Jalapeno Chicken Breasts

By CindyBrown

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sliced pickled jalapeno chile pepper, drained
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1 8 ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened and cut into cubes
• 2 slices regular bacon or turkey bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Sprinkle chicken with chili powder and salt. Arrange chicken, bone sides down, in a 4 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour broth and lemon juice around chicken. Top with drained jalapeno pepper.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

3. Transfer chicken and jalapeno pepper to a serving platter, reserving cooking liquid. Cover chicken and keep warm.

4. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. For sauce, in a small bowl, combine cornstarch and the water; stir into cooking liquid. Add cream cheese, whisking until combined. Cover and cook about 15 minutes more or until thickened. Serve chicken with sauce. If desired, sprinkle with bacon.