Gingered Chicken Stew (Crock Pot)

Description: This is a modified version of a recipe I found on about.com. The spices are warming but not hot and the allspice really does work nicely with the ginger. I really like pineapple so Core plus 1 point per recipe for the cornstarch

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 8 carrots, pared and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons fresh gingerroot
• 1 cup water or 1 cup fat-free chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 (20 ounce) can unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained, juice reserved
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks (red or a mix of the two also work, but the green is a little less sweet and stands out more)
• 4 ounces sliced water chestnuts (about 1/2 cup)

Steps:

1. In 3-5 quart crockpot, combine chicken, carrots, ginger, water (or broth), allspice, and pepper. Cover crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 or high for 3-4 hours until chicken is cooked.
2. In small bowl, combine reserved pineapple juice and cornstarch and mix until smooth. Add to crockpot, stirring constantly.
3. Add pineapple chunks, water chestnuts and bell pepper to crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 20-25 minutes until mixture is thickened.