crockpot chicken and sweet potato stew

With the shorter, darker days and the dipping temperatures, we all know that winter has arrived.   And on those cold, dark days, sometimes it's difficult to be inspired when it comes to making dinner.  Especially when you've got a hungry crew to feed.  While I use my crockpot all year round, at this time of year I somehow feel that it's my best friend.  There is nothing better than setting everything up in the morning and coming home to a delicious, hot meal, cooked and ready to go.

If you're looking for a new recipe that combines all the best of winter comfort food, today's blog post has the answer.  Alli Berry is a Crock Pot cooking blogger and offered to share her wonderful stew recipe (and that great picture) with us. You can check out more fabulous recipes on her blog, What a Crock!

Winter can be a lovely time of year. You really can’t beat a beautiful, fresh snowfall.  At least this is what I like to tell myself when it is dark at 4 pm and frigid outside.

One thing that can make winter more enjoyable is snuggling up at home with a good book and a large bowl of warm winter stew. I am very excited to share this new stew recipe with you that I created for such a scenario. I also wanted this to be a healthy stew to kick off 2013 on the right foot. One of the things I like best about this recipe is the combination of rosemary with chicken and sweet potatoes. Rosemary is one of my favorite spices because of its distinct aroma and fresh taste. As an added bonus,  rosemary is rich in antioxidants which help strengthen your immune system. Sweet potatoes also have great health benefits. Not only are sweet potatoes rich in iron and fiber, they also contain a lot of Vitamin C, which can help you fight off those pesky winter colds. This recipe is easy to make and can be altered to include other veggies if you wish.

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
1 cup of celery, chopped
½ onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon of dried rosemary (or 2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ pound white button mushrooms, sliced

Place chicken at the bottom of the crock pot
Add all of the other ingredients (except the mushrooms) over chicken
Stir to combine
Cook on low for 4-5 hours, checking after 4 hours for doneness
Add mushrooms and cook on low for 1 more hour.

You can serve this stew as it is or over rice, quinoa, or couscous.