Confession: I’ve made this about three times in four weeks for my family. Mike and I gobble up the whole bowl, while the boys tolerated the warm tortillas and chicken. Hey, I consider that win for us!
Slow cooker recipes can sometimes get a bad rap. I have a good friend who swears everything just tastes bland. While I certainly disagree (I live and die by my slow cooker) if you go along with her thinking this is a great recipe to start to try and change your mind. The depth of flavor is crazy with the chipotle chilis in adobo sauce. It’s got that whole roasted smoky flavor. Then there is the fire roasted corn (I grabbed the frozen bag at Trader Joes) which you just can’t go wrong with. The fresh toppings: think avocado, cilantro, Mexican cheese, tortillas – etc – leave your dinner anything but bland.
Whether you have a love affair with your slow cooker (ahem), or can barely stand the thing, give this one a try. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Oh, and the 5 minutes to prep and dinner is done thing….? How can you go wrong.
- 1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces (have your butcher do!)
- 2 tsp cumin
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 onion, chopped up
- 1 15 -ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and chopped, plus 1 TBS of sauce from the can
- 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano (regular works too)
- 1 cup frozen corn (preferably fire-roasted) thawed
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (or regular cheese works just as good)
- Put the chicken in a slow cooker and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add the onion, tomatoes, chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano, the remaining 1 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook on low until the chicken is tender and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 7 hours or so. Add the corn and stir until warmed through.
- Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or in the microwave. Top each serving of stew with cheese, avocado and cilantro. Serve with the warm tortillas.
