Ever heard of a dump dinner? It is a quick meal prep tip, where you prepare everything ready to go in a crock pot for a meal and freeze it. The night before you need it, just defrost in the fridge and “DUMP” into the slow cooker the next morning to have a hot complete meal waiting for you when you arrive home!
Always have a few “dump” dinners in the freezer to make meal planning easier. It ensures you will have a nutritious meal waiting for your family on those busy days. Try this homey chicken stew recipe to get some practice!
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in 12 inch skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, and carrots and cook until onions are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice and 1 cup of broth to deglaze pan.
*See note for DUMP DINNER instructions or continue with step 3.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and add remaining chicken stock, 2 teaspoons arrowroot, sweet potatoes, and bay leaves to slow cooker. Stir.
Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours.
Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-sized pieces. Discard bay leaves.
Stir shredded chicken and peas into the stew and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust stew consistency with additional arrowroot starch or additional broth as desired. Stir in parsley, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Recipe Notes
For a "dump dinner", at this point add remaining ingredients except peas and parsley to an airtight container. Allow to cool and then freeze. The night before use, defrost in the fridge. Then place in slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Then continue with at step 3.
