Here is the Basic Recipe that you can totally customize -- originally written a very long time ago:
- 1 pound chicken (I used
frozen breast tenderloins)
- 1 cup dried black beans (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 jar prepared salsa (16 oz)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 cup sour cream (to stir in at the end)
- shredded cheddar cheese, avocado slices, cilantro (all
optional)
The Directions.
I used a 6.5 quart crockpot. You will need a 4 quart or
larger.
If you know you are going to make this the night before (yay for meal planning!) soak the black beans in enough water to cover and another 2 inches
overnight.
In the morning, drain the water and rinse the beans.
If you don't have super hard water or live in a super high altitude, you can quick soak the beans by pouring boiling water over them and let them sit for an hour
or two. I did an hour, but 2 would really be better if you have the time.
Drain and rinse the beans. Add to the crockpot.
Put in the chicken, and add the broth and
salsa.
Pour in the corn and mushrooms, and add the cumin.
Stir, but don't disturb the beans---let them stay at the
bottom of the pot, closest to the heating element.
Cover and cook on high for 9 hours. Yup. High. For 9 hours. It took a crazy long time for the beans to soften, but they did.
If you are using beans you soaked overnight, canned beans, or pre-cooked beans, you can cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5--similar to normal soup-cooking time.
If you'd like to thicken the broth (I did this), you can use your immersible blender (I love that thing) to blend a bit of the beans and chicken. If you don't have
one, scoop out 2 cups of the soup and carefully blend in your traditonal blender.
Stir the mixture back into the crockpot.
Stir in the 1/2 cup of sour cream before serving, and garnish with shredded
cheese and avocado slices.
The Verdict.
We all loved this. My crockpot was more than half way full, but the five of
us ate so much we only had a small tupperware full for leftovers.
Enjoy!!
If you are looking for more Fall Favorites --
here you go:
