Recipe - Slow-Cooker Chicken Chow Mein

I would like to welcome members of the River Heights Utah Stake who signed up at our Stake Preparedness Fair last week to receive weekly notifications for Savings for Sisters.  The more the merrier, I always say, and the same goes for this week's recipe, Slow Cooker Chicken Chow Mein, which serves 10 (but can rewarm well for an additional meal if there are fewer of you).  I made this particular version for the first time a few weeks ago, and it was so tasty that I now have one more keeper for my arsenal of slow-cooker recipes.  Low in fat and full of protein and vegetables, it can be served over noodles (thin spaghetti), rice, or the crispy chow mein noodles found in the Asian food section at the store. This is Americanized Chinese food to be sure, but I think your family will enjoy it nonetheless.

This is one of the recipes featured at the Preparedness Fair which fits well into a 3-month food supply plan, since it calls for canned ingredients along with fresh.  Then, if the time comes when fresh meat and vegetables are unavailable, you can substitute canned chicken and whatever canned or stored vegetables you have on hand at that time.  Meanwhile your supply of canned chicken need not sit on the shelf getting old, but can be used in so many different ways, including this dish in place of fresh chicken, for a convenient time saver anytime.  See easy instructions below.

Storage Item of the Week 

Big Buy 16 oz Bacon  My choice for this week isn't a storage item in the usual sense because it is perishable, but remember that your freezer is also a source of food storage.  Big Buy Bacon is Buy one Get one Free at Maceys this week.  Since the price is $2.79, that means that when you get a free one the total price per pound is only $1.39, which is a rock-bottom price for Bacon.  This particular brand can either be either nice and lean or quite fatty, depending on how carefully you choose it (and to some extent, the luck of the draw, since you can't really see everything when you're picking out a package of bacon).  I've had a few times over the years when I opened a package that really had too much fat for the amount of lean, but for the most part, for the price, I have been very satisfied.  Here's an example of a particularly nice package.

You can see, this looks extra lean even compared to the most expensive brands, but you have to spend some time sorting through the packages and being picky.  Bacon like this can be frozen for at least a year with no loss of quality.  The Maceys ad says you can only get two free ones per visit, but if you want more than that, just return to the store more than once during the week.  I plan to stock up during this sale, because at this price even if I get a package or two that has more fat than I would like, I simply cut off and discard some of the fattier parts with a pair of kitchen scissors and fry up the leaner portion to use in a variety of summer dishes, such as baked beans, broccoli salad, dutch oven potatoes, etc.  For my super easy method of cooking bacon, go HERE.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chow Mein

• 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups sliced celery
• 1 red bell pepper, diced large
• 2 cups sliced carrots
• 3 cups packaged coleslaw mix
• 1 large bunch green onions, sliced
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can bean sprouts, drained
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained & cut in half
• 1 can canned mushrooms, drained (or use fresh)  
• 1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with 1/3 cup water
• Noodles or Rice
  
  First, cut up your chicken into bite-sized pieces.
  
  Next, cut up your veggies.  Celery . . .
  
  
  Peppers . . .
  
  Carrots . . .
  
  and Green Onions .  Reserve a few of the dark green ends for garnish later.
  
  Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker, then add all the cut up vegetables as well as the packaged coleslaw mix.
  
  
  Drain the bean sprouts, water chestnuts (cut these in half), and canned mushrooms.  You can substitute fresh mushrooms if you wish.
  
  Add these to the slow cooker.  Mix up the chicken broth, soy sauce, sugar, crushed red pepper, ginger, and garlic.  Do not add the cornstarch and water yet.
  
  
  Pour the liquid over the vegetables and chicken.
  
  Stir everything together.
  
  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. 
  
  For the last hour, turn the cooker to high and mix the cornstarch into cold water until smooth. 
  
  Pour into cooker and stir in gently but thoroughly. 
  
    Cook another hour or until thickened.
  
  Sprinkle green onions on top.
  
  Serve over rice, noodles, or crispy Chow Mein noodles. Serve with additional soy sauce if desired.