Chipotle Chicken soup {gluten-free}

I love coming home the smell of slow cooker meals. Cold nights are instantly better with a few Christmas lights and a bowl of soup ready within 5 minutes of walking in the door. My latest issue of Clean Eating magazine had a recipe I had to try. The part that I changed was the “chunky” part. I like my soups with a more cohesive consistency. I cut the vegetables into smaller pieces and added 2 cans of chicken broth to the crockpot. I exchanged the raw tomatoes for a can of diced tomatoes with the juice.

This is what was waiting for me tonight.

• 1  yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 8 new potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
• 1 can of petite diced tomatoes
• 1 can of navy beans (any small bean will work great)
• 20 oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat
• 2 cans (use tomato cans) low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 lime, quartered

1. To a 5-qt slow cooker, add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and chipotle chiles. Stir to combine. Top with potatoes and cans of  tomatoes and beans. 
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add chicken and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Transfer chicken to slow cooker. To skillet, add broth, scraping up any browned bits with a spoon; pour broth over chicken. Sprinkle with cumin. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and falling off the bone. (Alternatively, cook on high for 3 to 3 ½ hours.)
3. Gently remove chicken from slow cooker. Turn off heat and let stand, uncovered, for 15 minutes to absorb flavors and thicken slightly. (NOTE: Do not stir as vegetables are tender.) Debone chicken in small pieces and return to crock pot. Gently fold together.  Sprinkle with salt and cilantro and serve with lime wedges.