prep time: 20 minutes start to fi nish: 7 hours 20 minutes 4 servings (1 1⁄2 cups each)

Ingredients:
3⁄4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium stalks celery, sliced (1 cup)
1 large carrot, chopped (3⁄4 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (1⁄2 cup)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 cups frozen sweet peas, thawed
1 cup frozen home-style egg noodles (from 12-oz bag)

Method:
1 Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Place chicken in skillet; cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until brown.

2 In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix chicken and remaining ingredients except peas and noodles.

3 Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 hours 30 minutes to 7 hours.

4 Stir in peas and noodles. Increase heat setting to High; cover and cook about 30 minutes longer or until noodles are tender.

Notes and Tips:
If you have a food processor, chop the fresh vegetables quickly by cutting them into chunks and then pulsing in the food processor. Process each vegetable separately because they don’t all require the same processing time.

grandma’s slow cooker chicken noodle soup