Slow cooker Mexican chicken stew is easy to prep and smells amazing as it cooks! It's perfect for a comforting, flavorful family dinner!
Happy new week!
We are solidly into the fall season now and even though we've had some warm days here in N.C., I'm loving all the fall produce and all the fall soups!
I've made my cheesy chicken and broccoli chowder and my 20-minute chicken and tortellini soup with kale and next up on the list is my vegetarian pumpkin chili. I also just shared with you my roasted butternut squash apple soup, which is so creamy and delicious!
Today, we're doing stew and we're letting our slow cookers do the work.
This slow cooker Mexican chicken stew is super easy to prepare, using pantry staples you probably keep on hand!
And oh my goodness does this smell amazing! I love walking back into the house as it cooks and having it just greet me in the face.
Even from upstairs, I'll get wafts of its aroma and my stomach starts to growl!
This stew has melt-in-your-mouth tender seasoned chicken thighs, plenty of rich tomatoes and a mix of beans that really add some heartiness.
And, of course my favorite part, ALL kinds of topping options!
This recipe is adapted from the Cooking Light Slow Cooker cookbook, which my friend bought for me for my birthday the year I'd gotten a slow cooker. She knows me too well
I made a few minor changes but it's pretty close to the original.
Notes on this slow cooker Mexican chicken stew:
- I use pinto and black beans but the original recipe calls for pinto and kidney beans. Use whichever you prefer.
- You could add 1 cup of fresh or frozen corn (or some canned regular or Mexicorn) to this stew as well. I'd add it when you add the beans.
- You could also add a roasted poblano pepper to this stew - that would be delicious!
- And if you like it spicy, feel free to add a chopped jalapeño pepper or some red pepper flakes. You could also serve it with hot sauce, which is what I do so it's not spicy for the kids.
- Want this to be more of a soup than a stew? Add 1 to 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth to thin it out a bit.
As for the toppings, here are some ideas: chopped fresh cilantro, plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), sliced avocado, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, hot sauce, and anything else you might want to have with this stew!
As is, this slow cooker Mexican chicken stew is a lovely low-carb, gluten-free dinner that will totally fill you up.
However, we tend to serve it with my easy cheesy cornbread muffins, which pair beautifully! (And they freeze great, so I can just pull a few out for us to have when we want.)
You could also try serving this over steamed brown rice for a really hearty stew.
And it reheats really well - my husband loves taking the leftovers for lunch the next day.
I hope you give this a try on a chilly night when you just want to cozy up to a bowl of goodness, without having to slave over it in the kitchen!
(Is that most nights for you too?!)
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Slow cooker Mexican chicken stew
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 ½ pounds)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (4.5 oz.) can diced green chilies, undrained
- 1 (16 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (16 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
Optional toppings:
- Chopped fresh cilantro, plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), sliced avocado, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, hot sauce, etc.
Instructions
- Mix together the cumin, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Season the chicken thighs on both sides with the spice mixture.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray (or add a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil) and sear the chicken thighs until well browned on both sides, about 6-8 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Add the can of tomatoes to the sauté pan to deglaze it and use a spoon to scrape up any charred bits that are stuck on the bottom.
- Add the tomatoes, onion and green chilies to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. (Or cook on low for 6 hours.)
- Uncover, add the beans, then cover and cook for another 1 hour on high (or another 2 hours on low).
- Spoon chicken stew into bowls and serve with desired toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
It was warm and muggy here last week!! Thank goodness it's cooling off again! I mean, if we are going to have summer weather, then I need access to summer produce. That's my rule. LOL! Jokes aside, this stew looks delish!! Love the Mexican flavors and I really love that it's made in the slow cooker! Weeknight winning for sure! Cheers! xo
Kathryn says
I know! Today finally felt like fall again! I hope it stays so we can indulge in ALL the soups! 😊
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner says
Crock pot meals are the best!This is a great make ahead meal for my son on weeknights
Kathryn says
Agreed! I love having dinner ready and waiting for me!
Branca says
It's one of the best recipes I've ever had in my life, I came to this site, I liked it and decided to put it into practice and it was delicious, super recommend and I ask you to continue with the beautiful and good work of you.
Kathryn says
Thanks so much!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
I love all the comfort food that comes with this time of year....and I especially love using my slow cooker! I can practically smell it now 😉 You know I love my garnishes too, even though I'm sure this one doesn't need it. Great suggestion with the corn; I bet it adds a lovely sweetness and 'pop'. Can't wait to give this one a try. Pinned! Cheers to a great week! XOXO
Kathryn says
Me TOO Dawn! I've been using mine constantly already this fall! Have a wonderful week! XO
Mona says
Can this be made not using slow cooker?
Kathryn says
Hi Mona! I haven't tried but I'm sure you could cook this in a Dutch oven on the stove. Maybe an hour to an hour and a half for the cooking time? You'd need to use a thermometer and make sure the chicken thighs get cooked through. Would love to hear if you try it!
Elius says
Hello. I have been looking at this closely. A couple of questions:
i)what size in terms of pounds (US) or litres (AU) is your slow cooker?
ii)if it is the smaller size, are you able to provide instructions for use with a larger eg. 5.1 litres?
iii)are you able to provide instructions for scaling eg. up to 12 chicken drumsticks/legs?
Thank you
Kathryn Doherty says
Hi there! Here is the slow cooker I use: https://amzn.to/2SzS1tJ It's on the bigger size - says 6.5 quart or 6.1 liters. You can certainly double the recipe if you are looking to make a big batch. It helps if all of the chicken can be in an even layer to cook through in the same amount of time, which should work well with the larger size crock pot. All of the other ingredients will get doubled as well and if you'e concerned, you can cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour longer than you normally would. Hope that helps and hope you enjoy it!