My crock pot has been in a box, in my storage room, for years.  More years than I care to admit, really.  My issue with crock pots is this: if I have to pre-cook, or brown, meat prior to putting it into the crock pot then I might as well just cook the meal on the stove top or in the oven.  After all, I’ve already dirtied a pot.  For me, the only way I can get excited about using the crock pot is if there is zero ‘cooking’ prior.

It was this recipe that got me to unearth my crock pot and get on the bandwagon.  No prepping the meat at all beforehand, simply dump all the ingredients into the pot, turn it on and walk away.  It was great!  I absolutely loved having dinner cooking while I was busy doing other things all day long.  I suppose that’s the beauty of using a slow cooker, right?

I made quite a bit of changes to the original recipe from Skinnytaste.  I liked the idea of the recipe, and I did like the original recipe, but for me it was lacking a little something.  A few ideas immediately came to mind the first time I made it, and over the next few times I prepared this meal I perfected each change.  It is now exactly how we like it. The main changes I made are overall more spices, the addition of the poblano pepper and adding the frozen peas and corn at the very end, giving just enough time for them to thaw out.  I like my frozen veggies to still have their bright colors and a bit of a snap to them.  I always serve this dish over white long-grain rice, it really soaks up all the liquid nicely.  But I’m sure it would be perfect with brown rice too.

Other than the flavor, my favorite thing about this meal is the amount of leftovers.  This recipe makes a large amount and holds well in the fridge for at least 3-4 days.  When I make this, we usually eat it again for dinner once during the week, but also several times for lunch.  Sometimes, after I shred the chicken but before I add it back to the pot, I set some dry shredded chicken aside and use it in wraps the following day.  Delicious!

If your crock pot is in storage maybe this recipe will encourage you to dig it out. I really like crock pot cooking now and look forward to trying another recipe soon. Suggestions are welcome!

Here’s what you will need to serve 8-10….

Recipe

4 medium chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

1 large poblano pepper, diced (or one green pepper & one jalapeño, seeds and ribs mostly removed)

2-10 oz cans diced tomatoes with mild green chilies

15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

20 oz low sodium chicken stock

1 bunch scallions, chopped and divided in half

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cumin (plus some more for sprinkling)

1 tsp coriander (plus some more for sprinkling)

1 tsp chili powder (plus some more for sprinkling)

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 bunch of cilantro

salt & pepper to taste

your favorite rice, cooked

Method

Lay chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish.  Sprinkle both sides with some cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt & pepper.  Set aside.

To the bowl of a crock pot combine chicken stock,  black beans, diced tomatoes, 1/2 the chopped scallions, poblano pepper, garlic & onion powder, cumin, coriander, chili and cayenne.  Stir to combine.  Lay chicken breasts on top of mixture, cover and turn the crock pot on for 6 hours.

Once the crock pot turns off (or just before), remove all the chicken breasts and shred (use 2 forks).  Return all the shredded chicken back to the pot, add in the remaining scallions, frozen corn & peas and most of the cilantro.  Stir to combine.  Put the cover back on and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.  Just before serving add the juice of 1/2 lime, stir and portion into bowls, on top of rice.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Original recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/02/crock-pot-santa-fe-chicken-425-pts.html