As the weather turns cooler, cozy meals like this Slow Cooker Smoky Chicken Vegetable Stew shared by Jeanette Chen of Jeanette’s Healthy Living. Root vegetables are wonderful for slow cooked stews. Here, Jeanette has used simply potatoes and carrots, but you can add butternut squash/winter squash, sweet potatoes/yams, turnips, rutabaga or parsnips if you like. Mushrooms and tomatoes would also be nice, adding extra umami flavors. This version of Chicken Vegetable Stew uses a classic combination of thyme, sage and rosemary, but feel free choose your favorite spice and herb blends.
Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Stew
Ingredients
1 pound boneless chicken breast or thighs
½ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 10-ounce package mushrooms, finely chopped (I used the food processor)
salt and pepper, to taste
3 potatoes, cut up
1 fresh thyme sprig
3 fresh sage leaves
1 small fresh rosemary sprig
1½ cups Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce or Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
Directions:
Season chicken with paprika, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet. Place chicken in pan and brown on both sides. Remove to slow cooker. Add onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms to pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables are fragrant and any liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Scoop into slow cooker. Add potatoes, herbs, Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce, and chicken broth to slow cooker and toss everything gently. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.