Comfort food indeed—Creamy Chicken Stew

Everybody raved about this Creamy Chicken Stew. We poured it into soup bowls and dined away, although it just as easily could have been served over toast as though it were chicken a la king. Can’t think of a better dish for a cold January night with the wind howling riotously outside our windows.

Comfort food, indeed! Hubby and I were just back from a long road trip and needed something soothing to help us ease back into the routine. I loved the addition of the fat-free zesty Italian dressing; it provided all the seasoning needed. 

Creamy Chicken Stew

3/4 pound small red potatoes, quartered

2 tablespoons water

cooking spray

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can reduced-sodium, reduced-fat cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup fat-free zesty Italian dressing

1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

2 cups frozen peas and carrots

4 ounces fat-free cream cheese

Place potatoes and water in microwaveable bowl with a lid. Microwave on high for 7 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Spray large skillet with nonstick spray. Sauté chicken on medium-high heat for about 7 minutes or until chicken is brown. Stir occasionally. To saucepan add cooked potatoes, soup, dressing, broth, and vegetables. Bring to boil; cover, Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are heated through. Stir in cream cheese. Cook 1 minute or until cheese is blended in. Makes 6 (1-cup) servings. (Source: Chickasaw Nation Nutrition Services)

Make some summer days lazy with this Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

Lazy summer days? Well, any more, they’re hardly lazy. Summer has its own hectic pace, with so much to do within so little time. After all, July 4th is already passed. Time marches on toward Labor Day and back to school.

But a recipe such as this one, furnished by the Chickasaw Nation Nutrition Services, is just the simplest, so go ahead and be lazy! Throw all ingredients into a slow cooker. The chicken doesn’t even have to be browned beforehand. Open a package of chicken breasts, cut them into chunks, toss in some peeled sweet potatoes and a few other items. Three hours later, dinner’s ready. The chicken, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms make a dandy combination. A few blogs ago I mentioned that I had served Black Bean and Corn Salad alongside this recipe and promised to feature it later. With so many peach dishes to write about in recent days, I almost forgot, but here is it—truly the makings of an easy, healthy dinner to remember.

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks (approximately 1 pound)

2 pounds sweet potatoes, cut into chunks

1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 garlic cloves minced

1 cup white cooking wine

1/2 teaspoon rosemary, dried

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Place the chicken, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, onion, garlic, white wine, rosemary, pepper, and vinegar in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine. Put the lid on and cook on high for 3 hours or until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. Makes 7 1-cup servings.