October 06, 2009

Slow Cooked Chicken Tomato Soup

Unlike some American families where a crock pot is an essential kitchen appliance, i have pretty much zero experience with it.  I know, I know.  It's supposed to be one of those appliances that even a complete moron can run, but i just don't understand the concept of it.  But i realize that it's a great tool to have as a busy grad student, because you can just fix it in the morning and come home to a hot meal at the end of the day.



I inherited a slow cooker a few years ago and I'd only used it twice, but I thought I should get over the fear of it and use it to my benefit.

So i bought a slow cooker recipe book, and (of course, with some of my own modifications), I made this fabulous stew last week that made me happy as a slow-cooked clam.

Ingredients (6 servings):
-1 lb chicken, cubed
-1 cup celery, chopped
-5 cloves garlic, pressed
-1 1/2 cups chicken broth
-14 oz tomato, diced (use fresh or canned)
-2 cups mushrooms, diced
-1 can white beans
-1-2 bay leaves
-1 splash Worcestershire sauce
-1 tsp dried oregano
-1 tsp dried thyme

(Before I made the soup, I got all the vegetables chopped and ready the night before so that I just needed to put it in the crock pot the next morning.)









1.  It's all about layering.  First i started with the celery.



2.  Then the cubed chicken.



3.  Added the beans.



4.  Tomatoes next.




5.  Mushrooms and tomato paste.



6.  Dump in the rest!





7.  Set slow cooker to low and cook for 6-8 hours.



When I got home from campus that day, my kitchen smelled wonderfully of this awesome stew.  I immediately helped myself to a bowl.  Snipped a few basil leaves and green onions on top for color and extra pizazz.



Oh yes oh yes, this is what i'm talking about :)



I love it!  It's simple, it's healthy, and it's perfect for a cold autumn evening.  The beans and chicken provide plenty of protein, and all the good vitamins and minerals from the veggies makes this a great dinner option for those of us trying to stay healthy.  YUM YUM YUM.

For a printable version of this recipe, please click here.
Posted by at 6:25 AM
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1 comment:

  1. UnknownOctober 8, 2009 at 8:39 PM

    At times, we use the slow cooker about once a week. We like the "Fix it and Forget it, 5 ingredients or less" cookbook, because it combines the convenience of a crock pot with a simple recipe.

    As for what they are good for - they are generally very good for stews or recipes in which you want the flavors to meld together quite a bit. They are also especially good with "tougher" meats, like beef brisket, which really only gets tender being cooked for a long time at low temps.

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