Crockpot Chicken Recipes

This recipe for chicken enchilada soup is spectacular. I will be making it many times.

Ingredients

1 chicken breast, cut in half and skin removed
1 15 oz can of chopped tomatoes (or equivalent in peeled, fresh tomatoes)
1 10 oz can of enchilada sauce (I used the mild kind)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can of green chile peppers OR 1 sweet pepper, chopped
2 cloves of minced garlic
1/3 cup of uncooked rice
2-3 chicken bullion cubes
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 can of black beans, drained OR 1 can of corn
1 tbsp chopped cilantro, optional
water as needed

Method

Put all ingredients in the crockpot or slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 or 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. When cooked, shred the chicken. Since you are using raw chicken, make sure the soup comes to a simmer to destroy any bacteria.

Toast tortillas in the oven and serve them with the soup, or if you can't wait that long, heat them in the microwave. Sprinkling the tortillas with a little grated cheese is particularly nice.

To serve, garnish your chicken tortilla soup with avocado, grated cheddar and a dash of fresh lime juice.

This may not be authentic Italian cacciatore, but its a wonderfully satisfying and tasty dish. I predict it will become one of your favorites as well.

Ingredients
6 chicken breasts, split in half and skin removed
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large white onion, chopped
2 cups of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 28-ounce jar of good quality, pasta sauce
1 can of tomato paste
basil
oregano
red pepper flakes
black pepper

Angel Hair Pasta OR whole wheat spaghetti

Method

Place all ingredients except the pasta in the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for six to eight hours. Boil pasta in a separate pot and serve with the chicken cacciatore.

Tip: Although most crockpot manufacturers tell you to thaw meats before cooking, I only partially thawed my chicken. By starting with partially frozen meat, I avoided having the chicken fall to pieces. If you decide to do this, you must ensure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked to destroy any bacteria that may be present.

This crockpot recipe for whole chicken is so easy to make that you just can't believe how good its going to be when its done.

Ingredients

1 3 pound chicken, skin removed
enough onion to fill the cavity
1/2 cup chicken broth (OR use 1 chicken boulion cube dissolved in water)
1/3 cup of soy sauce
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
black pepper to taste

Method

Wash the inside of the chicken and pat dry. Fill with sliced onion.

Place all other ingredients in the slow cooker and stir together.

Place the chicken in the slow cooker, turning it over to coat with the sauce. Turn it breast side down and cook for six hours at low heat.

At that time, check the chicken for doneness. Cook longer if needed.

This whole chicken crockpot recipe is excellent served with sides of vegetables and a starch such as rice, pasta, potatoes or yams.

This recipe for faux butter chicken is reminiscent of the genuine Indian butter chicken dish, but its made in the slow cooker and its lighter and healthier -- not to mention less costly to make. It's surprisingly good. Serve it with rice pilaf and naan bread.

Ingredients
12 chicken thighs, boneless and with skin removed
1 cup onion, chopped
several garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 can diced tomatoes, or equivalent of fresh tomatoes, skinned and chopped
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons of cold water
1/2 cup yogurt, plain
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Preparation
Place the first eleven ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low until the chicken is cooked throughout. This takes six or seven hours.

Adjust the slow cooker to the high heat setting. Mix the flour and water together until all lumps are gone. Stir this into the crockpot and cook for thirty minutes, or until the stew is thick. Stir in the yogurt and sprinkle the chopped cilantro over top.

Cooking Tip #1:
To ensure you always have fresh ginger on hand, scrape the skin off your ginger root using the back of a spoon. A grapefruit spoon works extremely well. Place your ginger root in a freezer bag and freeze. When you need freshly grated ginger, remove from freezer and grate.

Cooking Tip #2:
Ground coriander can be costly Budget conscious cooks can save money by buying the whole coriander seeds and grinding them in a coffee grinder.

Cooking Tip #3:
Farmers markets and Asian markets often have bags of tomatoes on sale for $1 or similar low price. Throw the whole bag in the freezer. When you need canned tomatoes or the equivalent, remove your tomatoes from the freezer and thaw. The skin will come off easily and you can then chop them. You can also loosen tomato skins by heating the tomatoes briefly in the microwave or dipping them briefly in boiling water.

This recipe is said to be from Durban in South Africa. I like it a lot.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 chicken thighs (or equivalent in chicken parts)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or chopped
1-2 tablespoons curry powder (use hot, mild or medium as desired)
1 can crushed tomatoes (14 ounce can)
1 can coconut milk (14 ounce can, use light if desired)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 tablespoons chopped green onion or cilantro (optional)

Preparation
Rub the paprika, salt and pepper on the chicken. Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the chicken on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker or crock pot.

In the skillet, add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for two or three minutes. Mix in the curry powder and continue cooking for another minutes.

Mix in the crushed tomatoes, coconut milk and brown sugar.,

In a small bowl, mix together the corn starch and the lime juice until the corn starch is blended. Add this to the skillet and bring to a simmer.

Pour this mixture over top the chicken. Set the slow cooker to low heat and cook for 6i hours and ten minutes. (Note:this is the time the recipe calls for. My curry cooks in less time than that, so start checking at around five hours).

Serve with the cilantro or green onion. Good with brown rice or basmati rice.