SLOW COOKER LATIN CHICKEN WITH BLACK BEANS AND SWEET POTATOES

SLOW COOKER LATIN CHICKEN WITH BLACK BEANS AND SWEET POTATOES
Trish Slussar

About 10 skinless bone-in chicken thighs
2 teaspoons ground cumin (honestly, I use more)
1 Tablespoon chopped chipotle in adobo sauce *
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup salsa
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans (15-19 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 pounds (I use 3 large) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks*
1 roasted red pepper cut into strips *
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
lime wedges

1. Sprinkle chicken thighs with ground cumin, salt, and ground black pepper. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot; add chicken thighs and cook until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate. Remove skillet from heat.
2. In same skillet, combine chipotles, allspice, chicken broth, salsa, garlic, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin.
3. In 6-quart slow cooker, combine beans and sweet potatoes. Place chicken on top of potato mixture in slow cooker; pour broth mixture over chicken. Cover slow cooker with lid and cook as manufacturer directs, on low 8 hours or on high 4 hours.
4. With tongs or slotted spoon, remove chicken pieces to large platter. Gently stir roasted red pepper strips into potato mixture. Spoon mixture over chicken. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

*
~I buy my jars of roasted red peppers at the dollar store. $1 versus $4 at the grocery store.
~A can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce goes a really long way. Even if you like it HOT, as we do. I usually use what I need for one recipe out of the can and then freeze the rest in a ziploc bag. Put them in the bag and spread the peppers and sauce out flat to freeze. Then you can break off chunks for subsequent recipes.
~It's important to cut the sweet potatoes in large 2 inch chunks. If you cut them too small they will pretty much disintegrate as they cook.