Chicken Tomatillo Chili & Crockpot Chicken

I've been in such a food rut lately.  Since February I've more or less eaten either egg whites or oatmeal for breakfast, am snack is usually yogurt or a Cliff bar, lunch 2 cups lettuce/spinach with grilled chicken with cheese and/or some other toppings and dinner has been really bad - whatever I have in the house - which is sometimes nothing (cereal or pasta) or leftovers or more grilled chicken.

Part of my goals was to get back into cooking, but it is really hard to want to cook for one.  I usually go shopping on Sunday (if I go at all...that's have bad I've been) and then spend the next few hours cooking the chicken, cleaning and chopping the fruits and vegetables and making whatever I will be eating for the week.  I like this arrangement because when I am busy during the week, everything is made - it just needs to be heated up or pulled out of the fridge. 

So I've decided to make at least one NEW thing every week...so I am not always making things I normally make...this should help me get back into cooking and it will help with my food rut.

Today I decided to make Chicken Tomatillo Chili and Scrumptious Slow Cooker Chicken both I found on the Internet.  They were both very easy to make.  I went to ShopRite for most of my ingredients but stopped at Stop & Shop for the chicken and then I had to run to A/P when I realized I bought the wrong canned peppers. I included my prices for the ingredients.

The Chicken Tomatillo Chili

1 can(s) (11-ounce) tomatillos (or 7 or 8 fresh tomatillos husks removed), quartered  $3.99 (I used half - so really it was about $2)
1 jalapeno pepper, halved and seeded   $0.16
2 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil - I forgot to use this
2 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces. I used three chicken breasts - $7.34
1 medium (about 1 cup) onion, chopped   $0.16 (bag of onions on sale at 0.98 and there were 6 onions in the bag)
3 clove(s) garlic, minced - I used from the jar I had - but it would be just a few cents
2 can(s) (4 1/2-ounce) diced green chilies   $2.46
2 teaspoon(s) ground cumin      - i used what I had, but it would be a few cents
1 teaspoon(s) ground coriander  - i used what I had, but it would be a few cents

2 can(s) (14 1/2-ounce) low-sodium chicken broth    $3.99 (but I had 2 cups left over - so really it was about $2)
1/2 cup(s) chopped fresh cilantro - I didn't use this
1 teaspoon(s) salt  - I didn't use this
Tortilla chips or strips (optional) - I made this. I cut 2 flour tortillas up and baked them for a few minutes. I had the tortillas already, I am guessing this would be $0.50

This was about $15 for 5 servings is $2.924 each.  I had this after is was made and I liked it. It had a nice little kick to it.  I think next time I'd leave the seeds in the jalapenos because I think that makes it a little spicier? 

Scrumptious Slow Cooker Chicken
2.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs   $6.49

3 parsnips (I only used one because I never had a parsnip before and was unsure what it would be like) $1.32
3 carrots  $0.72
4 celery stalks    $0.75
1 red onion  $0.82
10-12 whole garlic cloves   $0.52
¼ cup coconut oil - i used a little olive instead not sure how much maybe $0.35 worth?
1 cup chicken broth  $1  
1 tablespoon dried thyme  - used what I had, so a few cents
1 tablespoon rubbed sage - I didn't use this, forgot I didn't have sage in the cabinet
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

This came to about $12 for maybe 4-6 servings.  I haven't tried it yet, but it smelled really good.

Then of course I have my cut lettuce all ready and I made blueberry muffins also.