Chicken Vegetable Stew {Crock Pot}

I've been on a bit of a slow cooker kick this week and this chicken veggie stew did not disappoint. I'll admit it was alittle odd to be eating stew and warm bread when it was 95 degrees outside but we sat in the cool house and pretended it was fall. Add whatever vegetables you have on hand or family favorites and make it your own.  We all loved the addition of cabbage to this and my hubby actually commented that there could have been even more since it cooks down quite a bit.  One unusual addition I tried was some balsamic vinegar, which gave it a great subtle zip.  This was a great one pot dinner with the addition of some warm crusty gluten free bread on the side. Give it a try or tuck it away for a cooler day. Enjoy!

Recipe: (serves 6)
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen is okay here too)
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
3+ cups of cabbage, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
10-12 small dutch baby potatoes or similar, cut in half or leave the tiny ones whole
1 medium zucchini squash, chopped
1 crooked neck summer squash, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
fresh black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 cups Low sodium chicken broth
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Start layering in the Crock; add chicken breasts first, top them with the garlic, bell pepper, squashes, cabbage and potatoes.
2. Add in the dried herbs, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few twists of pepper.  Gently toss vegetables to incorporate the seasonings.
3. Finally, pour in the balsamic vinegar and chicken broth and arrange lemon slices on top.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.  Add more chicken broth as needed to achieve the consistency you prefer.