Recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Green Chile

Over the past few years, I have begun a love affair with cooking. I had always had a love affair with eating, but my love affair with cooking has developed slowly over time. When I lived in Montrose it really developed because there weren't always things to do, so often I would come home and cook a meal I discovered either in a cookbook, from online, or one of my favorite cooking shows. When I was talking to Mom and Dad about moving in, I asked if I could make dinner every so often since I like to cook. They thought this was a fine idea. Last Sunday Mom and I went to the Pearl St farmer's market and I bought some freshly roasted green chiles. I bought onions, red peppers, green peppers and decided to make a green chile and chicken stew. It turned out so good I thought I would share it here!

Bring out your slow cooker
1tsp olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 bag freshly roasted green chiles, mild, medium or hot-clean off as much or as little of the outside dark roasted parts you would like and slice and dice
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large green pepper-seeded, sliced and diced
1 large red pepper-seeded, sliced and diced
3 celery stalks, chopped into small pieces
2 carrots, sliced and chopped into small pieces
3 heads of garlic, finely chopped
1 can chicken broth
1 tsp Cumin seed
Salt and Pepper
The juice from 1 can of RoTel tomatoes, your choice of spiciness
Fresh Cilantro leaves chopped-however much to your liking
2 tblsp Fresh Marjoram, finely chopped
2 tblsp Fresh Thyme, finely chopped
1 cup shredded Queso Fresco
2 cups white rice, cooked to your liking
Garlic Bread (optional)

1) Dice the chicken breasts into very small pieces
2) Heat a non stick skillet with the oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts and garlic; season with salt and pepper; brown these in the oil for 3-5 minutes. Add to slow cooker.
3) In the same skillet and another tsp of olive oil and lightly brown the onion, peppers, celery, and carrots. Season with salt and pepper; Add those into the slow cooker.
4) Add the green chiles to the slow cooker
5) Add the can of chicken broth and the juice from the RoTel tomatoes. Add the cumin seed and stir everything together. Heat in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours.
6) Add cilantro, majoram, and thyme. Stir and heat for another 10 minutes.

Serve over the rice and with garlic bread. Sprinkle as much cheese on top as you wish! I also took the tomatoes from the RoTel can and mixed them with black beans, lettuce leaves, cilantro and corn for a little salad.

Enjoy!