It’s no secret that chicken is one of the most versatile ingredients out there. In fact, there are very few things can really beat a hearty chicken dinner for the family. Chicken is a fantastic ingredient for the slow cooker; but it’s important to note that, generally speaking, the thighs and drumsticks are much better for long, slow cooks and braises. There are a few chicken breast recipes thrown into the mix, but as you will see below, these require less time, as they run a bigger risk of drying out if overcooked.
You can really take advantage of this incredible protein by buying your chicken whole and taking it apart at home. A little daunting at first thought, but incredibly economical, and—once you get the hang of it—easily accomplished in under 10 minutes! One whole chicken (often in the realm of $10) can render two breasts, two thighs, two wings, and two drumsticks…not to mention the incredible bones that can be thrown into the slow cooker for an easy homemade stock!
1. CLASSIC CHICKEN STOCK
Making your own stock is a great way to use up any leftover herbs or unused fresh vegetables. For a deeper flavor, try leaving the skin on the onion and garlic.
Bones and carcass of one chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 white onions, quartered
3 stalks celery, leaves included
3 carrots, leaves included
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 cups water
(Optional) Herbs: Parsley, Thyme, Oregano
1. Place the olive oil at the bottom of the slow cooker and add the chicken bones on top. Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Pour water over the ingredients until everything is completely submerged (about 5 cups). Season generously with salt and pepper and cook on low for 6 hours. Once cooked, strain through a colander and store in the fridge or freezer for later use.
2. CHICKEN PARMESAN
This is a great, easy recipe for an Italian-style meal at home. Be sure to use your favorite tomato sauce (and remove the garlic cloves if the sauce is garlic-based). We like to pair this dish with pasta—preferably penne or fusilli.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 jars of tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
Salt and pepper, to taste
(Optional) 1 box fusilli pasta
1. Crack the 3 eggs into a small bowl and mix well with a fork. Pour the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper into a plastic bag. Dip the chicken breasts in the eggs and coat well. Place the chicken breasts into the plastic bag with the breadcrumbs and shake well until completely coated.
2. Pour the vegetable oil into the bottom of the slow cooker and add the crushed garlic. Place the breaded chicken breasts on top of the garlic and cover the chicken with the grated mozzarella and parmesan. Pour the tomato sauce on top until the cheese is completely covered, and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Serve with cooked fusilli pasta.
3. CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
This recipe is the epitome of comfort food. Rich, hearty, and absolutely delicious. The addition of the dumplings may add an extra 10 minutes to the recipe—but the payoff is tremendous.
For the Chicken
6 skinless chicken thighs (or drumsticks), bone in
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
2 small white onions, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup flour, for thickening
1. Add the chicken thighs and the chopped vegetables to the slow cooker and pour over the chicken stock. Add the thyme, oregano and flour and stir well. Cook on high for 3 hours, then add in the dumplings and frozen peas for the last 45 minutes.
For the Dumplings
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoon butter
1 cup milk
pinch of salt
1. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Heat butter and milk in microwave on half power for 45 seconds, or until the butter is melted. Pour the melted butter and milk over flour mixture and blend well with your hands.
2. Once mixed, roll the dough into 2” balls with your hands, add to the slow cooker and cook for a further 45 minutes before serving.
4. SHREDDED CHICKEN TACOS
It doesn’t get much simpler, or more delicious, than juicy shredded chicken for a Mexican feast!
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 teaspoon cumin
Serving Suggestions (Optional)
Taco Shells
2 cups shredded lettuce
½ cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker, making sure that the broth completely covers the chicken, and cook on high heat for 4 hours (or on low for 7-8 hours). Once cooked, remove the chicken breasts and, using a fork, shred the chicken. Once shredded, add the chicken back in with the cooking juices and stir well. Serve with taco shells, sour cream, shredded lettuce and grated cheese.
5. CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER
This chowder is hearty enough to be a standalone meal. We definitely recommend the addition of the grated cheddar!
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1” pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 small potatoes, chopped
2 14oz cans of corn, drained
3 ½ cups chicken stock
1 ¾ cup half and half
Salt and pepper, to taste
(Optional) 2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled into pieces
(Optional) ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
1. In a large saucepan, sauté the bell pepper, the onion, the carrots and the celery in the butter over a medium heat. Once softened (about 7 minutes) sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until they are coated.
2. Add the vegetables into the slow cooker and place the diced chicken on top. Add the chopped potatoes, the corn, and the bacon. Pour over the chicken stock until the ingredients are fully covered. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. To finish, crumble the in the bacon and add the grated cheddar cheese with the half and half. Stir until heated through.
6. CAJUN CHICKEN JAMBALAYA
Jambalaya is packed full of flavor and is definitely a go-to slow cooker dish for our fellow spicy food lovers. If you’re aiming for a milder jambalaya, consider cutting back on the hot sauce and leaving out the spicy sausage.
4 skinless chicken thighs (or drumsticks), bone in
4 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon hot sauce
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
2 14oz cans diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup long grain rice, rinsed
(Optional) ½ pound shrimp, peeled and uncooked
(Optional) ¼ pound spicy sausage (such as Andouille), cut into pieces
1. Place the chicken, butter, and chopped vegetable in the slow cooker. Add in the thyme, bay leaves, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce and Cajun season. Pour in the diced tomatoes and chicken stock and stir well. Cook on for low 3 ½ hours. Add the rice in after 3 ½ hours and cook on high for a further 30 minutes.
2. If using spicy sausage, add it in with the chicken. If using shrimp, add them in with the rice for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
7. CHICKEN COCONUT CURRY
There are few things more comforting than a delicious warm curry. This coconut curry ticks all of the right boxes.
4 skinless chicken thighs (or drumsticks), bone in
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 can coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock
6 tomatoes, chopped
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 ½ tablespoons curry powder
½ teaspoon dried red chilies
(Optional) 1 lime, cut into wedges
(Optional) ½ bunch of cilantro, to garnish
1. Coat the bottom of the slow cooker with the vegetable oil and place the chicken on top. Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger and curry powder. Sprinkle in the dried chillies and stir well. Cook on low for 5-6 hours and add salt and pepper to taste. Finish each plate by squeezing a wedge of lime over the curry and garnishing with a few cilantro leaves.
8. CHICKEN WITH RED WINE SAUCE - (COQ AU VIN)
There’s a clear reason why this dish is considered a ‘classic’. Simple, humble ingredients make for this decadent feast.
4 skinless chicken thighs (or drumsticks), bone in
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound shallots, peeled and halved
2 cloves garlic, diced
4 strips bacon
3 cups red wine
1 cup chicken stock
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
2 small potatoes, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
(Optional) parsley
1. Place the butter in a small frying pan and add the shallots and the garlic. Sweat in the pan for 5-10 minutes, or until the shallots begin to soften. Once softened, pour the shallots and garlic into the slow cooker. In the same pan, add the strips of bacon and cook over medium heat until just crispy. Once cooked, add the bacon in with the garlic and shallots.
2. Place the chicken on top, and add in all of the other ingredients (except for parsley). Season well with salt and pepper and cook on low for 5 hours, or until chicken is tender. Serve with sprigs of parsley on top.
9. CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE
Chicken and mushrooms are always a great combination—not to mention a wonderfully cheap pairing!
4 skinless chicken thighs (or drumsticks), bone in
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
4 tablespoons butter
2 small white onions, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
¼ cup flour
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and Pepper, to taste
(Optional) ½ Bunch Fresh Parsley, chopped
1. Add the butter to a small frying pan and sauté the onions for 5 minutes. Pour into the slow cooker with the chicken, mushrooms, flour and chicken stock. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook on High for 4-5 hours. Once cooked, stir in the double cream until warmed through. Finish with sprigs of parsley.
10. CREAMY TARRAGON CHICKEN
This is a delicious way to prepare creamy chicken for a stand-out dinner at home! Tarragon is an often underused (and sometimes misused) herb, but in this recipe, it really shines.
6 skinless chicken thighs (or drumsticks), bone in
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour (plus 2 tablespoons for thickening)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 bunch fresh tarragon (or 8 sprigs)
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Pour the flour into a plastic bag with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Place the chicken into the bag and shake well, until the chicken is completely coated. Remove the chicken and shake off any excess flour.
2. Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat and brown the chicken on both sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve to one side. Add the sliced onion and chopped garlic to the same frying pan (don’t worry if there’s still flour in the pan). Add the two tablespoons of flour to the onions and garlic and continue to cook until the onions are just beginning to brown.
3. Once browned, place the onions and chicken into the slow cooker and pour over the mustard, wine and the chicken stock. Add 4 whole sprigs of tarragon and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Once cooked, add the heavy cream and stir well, until warmed through. Garnish with extra sprigs of tarragon.
