt: Aid rise and flavor.
  4. Spices: Provide warm, comforting flavors.
  5. Oil: Ensures moisture and softness.
  6. Brown sugar: Sweetens and adds density.
  7. Pumpkin puree: Delivers moisture and color.
  8. Eggs: Binds and add structure.
  9. Vanilla extract: Boosts flavor.

Not only is this bread amazing, but it’s also super simple to make. 

Mixing the batter, pouring it into a loaf pan, and topping it with brown sugar.

How To Make Pumpkin Bread

  • Preheat oven as per the recipe’s instructions and prep a bread pan.
  • In a large bowl, mix wet ingredients: pumpkin puree, brown sugar, melted butter, and oil. Add eggs and vanilla.
  • In another bowl, whisk dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
  • Combine wet and dry and mix gently.
  • Pour batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with additional brown sugar.
  • Bake as directed until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool, then enjoy!

QUICK TIP

In this recipe, we use plain canned pumpkin puree, which is just cooked pumpkin. Don’t use pumpkin pie filling since it has spices, water, and sweeteners added. Unlike some recipes that use a whole can, we only need 1 cup of pumpkin for this one. Read more about the differences here.

The finished dessert loaf, full of flavor and warmth, ready to be enjoyed.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Making Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread is simple. Just add up to 1 cup of chocolate chips to the dry ingredients of your pumpkin bread recipe. We also have these delicious Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins to try next!

In just this easy step, you elevate your classic pumpkin bread with delicious chocolatey goodness. 

Or, if you’d like to have a buttery-sweet streusel on top, try our Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping. To make miniature loaves, generously grease and flour three of these Mini Loaf Pans. Divide the batter evenly among the pans and bake for 35-40 minutes.

A single slice of the loaf, showcasing the delicious and fluffy interior.

STORAGE

Storage Instructions

  • At Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days. After this, it risks molding due to its moistness.
  • Refrigeration: After 2 days at room temperature, refrigerate to extend freshness. Warm slices for 5-10 seconds in the microwave before eating.
  • Freezing:
    1. Let freshly baked bread cool completely.
    2. Slice the bread.
    3. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight bag or container.
    4. Freeze for up to 3 months. Slices thaw within an hour at room temperature or take a bit longer in the fridge.

More Amazing Pumpkin Treats

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Pumpkin Bread

5 from 8 votes
This is the best-ever, tested-to-perfection, made-from-scratch Pumpkin Bread. Plus: directions for adding chocolate or nuts to the pumpkin bread AND instructions for converting this bread into miniature or full-sized loaves. 
A single slice of the loaf, showcasing the delicious and fluffy interior.
Print Recipe

Pumpkin Bread

A single slice of the loaf, showcasing the delicious and fluffy interior.
5 from 8 votes
This is the best-ever, tested-to-perfection, made-from-scratch Pumpkin Bread. Plus: directions for adding chocolate or nuts to the pumpkin bread AND instructions for converting this bread into miniature or full-sized loaves. 
Course Dessert, Snack, Vegetarian
Cuisine American
Keyword pumpkin bread
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 12 slices
Chelsea Lords
Calories 349kcal
Cost $4.74

Equipment

  • 9-inch bread pan or 3 mini loaf pans
  • Cooking Spray

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose, white flour
  • 1 teaspoon each: baking powder, baking soda, & fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon each: ground cinnamon & pumpkin pie spice (Note 1)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted & cooled to room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 cup light or dark brown sugar, gently packed
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (Note 2)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Optional bread topping: 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions

  • PREP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt 4 tbsp of butter in microwave and let it cool to room temperature. Pull out eggs to get to room temperature.
    Generously grease and flour one 9-inch (1 lb) Loaf Pan OR 3 Mini Loaf Pans tapping out excess flour, then set aside.
  • DRY INGREDIENTS: In a large bowl, add dry ingredients. Whisk to combine.
  • WET INGREDIENTS: In a separate bowl, add wet ingredients. Briskly whisk until smooth.
  • COMBINE: Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Use a spatula to scrape all of the dough into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top. Gently sprinkle 2 tablespoons brown sugar evenly over top of the loaf.
  • BAKE: Bake for 50-65 minutes (or the mini loaves for 35-40 minutes) until a toothpick in the center emerges clean or with few moist crumbs. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Wait for it to cool fully before slicing with a sharp serrated knife.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Pumpkin Pie Spice: This blend consists of warming spices. It's available in the spice section of many grocery stores, or you can create your own using our Pumpkin Pie Spice recipe.
Note 2: Pumpkin: Be sure to use pure canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling. Note we're only using 1 cup pumpkin not the entire can!
Note: Nutritional information is calculated for one full-sized slice.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 3245IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

This is the best-ever, tested-to-perfection, made-from-scratch, moist pumpkin bread. Directions for miniature or full sized loaves of bread. The miniature loaves are great for holiday gift-giving! | chelseasmessyapron.com | #pumpkin #bread #best #ever #mini #miniature #chocolatechips #fall #baking #thanksgiving #easy #quick #recipe #kidfriendly

One Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies

ONE PAN Healthy Italian Sausage & Veggies! Easy and delicious! Great MEAL PREP OPTION! via chelseasmessyapron.com

 OnePan Italian Sausage and Veggies is loaded with nutritious and good-for-you ingredients. Smoked sausage with zucchini, carrots, red peppers, potatoes, broccoli and an Italian-inspired seasoning blend. Top with some Parmesan cheese and herbs for a filling, simple, nutritious meal.

Pair this hearty dinner with fruit salad recipe, Olive Garden salad, or easy panzanella salad.

 

A tray featuring the perfectly cooked and seasoned one pan Italian sausage and veggies recipe, where all the flavors come together to create the perfect combination of flavor and texture.

One-Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies

Say hello to our go-to easy weeknight dinner! After sharing this one pan sausage & veggies meal with you all, I knew an Italian-inspired version was in order! So here it is in all its glory. And to say we’re obsessed would be an understatement!

This dish is quick and easy to make, nutritious, loaded with good ingredients, and super tasty. The whole family loves it.

It’s also highly customizable — more on this below!

Vegetables including zucchini, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and sliced sausage, alongside a bowl of mixed seasonings, all set for preparing the one-pan Italian sausage and veggies dish.

Variation ideas

This dish is very forgiving and can easily be customized to fit your personal preferences or needs. Below are some variation options:

  • Sausage: We love smoked turkey sausage best in this One-Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies meal. We’ve also used Italian-flavored chicken sausage and thoroughly enjoy that. Smoked beef sausage also works great in this meal.
  • Veggies: Use whatever veggies you like best, but keep in mind that root veggies typically take longer to bake. Because of that, you’ll want to cut them especially small so they’ll cook at the same rate as the other veggies. Some other options that would work great in One-Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies are cauliflower, brussels sprouts, green bell pepper, summer squash and cherry tomatoes.
  • Swap potatoes: We love baby red potatoes, but baby gold (Yukon) potatoes are another favorite and work well in this meal.
  • Add some heat: If you like a hit of spice, increase the amount of red pepper flakes or sprinkle red pepper flakes on individual plates. 
  • Add a sauce: While we love this dish as is, if you’d like some sort of sauce, I’d recommend a good basil pesto, creamy cilantro sauce (like the one on these shrimp tacos) or a homemade chimichurri

QUICK TIP

If you are on the Whole 30 meal plan, there are several types of sausage that fit into the guidelines. To read about what, why and how of Whole 30 and sausages, read this article! Also if you’re doing Whole 30, skip the dairy options.

All the prepped veggies on a sheet pan, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned, mixed until well coated, and then baked to perfection, with a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese added for extra flavor.

One-Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies tips

  • Use a LARGE sheet pan. The more space the vegetables have (aka the less crowded they are) the better they roast. When vegetables are overlapping or crowded onto a sheet pan, they end up steaming instead of roasting. This greatly affects the end taste/texture. We use this 15×21 inch sheet pan and I can’t recommend it enough. You’ll get perfectly caramelized roasted veggies every time!
  • Add some Parmesan cheese on top for the perfect finishing touch. I recommend grating the Parmesan with a microplane, which gives it a great texture and melts beautifully into the veggies and sausage. Pecorino Romano is a hard, salty Italian cheese and makes for another great finishing touch.
  • Cut vegetables into indicated sizes. It might not seem like it would work to cook root veggies like carrots and potatoes alongside more delicate veggies like zucchini and broccoli. However, when cut to the indicated sizes, it works! The potatoes need to be cut into small pieces and carrots are very thinly coined. The broccoli remains in larger florets and the zucchini is cut into thick half-moons. Cut veggies evenly to further ensure even cooking.
  • Add fresh herbs. To add brightness to the dish, I recommend adding on some finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley along with the Parmesan cheese.

QUICK TIP

If you aren’t using an extra-large sheet pan, you’ll need to increase the cooking time more than the recipe indicates. When the veggies and sausage have plenty of room to roast, they’ll develop beautiful, caramelized edges and cook faster. Use two sheet pans if needed!

A spoonful of the finished meal, showcasing a bite full of flavor and texture, ready to be enjoyed.

Serving suggestions

  • As is. We love this meal straight from the oven as is! Served this way, it makes a great keto/low carb dish. 
  • Over a grain. We also like to serve One Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies over a cooked and seasoned grain such as white rice, brown rice or quinoa. This meal can also be served over cauliflower rice to keep it low carb.
  • As a taco. I’ve had a few readers try this in taco form! Char some corn or flour tortillas and load this veggie filling into the taco shell with some sour cream or herb-y sauce (The one on this healthy tacos recipe would be delish!)

More Easy One-Pan Dinners

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One Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies

4.94 from 137 votes
One-Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies is loaded with delicious and good-for-you ingredients. Roast smoked sausage with zucchini, carrots, red peppers, potatoes, broccoli and an Italian-inspired seasoning blend. Top with some Parmesan cheese and herbs for a filling, simple and nutritious meal.
A spoonful of the finished meal, showcasing a bite full of flavor and texture, ready to be enjoyed.
Print Recipe

One Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies

A spoonful of the finished meal, showcasing a bite full of flavor and texture, ready to be enjoyed.
4.94 from 137 votes
One-Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies is loaded with delicious and good-for-you ingredients. Roast smoked sausage with zucchini, carrots, red peppers, potatoes, broccoli and an Italian-inspired seasoning blend. Top with some Parmesan cheese and herbs for a filling, simple and nutritious meal.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Healthy, Italian
Keyword one pan italian sausage and veggies
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 when served with rice or quinoa; 4 servings without the rice/quinoa
Chelsea Lords
Calories 411kcal
Cost $5.12

Ingredients

  • 2 large carrots (~1 and 1/2 cups; 186g)
  • 2 small red potatoes (~2 cups; 285g)
  • 1 small-medium zucchini (~2 cups; 264g)
  • 2 red peppers (~2 cups; 248g)
  • 1 head broccoli (~1 and 1/2 cups; 80g)
  • 13 ounces (368g) Smoked Italian Turkey or Chicken Sausage

Seasonings

  • 1/2 tablespoon EACH: dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon EACH: onion powder, dried thyme
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • Fine sea salt & freshly cracked pepper
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 4 and 1/2 tablespoons (59g) olive oil
  • Optional: fresh parsley
  • Optional: serve over cooked quinoa/rice/cauliflower rice

Instructions

  • PREP: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a very large pan (I use this 15×21 inch pan)(or use 2 smaller sheet pans) with parchment paper or foil and set aside.
  • PREP VEGGIES: It is important to prep the veggies according to directions to ensure they all cook at the same rate. Peel and thinly slice the carrots (1/8th inch thick). Wash and chop the red potatoes (leave the peel on). You want the pieces quite small here. (I halve the potatoes and then dice each half. This yields a total of 10-12 pieces per potato)
  • PREP VEGGIES CONT.: Halve the zucchini lengthwise and then cut thick half-moons about 1/2 inch thick. Coarsely chop the broccoli into florets. Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers and chop into 1-inch pieces. Chop the sausage into thick (1/2-inch) coins.
  • SEASON: Place all the veggies and sausage on the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle the olive oil over everything. Add the seasonings right on top: the basil, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and optional red pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I use about 1/8 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt). With your hands, toss to coat all the veggies and sausage in the seasoning/oil mixture. Once well coated, quickly space the veggies/sausage so none are overlapping and everything has plenty of space to roast. If everything is overlapping, cook time will be longer and veggies will steam not roast.
  • BAKE: Place sheet pan in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove and toss/flip the veggies and sausage. Return to the oven for another 10-20 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender.
  • TOP: Remove pan from the oven and top, if desired, with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley.
  • SERVE: Serve as is out of the oven or on top of rice, quinoa, or cooked cauliflower rice.

Video

Recipe Notes

This dish doesn't freeze and thaw well.
Leftovers keep well for 3-4 days; reheat in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 675mg | Potassium: 920mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5938IU | Vitamin C: 149mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 2mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Mix

This fun, crunchy, and sweet Chocolate-Peanut Butter Snack Mix is filled with chocolate, peanut butter cereal, dry-roasted peanuts, miniature peanut butter cups, and pretzels!

Love chocolate and peanut butter? Us too! Try our chocolate peanut butter pie or chocolate peanut butter muffins next!

Chocolate peanut butter snack mix in a bowl, offering a perfect blend of flavor and crunch.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Snack Mix

Muddy Buddies are a family favorite snack and one we make often, so I had the idea to channel those flavors into a crunchy and sweet snack mix. The result? A total hit! We couldn’t get enough of this; in fact, it disappeared quicker than I could snap pictures.

And that’s not a complaint; I was more than happy to make it again to get some photos and share it here! 🙂

Ingredients combined in a bowl with melted chocolate and peanut butter chips drizzled over the top.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Snack Mix Ingredients

  • Chocolate Chex® Cereal:. This fun cereal is a combination of Rice Chex and Chocolate Chex pieces. While plain Chex cereal works fine in this recipe, it’s fun to have the additional chocolate.
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios® Cereal:. This cereal uses real cocoa and real peanut butter and it’s delicious–the perfect addition to the mix. 
  • Dry-roasted peanuts: We like dry-roasted and lightly salted peanuts — they add more flavor for no additional work.
  • Pretzels: Pretzel twists or sticks work great. You may need to break down the pretzels so they aren’t too big and overpowering in the mix. I use pretzel twists and give them a quick coarse break with my hands.
  • Reese’s Minis Peanut Butter Cups®: Not to be confused with miniature Reese’s cups, these ones are even smaller!
  • Milk chocolate chips: We love milk chocolate with peanut butter, but if you prefer a little less sweetness, use semi-sweet or dark chocolate instead.
  • Peanut butter baking chips: These baking chips are usually found with other chocolate chips in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
  • Vegetable Oil: A little bit of oil in the chocolate and peanut butter chips helps to make them more manageable and pipe nicer on the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Snack Mix. Canola oil or coconut oil will also work great.

Finished chex mix chocolate peanut butter snack mix, packed with delicious ingredients, ready for enjoyment.

Melting the Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chips

  • Using high-quality chocolate will always result in a better melt and a richer taste. My favorite is Ghirardelli® or Guittard®.
  • To avoid burned chocolate or peanut butter, microwave in microwave-safe bowls for 30 seconds at a time, and stir it for at least 20-25 seconds in between each microwave burst. Remember, the chocolate is still melting even after it has been removed from the microwave. 
  • Work quickly! Melted chocolate can harden quickly, so pipe it on this Chocolate-Peanut Butter Snack Mix as soon as it’s melted.
  • Don’t allow any liquid near the chocolate.  If the chocolate or peanut butter chocolate gets wet it can seize and harden.
  • While you can certainly use a piping bag and small tip to pipe the melted chocolate on to the mix, you don’t need any special tools. I use a small snack-size plastic bag to transfer the chocolate into. Snip off the tip and pipe it on the snack mix.
  • Line the sheet pan with parchment paper before piping the melted chips on the snack mix. If the chocolate is piped onto the mix on an unlined pan, it will be difficult to get it off!

QUICK TIP

Using a plastic storage bag to pipe icing saves cleanup time! Using a plastic bag, fold the top over so that when you spoon in the icing, it won’t get stuck in the zipper-top area. When filled, squeeze excess air out and seal. Push the icing into the lowest corner of the bag and wrap the unfilled area around the full part of the bag. Snip off a teeny tiny corner from the icing bag, and with the top twisted tightly, squeeze the icing onto the snack mix.

The completed dessert beautifully served on a platter, ready to be enjoyed.

Storage

To store this Chocolate-Peanut Butter Snack Mix, place in an airtight container (I like using Mason jars or Weck® mold jars). Keep container in a cool dry place for up to a week (we like it best within 2-3 days). For optimal freshness, store in the fridge.

Leftover snack mix can be frozen in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.

More easy snack mix recipes

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Chocolate-Peanut Butter Snack Mix

5 from 3 votes
This fun, crunchy, and sweet Chocolate-Peanut Butter Snack Mix is filled with chocolate, peanut butter cereal, dry-roasted peanuts, miniature peanut butter cups, and pretzels!
Finished chex mix chocolate peanut butter snack mix, packed with delicious ingredients, ready for enjoyment.
Print Recipe

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Snack Mix

Finished chex mix chocolate peanut butter snack mix, packed with delicious ingredients, ready for enjoyment.
5 from 3 votes
This fun, crunchy, and sweet Chocolate-Peanut Butter Snack Mix is filled with chocolate, peanut butter cereal, dry-roasted peanuts, miniature peanut butter cups, and pretzels!
Course Dessert, Snack, Vegetarian
Cuisine American
Keyword Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Mix
Prep Time 25 minutes
Setting Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 -10 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 399kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chocolate Chex cereal
  • 2 cups chocolate peanut butter Cheerios cereal
  • 1 cup dry roasted and lightly salted peanuts
  • 1 cup pretzel twists
  • 1 cup Reese's minis peanut butter cups (not the miniatures)
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter baking chips
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Instructions

  • PREP: Line a very large (15x21 inches) or 2 smaller sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
  • SNACK MIX: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cereals, dry-roasted peanuts, mini peanut butter cups, and pretzels. If the pretzels are large, give them a quick coarse break with your hands (I break the twists into 2-3 pieces). Gently stir to combine mix. Spread mix in one even layer on the prepared sheet pan(s).
  • CHOCOLATE CHIPS: In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk chocolate chips and 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil. Melt, in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 15 seconds, or until chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Transfer melted chocolate into a small plastic bag and cut off the very tip with scissors. Pipe the chocolate generously across the snack mix on the sheet pan.
  • PEANUT BUTTER CHIPS: In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter baking chips and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Melt, in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 15 seconds, or until peanut butter chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Transfer melted peanut butter chocolate into a small plastic bag and cut off the very tip with scissors. Pipe the peanut butter generously across the snack mix on the sheet pan. Aim to coat all the mix with the melted chocolates.
  • LET SET: Chill the snack mix in the fridge for 15 minutes to allow the chocolate to firm up.
  • ENJOY: Coarsely break into pieces and store in an airtight container. We like to keep the mix in the fridge. We like this mix best within 2-3 days. Leftover snack mix can be frozen in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.

Video

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.1g | Protein: 6.3g | Fat: 26.9g | Cholesterol: 29.2mg | Sodium: 174.9mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 19.6g

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

Never Miss a Recipe

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