Crock-pot Chicken Curry Stew - Karen's favorite

The history: The first go-to cook book I bought when I was transitioning off Medifast to Paleo was Sarah Fragoso's Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook. If you are cooking for a family or friends- get this cookbook!
Sarah made her Slow Chicken Curry recipe at Anerobic Crossfit Laguna Nigel workshop on 2/6/2012, during the workshop itself. Sarah demonstrated how easy it was to put together a Paleo meal and be in a busy full time work and family environment. It doesn't take much extra time to make these meals.(bonus to you if you can spot me in the group photo at Laguna Crossfit)

I adapted Sarah's recipe a lot, so here's my version below. Get that cookbook! Go to an Everyday Paleo workshop when/if there is one near you.

My adaptations were  removing the pepper,  the carrots, adding sea salt at the end instead of during cooking, using light coconut milk (all I can find at Trader Joe's) and using organic chicken stock from Costco. I also pour the finished stew over sauteed cabbage, broccoli slaw, or other vegetable "noodle" vegetables. Freezes well.

The gateway meal:
I've gotten more people talking about Paleo at lunch break by microwaving this meal and walking around the cube farm. A great curry smell and warm and filling. "Sure, you can borrow my cookbook, you can get one at the bookstore.. One day soon, we'll have a Paleo Pot luck....."

Special Note: Karen's 2 cents
No, I don't have the calorie count, points value or anything else...  I've gotten past the calories in, calories out. Calories matter a little bit, but I don't sweat it much. Yes, I understand that you are tracking your macros... Eyeball it if you are tracking or use your ingredients in My Fitness Pal. I totally understand... I'm a WW and Medifast Alumni. It's an evolution...

Crock-pot Chicken Curry Stew- Karen's Favorite

6-7  hours before you are ready to eat:
2 or 2.5 pounds of organic chicken thighs (2 sections of a 3 section package- Costco)
1 TBS paprika
2 TBS curry powder
3-4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 large or 2 small white onions
5-6 celery stalks diced.
1 cup Light Coconut Milk (Trader Joe's), or 1 cup full fat coconut milk if you can find it without additives.
1 cup Organic Chicken Stock from Costco, make your own if you have the time.
1/2 cup water
Sea Salt to season ( I use pink Himalayan) 

 1 hour or less, Before you are ready to eat:
Saute shredded cabbage, broccoli slaw (both at Trader Joe's) or Sweet Kale Salad- 7 shredded super foods.. green stuff only (throw the chemical dressing in the trash, set the cranberries (added sugar, ugh!) and pumpkin seeds aside.) with coconut oil in a frying pan. This will be your "noodle" base.

1. Rinse the chicken thighs and place in the crock-pot
2. Mix the spices together and sprinkle on the chicken
3. Start tossing in all the veggies (except the noodle base) into the crock-pot.
4. Add some salt, to your liking.  I often cook without it and salt the dish later.
5. Mix the chicken stock, water and light coconut milk together, then pour into the crock pot.
6. Put the lid on, place on low, and cook for 6 hours.
7. Before the chicken is done, saute the "noodle" substitute and place into glass bowls.
8. Pull the veggies and chicken out and portion onto glass bowls, on top of the "noodles"
9. De-fat the broth, then pour the liquid  equally over the portions.
10. Season with salt now, to taste. Also, cilantro and/or lime works well in this dish, if you have it.
11. Place lids on the bowls and freeze the other portions. Makes 4-5 or even 6, depending.

This meal is one I often make on a Sunday afternoon. By the time mid-week is here, I'm so glad I put the time in the weekend before. I pre-make spice ziplocks with the curry mixture,  so I can put this meal together fast for several weekends over a month.

What works now:
1. Batch cooking
2. Crock pot cooking
3. Taking my lunch to work
4. Eating real food, no sugar, no grains

What did not work before:
1. Buying low fat, low calorie 5/$10 meals and expecting to loose weight
2.  Microwaving a processed meal "product". I wouldn't call it food so much.
3. Eating the processed food "products" from steps 1 & 2.
4. Eating lots of added sugar, and grains.

Let me know if you try this recipe or go to an Everyday Paleo workshop. Both have changed my life!