Just 30 minutes to prep, then cooks all day.
The slow cooker has become an invaluable tool in my kitchen these days. So many recipes to choose from with super tender meats, veggies and lots of liquid or sauce, perfect for pureeing for people with dysphagia but still tasty and appetizing for everyone else.
This recipe has been in my collection for years but somehow never made it to the table before this week.
Chicken and Fall Vegetables
Fall vegetables like peppers, tomatoes and squash, slow-cooked all day in a heavenly chicken and wine broth.
Adapted from a recipe by Liz Monteiro & Luisa D’Amato, 30-Minute Miracle, The Record
Serves 4-6
1-2 tbsp olive oil
3 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs *or substitute all thighs or all breasts according to your taste
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
½ cup red wine or red cooking wine (or you could use white)
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper (as always, I omitted the pepper as it seems to aggravate Dad’s cough, but feel free to add it in if you like)
12 cremini mushrooms, cut into 1/4" slices
1 red pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1-2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 to 3 fresh tomatoes, cut into chunks (or you could use a 14 oz can of fire-roasted tomatoes)
1 fresh butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks (or you could use frozen)
1 10-oz can concentrated chicken broth
1 cup water
1 tsp maple syrup
splash balsamic vinegar
2 tsp ketchup
1/2 cup frozen peas
Note: The original recipe calls for a mix of chicken breasts and thighs with the skin removed, but my family prefers boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They seem to stand up best to the long cooking time.
First, pour the olive oil into a large frying pan and warm over medium-high. Once the pan is hot, brown the chicken in batches and place the browned chicken pieces in the slow cooker as you go.
If your chicken isn't browning too quickly, or if you can work nearby, you can chop the vegetables and slice the garlic while the chicken browns. Keep the onions separate from the rest of the vegetables, as well as the garlic.
When the last of the chicken is browned, remove it from the pan and place it in the slow cooker. Add the onion to the hot pan and brown it lightly. Then add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Pour in the wine and stir quickly as it boils. You want to scrape up the browned, flavourful bits on the pan bottom. Pour all of that on top of the chicken in the slow cooker and then sprinkle with the herbs and seasonings.
Place the remaining vegetables (mushrooms, peppers, celery, tomatoes and squash) on top of the chicken and pour the chicken broth over it all. Mix the water and maple syrup together. Next pour them in carefully at the side of the slow cooker stoneware. Put the slow cooker cover on and turn it to low heat. Cook for 8 to 10 hours.
Serving Suggestions
Just before serving, stir in the frozen peas. No need to thaw them, as the hot dish will do that pretty quickly. Serve in bowls. If you like, you can serve the liquid as is over the meat and vegetables. Or you can pour it into a pan and boil it down to make the flavour more intense and the broth less watery. You could also thicken the broth by adding some mashed squash and combining it with the rest of the ingredients. This recipe blends nicely using a hand or regular blender to make a thicker soup for the dysphagia patient.
I recommend serving this with some crusty bread for those who can tolerate that, or better yet, my Cheesy Garlic Biscuits – recipe to follow soon. Verdict
Good! Personally, I could taste the wine a bit, but it had very nice flavour overall. Mom didn’t think the wine was discernible and she and Dad really enjoyed this dish.
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