Thursday, August 28, 2008

Garlic Basil Chicken

Here is a great recipe that my friend Jen shared with me (I think it originated in a Betty Crocker Slow Cooker recipe book).  Sorry there are no pictures of this dish.  I was completely overwrought at the time due to the bean incident.

Ingredients:

  • 8 large chicken thighs and drumsticks (about 2 pounds)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium bulb garlic, separated into cloves and peeled (about 15 cloves)
  • 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, basil and olive oil, undrained
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • Basil pesto, if desired
1.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Cook chicken in oil until brown on all sides; drain.

2.  Place chicken and garlic in slow cooker.  Pour tomatoes and broth over chicken.

3.  Cover and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours, or until chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.

4.  Remove chicken from slow cooker; keep warm.  Skim fat from surface of juices in slow cooker.  Stir in beans; cover and cook on low about 15 minutes until heated through.  Serve chicken with beans and pesto.  

Makes about 4 servings.

This recipe is really tasty!  I make the meal [that is, brown the meat and assemble the ingredients... see comments below] the evening before, put the crock pot in the fridge, and then all I have to do on the day of is pull the crock pot out of the fridge and turn it on.  EASY!

Enjoy!

3 comments:

Little Ol' Liz said...

Ack! You put the hot crock pot in the fridge, then plug it in again the next day?

First, a hot pot in the fridge makes it run harder, uses more energy, and you risk bacterial growth because it's going to take forever to cool it off. Better to dish up portions in seperate dishes to quick cool.

Second - a cold crock pot is at risk of cracking when it heats, even if you don't see any previous cracks or crazing of the glaze (on ceramic pots) . That, and the food takes longer to heat, again risking bacterial nasties.

You've gone to the effort of preparing a delicious meal for your family using one of the best time saving inventions in the kitchen. Let's not get anyone sick!
I look forward to using this recipe in the very near future. Thanks for passing it on. :-)

Mer said...

No, no... Sorry I didn't make that more clear. I mean I brown the meat and assemble the meal in the crock pot the evening before. Then I put that in the fridge. (I don't cook it for 7 hours, refrigerate and re-heat!)

The next day, I do put the cold crock there to heat up... but I've never had any trouble with it cracking or with the food making anyone sick. This is also the way I treat stew, and often roast.

The reason I prep the night before is I don't generally feel I have the time to prepare a crock pot meal in addition to my morning routine before going to work.

Anyone else do theirs this way?

And, of course, good tip on splitting up any left overs and storing them in smaller containers. You don't want your big crock pot sitting in the fridge breeding who knows what as it cools!

Thanks for the comment!

Christine said...

This sounds really good! I am copying this down and going to try it. I figure you really can't go wrong with anything that has garlic in it! Jackie said I could come over here and visit but that I had to behave! Pffft she is no fun! Hugs and greetings from Jackies sis in law aka Carls older sister! =O)