Slowly Bringing In the New Year With #SundaySupper...Featuring San Antonio Chunky Chicken Stew

This week's #SundaySupper is all about taking it S-L-O-W, featuring recipes that are made using our slow cookers. After a quick bit of prep, the slow cooker does the work for you. That leaves you free to do other things...like get some post-holiday relaxation in! As an added bonus, your house will smell fabulous as your food simmers away. I am the first to admit that I don't use my slow cooker as often as I should, so I'm glad our hostess Cindy from Cindy's Recipes and Writings  is helping me stockpile some great slow cooker recipes! Keeping with my January Lighten Up theme, I found inspiration for my recipe from Cooking Light's amazing website!

I used their Spicy Chicken Stew as a springboard for my San Antonio Chunky Chicken Stew. I made several changes to their recipe, including subbing cubed red potatoes for russets and using a can of diced tomatoes with green chile in place of jarred salsa. To up the spice factor a bit, I included additional seasonings that we use a lot here in San Antonio, including: Mexican oregano, cilantro, cumin and Serrano pepper. The end result is a dish that's so hearty and flavorful that you'd never guess it's also high in fiber and low in fat! Who says healthy can't taste good?!?!?

San Antonio Chunky Chicken Stew

adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 5 small red potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks
• 1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1.5 cups frozen corn kernels
• 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 2.5 cups chicken stock
• 1 Serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbs. chili powder
• 1 lb. boneless chicken breast
• 3/4 lb. boneless chicken thighs
• 1 cup light sour cream
• Mexican seasoning blend of your choice
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Step 1: Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, onion, garlic and corn to the bottom of a slow cooker. Add the chopped tomatoes -- juice and all, chicken stock, Serrano pepper, and all of the spices into the cooker. Give everything a good stir to combine. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Step 2: Place the chicken pieces on top of the veggie and liquid mixture. Push them down slightly into the liquid. Cover and cook on High heat for 4 hours...or low heat for 6-8 hours. Make sure the potatoes are tender and add more time if you need to. Sometimes potatoes can take extra time, but I find the key is to NOT lift the slow cooker lid during cooking. I know it's tempting, but it can affect the cooking process. 

Step 3: Remove the chicken from the cooker and shred it with a fork into bite-sized pieces. Return the chicken to the cooker and carefully stir into the stew. Ladle 1 cup of stew into serving bowls and spoon 1 tbs. of light sour cream on top of each serving and sprinkle with Mexican seasoning. If you like, you can also top each bowl with a bit of reduced-fat Cheddar. It adds a few calories, but it tastes fantastic!

We really enjoyed this hearty stew...it's full of fiber-rich veggies and lean protein, and the spice level was perfect for us. Great flavor, no guilt and easy to make too? This is pretty much the perfect Lighten Up dish if you ask me! This made enough for us to have dinner, with two more bowls to enjoy the next day. I hope you'll give this one a try and let me know what you think.

Ease into 2014 with these great slow-cooker and crock pot ideas from my fellow #SundaySupper bloggers!

Whet Your Appetite

• Whiskey Bacon Onion Jam from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Orange-Fig Jam from girlichef

Simmering Soups, Stews, and Side Dishes

• Chicken and Wild Rice Soup from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Low-Carb Chunky Beefy Vegetable Soup from Yours And Mine Are Ours
• Beef, Wine and Mushroom Soup from Noshing With The Nolands
• Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup from Foxes Love Lemons
• Beef Stew from The Foodie Army Wife
• Pot Roast and Portabello Stew from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Slow Cooker Black Bean and Polenta Stew from Mama's Blissful Bites
• Turkey Stew from Magnolia Days
• San Antonio Chunky Chicken Stew from The Weekend Gourmet
• Pumpkin, Chickpea & Lentil Stew from Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Slow Cooker Chickpeas from Shockingly Delicious

Main Courses

• Football Sunday Teriyaki Pulled Pork from Family Foodie
• Slow Cooker Apricot Jalapeno Pork Chops from Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos
• Vegan Slow Cooker Hoppin' John from Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Slow Cooker Coffee Glazed Brisket from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Chipotle Honey BBQ Ribs from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Crockpot Country Style Pork Ribs from Cooking On The Ranch
• Slow Cooker Jerk Pork from Curious Cuisiniere
• Slow Cooker Beef Daube Provencal from Momma's Meals
• Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore from The Dinner-Mom
• Chicken and Broccoli from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Tacos de Lengua from The Texan New Yorker
• Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken & Black Beans for Tacos from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Chinese Chicken from The Ninja Baker
• Slow Cooker Beef Brisket French Dip Sandwiches from Neighborfood

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy! You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.