Apple chicken crockpot stew

I found this recipe online awhile ago and saved it. I decided to try it yesterday because my mother gave me about 2,385 gallons of homemade apple cider. It is very good.

Ingredients:
5-7 red potatoes, cubed (I used I think four large yellow potatoes...they were wicked big)
2-3 medium parsnips or carrots, cut into ¼ inch slices
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced (I used a yellow onion. Sue me!)
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1½ tsp salt
¾ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp caraway seeds
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 TBS olive oil
2 tart apples, peeled and cubed
1¼ cups apple cider
1 TBS cider vinegar
1 bay leaf

Directions:
1. In a slow cooker, layer potatoes, parsnips/carrots, onion, and celery.
2. Combine salt, thyme, pepper, and caraway; sprinkle half over vegetables.
3. In a skillet, sauté chicken in oil until browned; transfer to slow cooker.
4. Top with apple.
5. Combine apple cider and vinegar; pour over chicken and apples.
6. Sprinkle with remaining spice mixture; add bay leaf.
7. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until vegetables are tender and chicken juices run clear; discard bay leaf and stir before serving.

This turned out to be wicked good. I generally cook things in my crockpot on low so I don't know if you might be able to cube the chicken then cook all on low without cooking it beforehand...the chicken was just marginally dry when the stew was reheated for lunch the next day...but otherwise wicked good.