Slow Cooker Dinner: Chicken Chili Verde Soup

I love coming home to an already cooked dinner. I've always used my slow cooker on a regular basis, but I've been pretty diligent to use it for two dinners a week these days. I've made some mediocre things that sounded good but executed sub-par. I think one of the issues is that I have to leave it cooking for so long since we are away from the house for so many hours in a row on the week days. If I could cook it for only four hours or so and then be ready to sit down to dinner (in other words, work half days!) some of those sub-par dinners would have probably been pretty good- swiss chard lasagna, I'm talking about you ;) Beans and chilis tend to be fool proof when it comes to slow cooking and I make them both on a regular basis. But, I'm always looking for new things to have in the rotation. This soup that I made earlier this week will be added to said rotation. It's simple, easy to prep for on a week night, and was enjoyed by the whole family. Truth be told, I could easily enjoy food with a Mexican twist any night of the week- tostadas , nachos , bean bowls, soft tacos , chimichangas, and huevos rancheros, for a few examples! ;)

The amount of ingredients in the recipe below made enough for the three of us for dinner and 2 bowls for leftover lunches.

Chicken Chili Verde

olive oil

1/4 large onion, diced

1 shallot, diced

2, 4-ounce cans roasted green chilies

pinch of Kosher salt

pinch of red pepper flakes

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 chicken breasts (about 1 pound)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups chicken broth, divided

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp nutmeg

In a large skillet, heat olive oil, then sauté onions, shallot, green chilies, and a pinch of salt for 5-6 minutes until onions become translucent. Add in red pepper flakes and garlic, and cook for a few more minutes.

Put the onion, chili, and garlic mix into a blender with 1 cup of the chicken broth. Puree until smooth. Then, pour into slow cooker.

Add remaining broth, beans, and spices to slow cooker and stir to combine. Put the chicken breasts in last.

Cook on low heat for 8 hours.

Before you sit down to eat, shred chicken breasts with a fork and then give the soup a good stir to combine all ingredients. Top with your favorite Mexican food toppings--avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips, a squeeze of lime, and pepper jack cheese.