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| Slow Cooker Chicken with Carrots and White Wine Mushroom Sauce |
I’ll be honest, this was a bit more finicky than I typically prefer when it comes to the slow cooker. If I’m breaking out my crockpot, it’s usually because I need an easy meal where I can throw a bunch of ingredients in and then let the appliance work its magic. When I read through the steps in this recipe, I almost backed out, not wanting to brown the chicken or sauté the mushrooms and onions or worry about making a gravy when it was all said and done. I’m glad I powered through; the extra steps were worth it in the end and the prep work can still be done a day ahead of time, making this still relatively hands free.
This was a good Sunday dinner meal, best eaten around the table with family. I did the pre-work on Saturday and Sunday was reserved for cooking in the slow cooker. All I had to do was whip up some mashed sweet potatoes and then thicken a bit of the cooking juices to serve as gravy, which was a nice bonus but not a crucial step. My only change to this recipe would be to add some hearty greens such as kale to the slow cooker, which would add another dimension of flavor while still holding up to the long cooking process and add some nice color amongst all that beige and orange! We ate ours over savory mashed sweet potatoes (made with garlic and thyme).
Slow Cooker Chicken with Carrots and White Wine Mushroom Sauce
from What's Cookin' Chicago?
Ingredients:
-bone-in chicken breasts (6) or thighs (12)
-2 tbsp vegetable oil
-1 lb sliced mushrooms
-1 medium onion, chopped
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 1/2 cups dry white wine
-1 cup chicken broth
-1 tbsp minced fresh thyme
-2 bay leaves
-1 lb baby carrots
-2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water
Directions:
1. Dry the chicken with paper towels and season with salt & pepper. Brown half of the chicken in 2 tsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, flipping after 5 minutes so that both sides are browned. Repeat with remaining chicken and 2 more tsp of oil. Discard any fat in the skillet.
2. Add remaining 2 tsp of oil to the skillet with the mushrooms, onion, and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook until mushrooms are brown and slightly caramelized, 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic, stirring for 15 seconds. Add the wine, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add everything to the slow cooker.
3. Add the broth, thyme, and bay leaves to the slow cooker along with the carrots and the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours, or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
4. Place chicken and vegetables in a serving dish and cover with foil. Discard the bay leaves. Add the cooking liquid to a small saucepan over high heat. Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. When the saucepan mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and stir in cornstarch, whisking to create a gravy. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve the chicken with the gravy over mashed potatoes.
