Sabina’s Special Chicken & Vegetable Stew (Slow Cooker Recipe)

This tasty slow cooked dish takes about 20 minutes to prepare and 4 to 4 and 1/2 hours (minimum) of cooking time using the slow cooker. It’s packed with nutrients from a wide variety of vegetables and loaded with protein from the chicken. It’s a simple, no fuss dish and is incredibly tasty! It also makes a great light but filling lunch and can be refrigerated for days! Additionally, if you’re working an 8 hour day, prepare the dish before you go to work and leave on the slow setting. You can shred the chicken shortly before serving. Since it’s a stew, it really doesn’t matter how long you leave it on for. The longer the better…

Ingredients: (Serves 10)

1 whole chicken, cleaned thoroughly with all skin removed

Mint leaves

5 cloves of garlic

Spices: Salt (according to taste and quantity), curry powder, cumin, 6 black peppercorns, 2 vegetable or chicken stock cubes

Green beans, carrots, green pepper, celery, either potatoes or parsnips, tomatoes, onion, fresh jalapenos (optional)

How to:

1. First thoroughly clean one whole chicken and remove all skin. Pat dry and place in slow cooker.

2. Prepare all the vegetables by peeling them and cutting them into decent sized pieces. The quantity of vegetables used depends on you.  Wash and add to the slow cooker. (Note: You don’t want to cut the vegetables too small as they will get all mushy).

3. Add in one chopped tomato, 1/2 green pepper, and 5 cloves of garlic. No need to cut the garlic.

4. Using blender/grinder, blend 2 ripe tomatoes with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cumin and 1 tsp curry powder. Pour over the vegetables and chicken.

5. Add 2 stock cubes of your choice (vegetable or chicken)

6. Add 16 oz of water and stir everything really well.  Add about 6 peppercorns.

7. Wash and drain 1/2 bunch of mint leaves and add in.

8. Turn the slow cooker on and cook for 4 to 4  1/2 hours on high.

9. After 4 hours, remove the lid and shred the chicken using a fork. Remove all bones. Check for salt and add more if necessary. Stir well and put the lid back on and allow to cook for a further 30 minutes.

10. After four and 1/2 hours the dish should be done. You can of course leave it on longer on a slow heat or on warm if you wish.

Recipe by Sabina Huq