Slow Cooker Sante Fe Chicken & Veggies

It's time to set it and forget it again!  And for once... a recipe with no chopping!  We will be using frozen vegetables for ease of use.  And for those of you who aren't sure about the "healthiness" of frozen veggies, here's the 411- vegetables are frozen at their peak freshness, so the nutrition is preserved when the veggie is at its very best.  Buying frozen is a good strategy for vegetables that are not currently in season (such as bell peppers, corn and asparagus).

All you do is throw your chicken, salsa, beans, corn, spices and veggies in the crockpot in the morning.  I like adding my pepper and onion mix about halfway through cooking time to avoid them getting too soft, but you can certainly add everything all at once if you like a softer texture, or wait an hour before serving before adding your peppers and onions if you prefer a more crisp texture. 

 

 

About 15-30 minutes before serving, stir about 1/4 cup of tomato paste into sauce- this will thicken it up and add a little depth of flavor. 

 

I served my chicken and vegetables over a bed of baby greens and topped with a dollop of fat-free, plain Greek yogurt (lower fat alternative to sour cream) and a dollop of store-bought guacamole.  Another option would be to wrap up the chicken and vegetables in a whole grain tortilla, or serve over some brown rice.  Yum!

 



Slow Cooker Sante Fe Chicken & Veggies
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1lb chicken breasts
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn
16oz jar salsa
1 bag frozen fajita mix (peppers and onions)
1 Tb chili powder
1 Tb cumin
1/4 cup tomato paste
Mixed greens (about 8 cups)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt (optional)
1/4 cup Guacamole (optional)

1. Place chicken, beans, corn, salsa, fajita vegetables, chili powder, cumin in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low about 8 hours. 
2. Stir in tomato paste.
3. Divide mixed greens among 4 plates.  Top each with 1/4 of the chicken and vegetables mixture.  Serve with a dollop each of Greek yogurt and guacamole (if desired).

Nutrition information per servings (when served over greens with 1 Tb each yogurt & guacamole)-
403 calories, 7gm fat, 49gm carbohydrates, 15gm fiber, 40gm protein