Mexican Chicken Stew

I was waiting in the line at the world's most disorganized Safeway store with the world's slowest checker ever and so I had lots of time to kill.  Lucky for me, Safeway lines the checkout aisle with my favorite impulse buy.  Not candy - not for me.  (Ahem...My trainer reads this blog!)  My favorite impulse buy is magazines - especially food magazines.  Oh those marketers are sooo clever!

During this particularly long wait I found a Weight Watchers specialty publication titled "Five-Star Top-Rated Recipes".  It says that it will be on news stands until 8/16/13 so you can probably still find it.  (I get no reimbursement other than happy family for promoting this or any other product!) I found a number of quick, low-point and yummy-looking meals so I planned the whole week of recipes around my new impulse buy!  :-)

First up this week:  Mexican Chicken Stew 

Just 5 points for a 1 cup serving!

I served it up with my husband's favorite watermelon, arugula and feta salad. 
The cool, crunchy salad was the perfect compliment to warm, spicy soup.  
Total prep time:  An incredible 20 minutes flat from start to table!  

A definite weeknight win!

Mexican Chicken Stew

Recipe from:  Weight Watchers Five-Star Top-Rated Recipes

• 2 ounces Mexican (I used Salvadoran) chorizo
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (I used a rotisserie chicken)
• 2 cups fat-free chicken broth
• 1 1/2 frozen whole-kernel corn (I used some leftover fresh corn mixed with the frozen)
• 1 Tbsp chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce.  
• Tip:  Since I never use up a whole can of these, I freeze the leftovers in a ziploc bag laid flat and then just cut off the amount I need for a recipe and throw it into the pot frozen.
• 1 14/5 oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped.  
• Tip:  Just stick your clean kitchen sheers right in the can and chop them up right in the can - way less mess!
• Lime wedges
• Low fat sour cream or fat free greek yogurt for topping

1.  Remove casings from chorizo.  Cook chorizo in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.  Remove sausage from pan with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towel, reserving 1 tsp of drippings in pan.  (My chorizo was very lean and I barely had 1 tsp of drippings!)  Add the onion and garlic to drippings in pan;sauté 3 minutes or just until tender.

2.  Add chorizo, chicken, and next 4 ingredients.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.  Serve with lime wedges and sour cream/yogurt.

6-1 cup servings.  5 WW points