Clean Eats Crock-Pot Chicken Tortilla Stew

The holiday season is in full swing and we are busy, busy, busy.  Parties, presents, shopping, travel, play dates, you name it and we are trying to squeeze it all in before we bid farewell to 2016 and ring in the New Year!

I have been cooking and crafting and baking and blogging.  Alright so the blog posts that I have been lining up in my head and sketching on napkins and generally just daydreaming about haven’t quite made their way out of my brain yet. However, that just means I have some awesome ideas schdueld for 2017 and can’t wait to share them with you.

In the meantime, here is a super simple Chicken Tortilla Stew recipe. It is full of whole foods and makes a fantastic hands off dinner that will warm you up during the cold winter months ahead.  Bonus: It is a crock pot recipe for all of you set it and forget it fans out there 😉

Necessities:

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (you can use chicken breasts if you really want to, but your stew will end up much drier)

1 cup chopped onion (I used red onion, but any color will work)

1 jar Salsa Verde ( I use Trader Joe Salsa Verde, but any brand will work – you will need 1.5 cups)

1 can Original Rotel tomatoes and green chilies

1 small can Tomato Paste (6 oz)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

4 cups Chicken Broth

1 Tablespoon Organic Chicken Better Than Bouillon

1 can Pinto beans (rinsed and drained)

2 cups frozen corn (thawed)

Topping Suggestions:

Sour cream, Avocado, Shredded Cheese, Tortilla Strips, Chopped Cilantro

Method:

In the bottom of your crock pot lay out the 3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs.  Add in the salsa Verde, Rotel, tomato paste, better than bouillon and dry spices.

Next pour in the chicken broth, cover and set on low for 6 hours.

After 6 hours, remove the chicken and shred. It should shred very easily. I usually put it all in a bowl and use a large spoon or 2 forks to shred it up.

Add the shredded chicken back to the crock pot as well as the pinto beans and corn, set on low for 30 minutes.  And voila your stew should look like this.

I suppose you could call it a soup, but it ends up being pretty thick and that is why I prefer to call it a stew 😉  Ladle this piping hot goodness into a large bowl and dig into your healthy homemade meal.  Or make it a little more decadent by topping with your favorite fixings – our family’s favorite combo is sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado and tortilla strips. The toppings do make the stew a little less “clean eats,” but man they taste oh, so delicious!

Time Saving Tip: Freeze individual portions for easy grab and go lunches and dinners.  This recipe makes a little over 12 cups of stew. I freeze extra portions in 1 cup containers and have them on hand for super quick lunches and dinners when I just don’t feel like cooking.

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