Chicken Bacon Stew - Crockpot

I came up with this recipe a couple weeks ago and have made it twice now. I just finished eating some of the leftovers for lunch, and it was good enough to inspire me to share the recipe! It's basically chicken, bacon, and veggies in a crock pot. :) Prep time took about 10 minutes in the morning, and it was so nice to come home to a waiting and ready dinner! Here are the details:

Ingredients:

• 6 strips of nitrate/nitrite-free bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1.5 cups of pearl onions (I used frozen pearl onions - so convenient!)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme flakes
• 2 whole bay leaves
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• 6 carrots, scrubbed and chopped into 1"-long chunks
• 1 pound (or more) chicken breasts (I used boneless, skinless frozen chicken)

Directions:

• Put the bacon in a skillet. Heat over medium-high heat and saute for a few minutes (stirring often) until the bacon starts to crisp.
• Add the garlic and pearl onions to the pan. Stir. Saute for a minute or so.
• Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, and spices. Stir and cook for a few minutes until it's nice and saucy.
• Dump the carrots in the crock pot and top with the chicken breasts.
• Pour the hot, bacony mixture over the top of the chicken.
• Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
• Shred the chicken, discard the bay leaves, and enjoy!