Shelli Bates' Way Good Chicken

Arizona (and other states that are hot in the summer) find ways to serve a great meal without heating up the kitchen.  Recipes like this one keep the house from overheating when the weather is exceptionally warm.  It’s a fix-and-forget meal you can come home at the end of one of those blistering hot summer days to enjoy..

My second son returned from his LDS mission over 10 years ago now.  Not long after he came home, he and I visited the Arizona Tempe Mission so he could show me around and have me meet the wonderful people he rubbed shoulders with.  One of those people was Shelli Bates.  She often fed the missionaries in her home.  When we visited her, she served this meal.  I’ve never forgotten it, and she was gracious enough to share the recipe with me.

I’ve made it for my family ever since.  The thing I love about it is how tender the chicken is and how the flavor is just right.  Crockpot meals sometimes cook for so long that the flavors evaporate out after a few hours.  The seasoning used here is strong enough that that doesn’t happen.

It can’t hurt that it’s super simple as well.  You can leave the chicken breasts whole, but I cut them into large cubes so they cook more evenly.  When the breast is whole, it’s simple to shred before stirring.  We like it in chunks - which doesn’t soak up all that delicious gravy.  Your choice.

Serve with just about anything as a side dish - rice, potatoes, veggies from your summer garden, even over toast or biscuits.

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com