January 11, 2015

Slow-Cooker Santa Fe Chicken




I got a fancy new crock pot for Christmas this year! Up until now, I've only used my crock pot for a couple of recipes -- pot roast and ribs. I've always felt that I can make soups and stew just as easily on the stove top, so why bother with a slow-cooker? Well, I treated myself to a new cookbook for Christmas and it has several slow-cooker recipes that sound delicious, so last week I decided to give one a try. Oh.My.Goodness. The house smelled so good when I came inside, shivering from the cold wind that seems never to cease blowing this winter! 


I measured and prepped all the ingredients the night before, which is a good thing since I'm not too alert at 5:30 AM. All I had to do in the morning was put everything in the crock pot and set the timer. Voila! The chicken turned out super moist and tender, and the flavors of the soup broth were just perfect.

Since I leave for work by 6:45, the warming function on this crock pot is going to be very handy. My previous cooker only had two functions -- low and high. This one has low, high, simmer, warm, steam and brown. It's definitely going to get more use than that old dinosaur! And, this recipe is going to be one of my go-to meals year-round.



Slow-Cooker Santa Fe Chicken
from The Skinnytaste Cookbook

STEW

1 (14.4-oz.) can Swanson 99% fat-free chicken broth
1 (15-oz.) can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups (8 oz.) frozen corn kernels
1 (14.5 oz. can) diced tomatoes with mild green chiles
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

TOPPINGS

1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the stew:

In a slow-cooker, combine the broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and cayenne. Season the chicken with salt and lay it on top. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.

Thirty minutes before serving, remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the slow cooker.

Serve in soup bowls and top with scallions and cilantro.

My Notes:

I only used 1 cup of corn, 1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper and substituted petite diced tomatoes for the diced tomatoes with mild green chiles.

This is also very good ladled over rice. I want to try it in burritos and as nacho topping, as well.

Additional toppings: 

Sour cream, diced avocado, shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

Yield: 8 servings

Please visit Beth Fish Reads for Weekend Cooking.
Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.

22 comments:

  1. I love my crock pot, thanks for sharing this recipe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Diane, you're welcome and thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  2. That looks yummy - I need to use my crock pot more!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kathy, that was my thought, too. I hardly ever used my old crock pot, so once I got this one, I decided I better use it at least once a week. This week's menu has two crock pot recipes, so I'm already ahead of the game. :)

      Delete
  3. Congratulations on the new slow cooker! I don't have one, but I hear they are very handy things. I gave this cookbook to my best friend for Christmas - she loves the SkinnyTaste blog (and recipes, of course!).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cecelia, I have yet to follow the SkinnyTaste blog, but now that I have the cookbook, I may have to check it out. Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  4. This cookbook sounds great! I upgraded my Crock Pot this past year to one with more settings, too (but not as many as yours) so I'm trying to use it more. I'm going to add all the ingredients I need for this recipe to this week's shopping list and check the book out from the library first to see how many gluten-free recipes it has!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laurie, I didn't look closely, but the author does make notes about which recipes are gluten-free, so this may turn out to be a winner for you. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  5. Hey Les!
    This sounds like a good recipe for my slow cooker. I have one that is an old dinosaur but it still should work! Your new one looks great! Stay warm!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, this should work just fine in the older slow cookers. It really isn't a recipe that you can overcook. Enjoy! And, yes, I'll try to stay warm. :)

      Delete
  6. Gosh this looks awesome! Now I want a new slow cooker too. Mine is the old-fashioned high, low, off type.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nothing like a fancy new appliance for motivation. :)

      Delete
  7. This sounds so yummy. I LOVE my slow cooker and use it 2-3 times a week. Every weekend I make (2) soup recipes and for lunch during the week and freeze the rest. I've also made beef stew, meatballs, turkey drumsticks and chicken breast recipes in it, The warm setting is a bonus. It's nice to come home from work and just cook some pasta or rice and eat fairly quickly. Enjoy your new pot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 2-3 times a week is my goal. It really makes life so much easier to come home after a long day at work and have dinner almost ready to serve. Soups are such a good idea since I'm always struggling to come up with lunch ideas for my husband. I can survive on some fruit and crackers, but he prefers a "real" meal. ;)

      Delete
  8. Oh! I read her blog! :) :) :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll have to check it out. I only just discovered the cookbook by accident one day at work. :)

      Delete
  9. I gave this cookbook to my daughter for Christmas, but want to get a copy for myself too! That chicken looks SO good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you should buy yourself a copy. I'm finding so many recipes I want to try and, so far, everything has been a winner.

      Delete
  10. I keep hearing SO much about this Skinny Taste cookbook! Think I'm going to have to breakdown and get a copy...you know, nevermind that I'm already challenging myself to using the cookbooks currently on my shelf! I've actually made a recipe from her blog before and it's very very similar to this one! Was tasty and it froze very well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I think you should get yourself a copy. I wonder if it will hit the Best Seller shelf at B&N. It's been so popular. If it does, you can get it for 30% off. Of course, the online price is 40% off, so why wait? :)

      I really need to take a look at her blog, although I prefer cookbooks over blogs. I always find recipes to save to Evernote and promptly forget about them.

      Delete
  11. Yum! Plus I almost always have these ingredients on hand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yum, is right! As a friend says, "Winner, winner, chicken dinner!" :)

      Delete

I may not answer your comments in a timely fashion, but I always answer. Check back soon!