Crisp-cooked and crumbled bacon provides a smoky, salty counterpoint to the sweetness of the mashed potatoes in this dish. Look for Whole30-compliant bacon at natural-foods grocery stores—it won’t contain added sweeteners, nitrates, nitrites, gluten, lactose, or MSG.
Serves 6
Prep: 30 minutes
Slow Cook: 6 hours (low) or 3 hours (high)
Total: 6 hours 30 minutes
1 cup Whole30-compliant chicken broth or Chicken Bone Broth (page 294)
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed and halved lengthwise (about 1 pound total)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
12 small bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (see Tip, page 169)
3 cups thinly sliced cremini mushrooms
½ cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
3 strips Whole30-compliant bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
Fresh thyme leaves (optional)
In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine the chicken broth and garlic. Place the potatoes, cut sides down, in the cooker. In a small bowl, combine the dried thyme, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. Place half the chicken thighs, meaty sides up, on the potatoes. Sprinkle with half the thyme mixture. Repeat with remaining chicken and thyme mixture. Add the mushrooms and red onion to the cooker in an even layer.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 3½ hours. Remove the chicken and potatoes from the cooker. When cool enough to handle, remove the potato skins. Place the potato flesh in a medium bowl; add the coconut oil and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Using a potato masher, mash potatoes until smooth.
Serve the chicken and vegetables with the mashed potatoes and drizzle with the cooking liquid. Top the servings with bacon and, if desired, fresh thyme.