Time warp! We returned home yesterday from an epic traveling adventure spanning two coasts and 5 states. There was time with multiple dear friends and family, with pockets of tourist-y things along the way. My head is still spinning from the fun! But I’m exhausted and very thankful to be home with this nugget.
I haven’t had time yet to sort through the hundreds of photos or even wrapped my head around all of the things we experienced. I can’t wait to share it all with you, but in the meantime, how about a super-simple slow-cooker recipe? This time of year is hectic, whether you’ve been on the road for two weeks or not. I have yet to decorate a tree or wrap a single present! A comforting and scrumptious supper that’s easy to throw together is just what the doctor ordered: Slow-cooker Honey Chipotle Chicken. For this recipe, I used four chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on. I laid them in the bottom of the slow-cooker and gave them a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.
What I love best about crockpot cooking is the fact that there are no rules. Just toss yummy things into it and something delish happens! I just used what I had on hand. On top of the chicken, I added about half of a red onion, a handful of smashed garlic cloves, and a half of a jalapeno left over from another recipe.
I usually use canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, but I didn’t have any in the pantry. A quick search through our (extensive) condiment drawer turned up a prepared chipotle hot sauce. I added some honey for sweetness and a little soy sauce for flavor. I poured the sauce mixture over the chicken, put the lid on, and turned the crockpot on high.
Two hours later, and the chicken was tender and juicy and amazing. I transferred it to a baking dish and popped it under the broiler to brown it just a bit. Then I spooned some of the cooking sauce from the crock over the top and sprinkled basil over everything. Gorgeous!
I served the chicken with a medley of sautéed mushrooms, green beans, and fresh tomato. Don’t forget the extra sauce– despite the chicken’s juiciness, the sauce really makes the dish. Each tender bite has that magic spicy-sweet combination that I adore.
Thanks to the slow-cooker, this yummy, homemade meal took less than 10 minutes of effort. And this time of year, when our lists are long and time feels short, that’s just about perfect.
Slow-cooker Honey Chipotle Chicken
You’ll need:
- 4 chicken thighs, bone in/skin on
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- ½ onion, roughly chopped
- ½ jalapeno, chopped
- 1/3 cup chipotle hot sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- Basil for garnish
Place the chicken thighs in the bottom of the crockpot and season well with salt and pepper. Add the garlic, onion, and jalapenos over the chicken. In a small bowl, whisk the hot sauce, soy sauce, and honey. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Put the lid on and turn the crockpot on high for two hours. If you’d like, transfer the chicken to a baking dish and place it under the broiler for a few minutes to brown. To serve, spoon sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with basil. Cheers to an easy supper in the busy season. YUM.
Hungry for more? Check out the collection of recipes on the FOOD BLISS page.
One year ago: A holiday party for 50 people (and crockpot pulled pork).
the usual bliss 