Well, the leaves are falling and we’re waking up to frost on the ground here in New England which tells me that Fall must have arrived just about everywhere. Therefore, I officially declare Comfort Food Season well and truly open!
Guys, this is very exciting for me, cause I’m going to be honest with y’all: The summer months are hard on my kitchen mojo. It’s too hot to bake bread, it’s too hot to keep the stove going for long, and at our house we try to avoid turning the oven on at almost all costs. And I realize a lot of this is a “hundred-year-old-house, no central air conditioning” problem, but I think we call all agree that when the temps start going down, the kitchen inspiration starts going up.
That being said, you should absolutely keep your eye out for posts featuring stews, and soups, and other comfort classics headed your way very soon. In the meantime, it only seemed fair to shine a little credit on the friend who got me through the sweltering kitchen months: My Crockpot!
Don’t mind her dents and beauty marks. She has been well-loved, let me tell you. She’ll be getting plenty of action in these cold weather months – there’s stew simmering away in her as I type this post – but she was the Real MVP as I went through this last summer.
In celebration of her ingenuity and versatility, here are five ways to make and serve slowcooker chicken. Spoiler Alert: they all start by tossing frozen or thawed chicken breast into your slowcooker and they all keep well in the freezer if you want to stock your freezer with future meals of leftovers.
Barbeque Chicken
Top chicken breast with your favorite bottled or homemade BBQ sauce – just enough to cover the chicken. You can also sprinkle with a bbq rub or pork seasoning before adding the sauce if you’ve got one you love. Cook on high for 4-6 hours if thawed OR 6-8 hours if frozen until cooked through and tender. Serve in large pieces with sides, shred and throw on buns for sandwiches or use for loaded baked potato topping.
Teriyaki Chicken
Top chicken with your favorite bottled teriyaki sauce* and cook thawed chicken for 4-6 hours OR frozen for 6-8 hours on high until cooked through. Rotating the chicken once or twice during cooking will coat the chicken more evenly with sauce. (Just be aware that for every time you open the slowcooker, you’ll need to expect 15 minutes additional cooking time.) Serve with rice and you’ve got some pretty decent take out fake out.
*OR make your own by whisking together 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, a little onion powder, ground ginger, and a sprinking of cornstarch
Taco Chicken
Sprinkle chicken with taco seasoning and a few dollops of salsa. Cook thawed chicken for 4-6 hours OR frozen for 6-8 hours on high until cooked through. The lack of sauce will cause this chicken to dry out faster than some of the others, so keep an eye on it if you’re worried about over-cooking it. Shred with two forks and use for tacos, quesadillas, nachos, and all manner of Mexican cuisine.
Shredded Chicken
Simply salt and pepper chicken and cook on high for 4-8 hours, depending on how much you’re cooking. Same note applies here: the lack of sauce can cause the chicken to dry out if you leave it too long, but you shouldn’t need to babysit it. When it’s cooked through, shred it and use it for all kind of recipes! I personally use this method to cook the chicken that goes into my chicken casserole, pot pie, soups, chicken salad, and much more.
Cajun, Jerk, or Other Seasoned Chicken
By now I’m sure you’re sensing the theme here: you can cover frozen or thawed chicken breast with practically anything, cook on high for 4-8 hours, and serve it for supper with any and all sides. I employ the slowcooker to make shredded chicken using either homemade Cajun seasoning, or a store-bought jerk seasoning we discovered this summer, but the possibilities are virtually endless. Basically any seasoning or sauce you’d enjoy on chicken can be used here. I’m actually planning on experimenting with a curry sauce that’s just been sitting in my pantry.
So, whatever the season – or seasoning – your slowcooker is your best friend when it comes to throw and go meals. And any gadget that makes my life easier in the kitchen earns my unwavering loyalty, amiright?
I’d love to know what your favorite slowcooker recipes are! Leave yours in the comments below and stay tuned for the comfort food extravaganza headed your way as we traverse these chilly months.
Vacuum in Pearls 