serves 4
The Ingredients
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cut in chunks (I like thighs)
½ cup natural peanut butter (creamy or chunky, your choice)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 lime, juiced
¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce
½ cup chicken broth
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken in the bottom of your cooker. Add the peanut butter. Toss in the vegetables and cumin. Squeeze in lime, and add soy sauce and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Serve over brown or white basmati rice.
The Verdict
Adam and I thought this tasted like the chicken served at our favorite Thai restaurant. We absolutely loved it, and so did our girls. You can add red pepper flakes at the table if you’d like some heat. The bite of citrus that comes from the lime is divine. Yum!
serves 4
The Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut in 1-inch chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried ginger
2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (16-ounce) package stir-fry vegetables (to add later)
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the bottom of your slow cooker and add the garlic, brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Toss the chicken with two spoons to coat it evenly. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, then add the frozen stir-fry vegetables. Re-cover and cook on high for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are heated through. Serve over white or brown basmati rice.
The Verdict
My kids really liked this chicken, and ate most of it themselves. General Tso’s chicken served in restaurants is usually breaded and deep-fried, which is not healthy and laden with gluten. This take-out fake-out version is much better for your heart, and your wallet.
serves 4
The Ingredients
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ cup gluten-free soy sauce
½ cup ketchup
⅓ cup honey
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into your cooker. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, then pour evenly on top of the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Serve over basmati rice with your favorite steamed vegetables.
The Verdict
This is the new favorite chicken recipe in our household. The salty sweet taste is a hit with the kids, and they ask for additional helpings, which is a surefire way to make Mom happy and get out of doing the dishes. If you buy chicken in bulk, this is an easy TV dinner meal to make ahead of time in a plastic zippered freezer bag as described on page 6.
serves 4
The Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 (18-ounce) jar orange marmalade
1½ teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup chicken broth
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken breasts into the bottom of your slow cooker. In a mixing bowl, combine the orange marmalade, spices, and chicken broth. Pour this sauce evenly over the top of the chicken breasts. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Serve over brown basmati rice.
The Verdict
This fantastic chicken recipe comes from Danielle, an EMT in New Jersey. Due to her sporadic schedule, she appreciates being able to throw together a healthy meal within minutes, and leave the house knowing she’ll return to a great dinner. Chicken breasts can become terribly dry when cooked in the oven or on the stovetop, but when slow cooked they are tender and juicy.
serves 6
The Ingredients
1½ cups lentils
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (8-ounce) package baby carrots
1½ pounds chicken (I used quarters with bones)
1 quart chicken broth
The Directions
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Rinse the lentils and put them into the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the garlic and spices. Use a spoon to mix the spices around in the lentils. Add the baby carrots and lay the chicken pieces on top. Pour in the broth. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or until the lentils have reached the desired tenderness and the chicken is fully cooked.
The Verdict
Adam and I ate this meal by ourselves on a night the girls were at Grandma’s, and then packed the leftovers up for the freezer. Lentils are filling, cheap, and when prepared like this, tasty. I used to be scared to incorporate lentils into my meal plan because I thought they tasted a bit like dirt. You can remove much of this “earthy” flavor by rinsing them thoroughly in running water before cooking.