Crock-Pot Cashew Chicken

Once in a while we eat at PF Changs & my hubby usually orders the cashew chicken.  It's always really good & I've always wondered what they put in there to get that flavor.  I did some digging around & put this together, not sure how "authentic" it is, but it sure tastes the real deal to me & my family. 

CROCK-POT CASHEW CHICKEN

2-4 chicken breasts (or 4-8 chicken thighs)
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons fish sauce
3 Tablespoon oyster sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 white onion, chopped
water to cover
1 pound cashews, preferably raw

*place chicken in crock pot, add garlic, fish & oyster sauce, sugar, pepper, & onion. 
*pour enough water to cover everything
*cook on HIGH, 3-4 hours for breasts, 4-5 hours for thighs
*sprinkle cashews over mixture & cook another 30 minutes, serve hot

Honey Baked Chicken

I made this for dinner last night, so simple, yet my hubby LOOOVED it!  I highly recommend it!

Honey Baked Chicken

4 bone in chicken thighs (I did remove skin myself) or 2-4 b/s breasts
1/4 Cup butter, melted
1/4 Cup honey
2 Tablespoons mustard (I used grey poupon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

*preheat oven to 350 F
*place chicken in shallow baking dish, skin side up
*combine sauce ingredients & pour over chicken
*bake 75 minutes uncovered

Note: I sometimes add a little mayo to the sauce & put it all in the crock pot for 3-4 hours on low for breasts, 4-5 hours for thighs

Crock-Pot Chicken Balsamico with Potatoes

This one had mixed reviews in my house.  My stepdaughter & her boyfriend LOVED it.  My hubby didn't like it at all.  My son liked the chicken but not the potatoes.  While it all smelled wonderful I only tasted the potatoes, not the chicken, but I thought the potatoes were mighty good.  :)  I still recommend it highly.

Crock-Pot Chicken Balsamico with Potatoes

4 potatoes, quartered
4 strips of turkey bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless is what I used)
salt & pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, quartered
1/2 Cup balsamic vinegar
1 Cup chicken broth

*place potatoes in slow cooker
*cook bacon in skillet until crisp, remove from pan, leaving any drippings behind
*sprinkle chicken evenly with salt & pepper & brown chicken well on all sides in bacon pan
*add rosemary & garlic & saute for 1-2 minutes
*deglaze skillet with vinegar & transfer all contents of skillet into slow cooker on top of potatoes
*add broth, cover, & cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours
*sprinkle bacon on top before serving

Crock Pot Balsamic Braised Chicken with Olives

This dish smelled REALLY yummy while cooking.  I got ZERO comments from the family on it, so I would guess that they felt it was "just ok".  If they hate something I hear about it & if they LOVE something I usually hear about it, so I'm guessing it was a "just ok" based on the "no feedback" I received.  But like I said, it smelled super yummy, so I do recommend it.

Crock Pot Balsamic Braised Chicken with Olives

oil
3 1/2 lbs chicken pieces
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 (14 1/2 oz) can crushed tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons black olives, chopped
2 Tablespoons capers, optional

*brown chicken on all sides in oil & transfer to slow cooker
*add onions to pan & saute until softened
*add garlic, salt, peppercorns, & thyme--cook, stirring, for 1 minute
*add tomatoes, broth, & vinegar--bring to a boil
*pour mixture over chicken in slow cooker
*cover & cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2 1/2-3 hours
*add olives & capers, if using, & serve immediately
*

Crock-Pot Jamaican Chicken

My stepkids have not been around lately--my stepdaughter is on vacation & my stepson has been with his mom.  So the only opinion I have on this dish is my hubby's.  He didn't hate it, but he wasn't crazy about it.  He actually put Jack Daniel's sauce on top of his chicken & then he was really pleased with it.  I did taste the sauce the chicken cooked in & it had a tropical taste to me.  I do think my stepdaughter & her boyfriend would've liked it a lot, but I doubt my stepson would've liked it.

Crock-Pot Jamaican Chicken

2 teaspoons jerk seasoning
1 1/4 Cups mango nectar
1/2 Cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons dark corn syrup
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

*combine jerk seasoning, nectar, sugar, syrup, & rice vinegar in the slow cooker & stir to combine
*add the chicken breasts & turn to coat in the sauce
*cover & cook on high 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until chicken is cooked through

Note: I never have corn syrup in the house, just not a healthy food IMO, no matter if it's high fructose or not.  You can't even buy it at the health food stores, which is where I shop.  I felt that maple syrup had too strong & distinct of a flavor that might throw off the dish, so I chose to sub with brown rice syrup, which I always have in the house--it's not as sweet as corn syrup, but it has a nice mellow flavor that is somewhat sweet.

Crock-Pot Spanish Style Chicken with Rice

This smelled heavenly while cooking.  But I cooked it for 7 1/2 hours or so & the rice was very mushy.  I honestly couldn't eat it.  And hubby took one bite & announced that he doesn't like saffron.  LOL, this didn't go over too well in my house I have to say.  But I think if I had cooked it for a shorter amount of time & left out the saffron (I thought the saffron was wonderful though) it would've been better. 

Crock-Pot Spanish Style Chicken with Rice

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 2 Tablespoons boiling water
1 Tablespoon oil
3 lbs chicken pieces (skin on breasts, skinless legs & thighs)
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 Cups long grain rice
1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, including juice, chopped
1 1/2 Cups chicken stock OR 1 Cup chicken stock AND 1/2 Cup dry white wine
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 Cup green peas, thawed if frozen
sliced pimento-stuffed green olives, optional
hot pepper sauce, optional

*heat oil, add chicken in batches, & brown lightly on all sides; transfer to slow cooker
*reduce heat & add onions & cook, stirring, until softened
*add garlic, s/p, & cook, stirring, for 1 minute
*add rice & stir until grains are well coated with mixture
*stir in saffron, tomatoes, & chicken stock; transfer to slow cooker & stir to combine with chicken
*cover & cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork
*stir in green pepper & peas, cover & cook on high for 20 minutes, until veggies are heated through
*garnish with olives, if using, & hot pepper sauce, if using

Crock-Pot Basic Poached Chicken Breasts

I have some recipes that call for cooked chicken.  I rarely have just plain cooked chicken laying around, it usually has some sort of sauce or flavoring to it, so this is great for me to use for those recipes.  I also discovered that my toddler LOVES chicken cooked like this.  Up until now it's been kind of hit & miss for me.  Sometimes he likes chicken & sometimes he doesn't based on the sauce, flavoring, etc.  So for me it's great to have a standard recipe that I know he likes.  The first batch I made of this I made with 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skiness) & 2 chicken thighs (skinless, bone in).  I was making it for a soup I am planning to make tomorrow.  I then strained the cooking liquid & planned to use it as part of my broth in the soup.  But then I decided to poach a second batch, for my toddler son, just 2 chicken breasts this time, but I used the broth from the original poaching, so by the time it goes in the soup tomorrow it should be REALLY flavorful.

Crock-Pot Basic Poached Chicken Breasts

2 Cups chicken broth
3 whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
12 chicken breasts, skin & bones removed

*mix together the broth, peppercorns, & thyme in the slow cooker insert
*place chicken breasts in, stacking in even layer
*cover & cook on low for 4-5 hours, until chicken is cooked through & tender
*let chicken cool & remove it from slow cooker
*refrigerate for 2 days or freeze for up to 10 weeks

Crock-Pot Mexican Chicken Soup

My family is not really big on soups.  But my hubby does like a good chicken soup.  Right now he is under the weather so I made him this.  It turned out pretty good, but did need quite a bit more salt after it was finished (& I put the teaspoon it called for & I know the broth had salt as well).

Crock-Pot Mexican Chicken Soup

Broth:
2 onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled & chopped
2 sprigs cilantro (we REALLY like cilantro, so I actually put a whole fistful in)
1 hot chili pepper, seeded & chopped (I didn't have one on hand, so I used a little cayenne pepper powder)
10 whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
2 half chicken breasts
1 (10 oz) can condensed chicken broth
5 cups water

Topping:
1/2 Cup whipping cream
1 Tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted & ground
2 small avocados, sliced
lime juice
finely chopped cilantro

*In slow cooker stoneware, combine broth ingredients.  Cover & cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours
*Lift out chicken & shred meat
*Strain the broth & discard solids
*Combine strained broth & shredded chicken back in crock pot & set to warm if not eating immediately

Topping:
*in a bowl, whip cream & beat in cumin seeds & set aside
*when you ladle soup into bowls, lay avocado strips ontop & sprinkle with lime juice
*top with a dollop of cream & garnish with cilantro.

Note 1: I did not do the topping part.  My hubby can't have cream (no dairy) & he dislikes cumin; we didn't have avocado in the house & I honestly forgot about the lime juice & chopped cilantro (I have mentioned that I have a toddler, right??)

Note 2: hubby found the veggies I had strained out of the broth (I had just left them sitting in a bowl) & added them back to the soup & he said it was even better that way, LOL

Crock-Pot Sweet & Sour Chicken

This was VERY yummy.  It was a winner all the way around, everyone liked it, including my stepson!  I wish the sauce had been a little thicker, but that's my only comment.  I couldn't find boneless, skinless thighs.  I removed the skin myself, but couldn't get the bones out.  I just cooked it for the maximum 6 hours & it was fully cooked & quite good.  In a pinch I'm sure you could substitute breast meat & cook it 4 hours on low & I bet it would be fine.  My hubby insists that thigh meat has so much more flavor & even more flavor when you cook it with the bone.  He didn't mind the bones at all.  I did actually add more bell pepper & carrot than the recipe stated & I thought it was good that way, but I suppose that's a matter of personal preference & maybe that's why my sauce wasn't thick.

Crock-Pot Sweet & Sour Chicken

1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks
1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger (I have to omit this because hubby has an intolerance to ginger)
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 Cup chopped yellow & red bell peppers
1 Cup chopped onion
1/4 Cup baby carrots

*drain pineapple & set aside, reserving 1 Cup juice
*combine sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, garlic, ginger, & reserved juice in slow cooker; whisk until smooth
*add chicken, bell peppers, onion, & carrots; stir to coat evenly with sauce
*cover & cook on low 5-6 hours or on high 2 1/2-3 hours
*stir in reserved pineapple; cook 5 minutes longer, or until pineapple is heated

Crock-Pot Zesty Mexican Chicken

This dish was super yummy & my hubby really liked it :)

Crock-Pot Zesty Mexican Chicken

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded & chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 Cups hot cooked rice

*Place chicken breasts in crock pot
*In a bowl combine tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic, juice, pepper sauce, & s/p; pour over chicken
*Cover & cook on low 3 1/2-4 hours
*Serve over rice

Edited to add: someone told me they were going to make this as taco filling.  YUM!!  Great idea so I thought I'd share in case anyone wanted to consider doing it that way instead of with a side of rice.

Crock-pot Balsamic Chicken with Figs

On my stepdaughter's last birthday we took her to a Spanish restaurant as a surprise.  Hubby & I used to always pass by the restaurant (seeing it from the freeway) back before we were married & I had always wanted to eat there.  One day a while back we went for one of our very rare date nights.  The menu is a little challenging at first, so many unfamiliar items & ingredients.  But once the food came we were thrilled beyond belief.  There's also a bit of terminology difficulty.  What the Spanish call certain foods is totally different than what the Mexicans call foods by the exact same name (like tortillas, for example!).  Fortunately I've taken enough Spanish classes (where they always focus on Spain Spanish even though we are 2 hours from the border of Mexico) that I already knew about that & warned my hubby.  Anyways, when we were last there, for my stepdaughter's birthday, my hubby ordered something (fish, I think, though it may have been chicken) & it had figs in the dish & hubby couldn't stop raving about those figs.  I kid you not, for WEEKS he was still going on about how good those figs were.  So I stumbled across this recipe shortly after I got my crock pot & I was soooo excited because it has figs!!  Of course I had to FIND figs, but I did (you can also order them online if you really can't find them in a store near you).  However, my hubby & step-son were less than impressed with this meal.  I think they just don't like the taste of the red wine.  I personally tasted it & thought it was really good.  I've never liked to drink wine, but I do like to cook with it.  And when I cook with white wine (this is the first time ever I have cooked with red wine) hubby never complains or even notices.  But this time he complained about the slight wine flavor & said he didn't like it.  So I doubt I'll be making it again, but I would still recommend it highly, unless you have a dislike for red wine.

CROCK-POT BALSAMIC CHICKEN WITH FIGS

2 Tablespoons oil
8 chicken breast halves, skin & bones removed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 Cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 Cup ruby port wine
1/2 Cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 dried figs, cut in half

*sprinkle chicken breasts with s/p & brown in oil, then transfer to crock pot
*deglaze pan with vinegar & port, scraping up anything stuck to pan
*add broth & transfer all 3 liquids to crock pot
*add thyme & figs & stir to combine
*cover & cook on high for 2 hours, until chicken is cooked through & sauce is syrupy

Note 1: I could not find "ruby port" wine, so I substituted a sweet red wine

Note 2: I really prefer to cook things on low, provided I have enough time to do so, I feel like that's the whole point of the crock pot & the food is more flavorful that way & there's less chance of scorching, but this recipe didn't give that option.  It only specified to cook on high, so I'm assuming it just didn't come out as good on low, so I followed the rules & cooked it on high.  Based on my past experience though, thawed chicken breast dishes usually take about 4 hours on low.

Crock-Pot Turkey Sloppy Joes

My hubby LOOOOVED this recipe.  After eating it, he said "you know what I'd like you to do different next time you make it?" (I ALWAYS hear this after I make something, hubby is a picky eater & is rarely satisfied with a meal as is) I asked "what?" & he replied "NOTHING, it was EXCELLENT!"  That has to be an all time first I'd say.


CROCK-POT TURKEY SLOPPY JOES

2 Tablespoons oil
1.5 lbs ground turkey
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced, OPTIONAL (I left it out cuz my stepson does NOT like spice)
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Cup tomato-based chili sauce (see note 1)
1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 Cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I didn't include this cuz hubby can't have dairy)
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped, OPTIONAL
Hot onion buns or other bread/buns

*In a skillet heat oil & brown ground turkey & then transfer to crock pot
*Add onions & cook until softened.  Add garlic, jalapeno (if using), chili powder, oregano, s/p, & cook, stirring, for 1 minute
*Add chili sauce & worcestershire sauce & bring to a boil, then transfer to crock pot
*Cover crock pot & cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours, until mixture is hot & bubbling.
*Add cheese (if using) & bell pepper (if using) & cover & cook on high for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted & bell pepper is softened
*Spoon over buns/bread & serve

Note 1: I cannot obtain "tomato-based chili sauce" in health food stores (which is where I shop), so I improvised by combining ketchup, bone sucking BBQ sauce, Trader Joe's KC BBQ sauce, & a little spicy chile pepper sauce in a measuring cup up to the amount called for in the recipe.

Note 2: I browned the turkey the day before & also cooked up the sauce the day before & put them in the fridge (in separate containers: turkey in one container, sauce in another, & bell pepper in another) until the next morning, when I took them out & placed in the crock pot. 

Note 3: I did not get it going early enough to cook on low, so I did this one on high & it scorched slightly.  I'm not sure if it would've done that had I cooked it on low.  Keep a close eye on it I suggest & add a slight bit of water if it looks a little dry.  I did that & it helped tremendously, even after the scorching had already started. Just be careful to not add too much water or you will end up with soup!  The whole thing with crock-pot cooking is that there is no evaporation occurring & often liquid gets pulled out of ingredients as well, so most of the time you end up with too much liquid, so be careful!

Crock-pot Soy-Garlic Chicken recipe

I recently got myself a crock-pot.  Well, um, actually I got myself TWO crock-pots.  You see, I've been wanting one for MANY years & now that I have a toddler I REALLY want one (time spent in the kitchen is TOUGH with a toddler).  So I got a gift card for Christmas (meant for clothes though) & went & bought a 6 quart crock-pot.  Once I realized you need to fill it at least half way I realized it was kinda big for most of our dinners.  The thought did cross my mind that we could just have A LOT of leftovers, but that never goes over well with my stepkids, they outright refuse to eat the same thing more than twice.  They're usually already complaining at the second serving of something.  However, when my inlaws come to visit we have close to 30 people to feed, so for that the 6 quart would be really great.  There are also some other things I'd like to do that requires a larger crock-pot.  So I did go back & buy a 3 quart & so far that's what I've been using on an almost daily basis.  Soon I will bust out the 6 quart though.  :)

But as I was starting to say, I recently got myself a crock-pot & am having a blast making stuff in it.  So I'm sure there will be a lot of crock-pot recipes posted on this new blog.

This recipe was super easy & was REALLY yummy! 

CROCK-POT SOY-GARLIC CHICKEN

6 chicken leg quarters, skin removed
8 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 Cup soy sauce
1/4 Cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons minced garlic

*Place chicken in slow cooker
*In a bowl combine tomato sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, & garlic; pour over chicken
*Cover & cook on low 4-5 hours

Note: I actually used boneless, skinless chicken breasts when I made this because it was all I had in the house, but I would bet it would be even tastier if you used the legs.  If you are opposed to legs though, or just don't have any in the house, the breasts will certainly do the trick.