Chicken and Chickpea Stew

Today I've got another meal off my 30 day meal plan.  On the schedule, it is listed as "White Chicken Chili- but I changed my mind on what I wanted to put in the chili.  I had bits and pieces from other recipes (like corn, enchilada sauce and chilies) that I wanted to use up.  Whenever possible I try to use things I already have instead of doing extra work.  This version still has Chicken, and I did have to cook chicken before I could make it, but USUALLY I have leftover chicken.   I also added spinach to the recipe because it was in the fridge, and not going to last much longer, meaning the result is less "white" than usual.  Also, I left out most the usual beans.  So, this feels more "stew" like to me.  Here we go...

You Will Need:
1 breast of leftover chicken, shredded
1 can of Chickpeas (or gonzo beans as we call them in our house).  You can use any "white" bean.
Half a jar of salsa (left over from a party)
Half a can of green chilies (left over)
Half a can of corn (left over)
Half a can of enchilada sauce (left over-you don't need this, so just substitute spices if you don't have it)
Half a bag of baby spinach (left over...are we seeing a trend here?)
1 jar of homemade chicken broth (or what ever you can get your hands on)
Chili powder, Salt, Pepper, Cumin, garlic, paprika, red pepper
Cooking Spray
A Crock Pot or other cooking vessel

Instructions:
Spray the vessel of your choice (I will be using a crock pot) with cooking spray.  Place chicken, beans, salsa, corn, chilies, enchilada sauce, and broth in the crock pot. Stir to mix well.  Place the crock pot on the high setting for an hour (bring to a boil on the stove), and add your spinach.  Turn your crock pot to the low setting (or simmer on the stove) and cook until the beans are tender (about 3 hours in the crock pot).  About halfway through I usually check the seasonings.  I almost always add chili powder, and cumin.  If your stew doesn't have that flavor you associate with mexican food- you probably need to add cumin.  Depending on the broth used, you may also need to add salt and pepper.  If you did not add the enchilada sauce, you can add about a tsp of chili powder, garlic, paprika and cumin at the beginning.  If you like it spicy, add some red pepper.  A little goes a long way, and there is nothing wrong with tasting as you go- just use a clean spoon! Serves 3.

Nutritional Information per serving:
Calories: 297
Carbs: 36
Fat: 9
Sugar: 2
Protein: 23
Fiber: 11