Poultry-based Main Meals

Although chicken and other poultry don't take that long to cook conventionally, they can sometimes be dry from being overdone. But cooking them in your slow cooker will render them moist, tender and meltingly delicious every time. The birds won't dry out if you leave them longer in the cooker but the meat will, literally, fall off the bones! Always cook on Low if you aren't quite sure when you'll be ready to eat. Here you'll find slow-cooked versions of some wonderful traditional specialities such as piri piri chicken and coq au vin but there are also some exciting new versions of Mediterranean dishes, like my Stewed Duck with Pears and Serrano Ham or Guinea Fowl with Peppers and Sun-dried Tomatoes. All are perfect for your slow cooker; all taste out of this world.

Chicken Marengo with Langoustines and Fried Eggs

This dish is said to have been made for Napoleon when he beat the Austrians at the Battle of Marengo in 1800. It was part of the celebratory feast prepared by his chef who had to improvise with what he had to hand - a hen, some garlic, tomatoes, eggs and a few crayfish! I've made a few changes and additions, but the essence of the dish is still there.

Serves 4
Cooking time 6-8 hours low
Serve with french bread

60 ml/4 tbsp olive oil
15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp butter
4 chicken portions
100 g/4 oz whole baby button mushrooms
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
15 ml/1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
15 ml/1 tbsp water
4 large, ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cup dry white wine
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cup chicken stock
30 ml/2 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices of French bread
4 cooked langoustines
4 eggs
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Heat 15 ml/1 tbsp of the oil and the butter in a frying pan, add the chicken portions and brown on all sides. Transfer to the crock pot with a draining spoon. Add the mushrooms to the pot.
Add the onion and garlic to the frying pan and fry for 2 minutes, stirring. Transfer to the crock pot with a draining spoon. Mix the cornflour with the water and chopped tomatoes and add to the pot.
Blend the wine, stock and tomato purée in the frying pan. Bring to the boil, stirring, then pour over the chicken. Tuck in the bay leaf and season well. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours until the chicken is really tender.
Just before you are ready to serve, fry the French bread in half the remaining oil until golden on both sides. Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper (paper towels). Toss the langoustines in the pan until hot, then transfer to a plate and set aside to keep warm.
Heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the eggs and fry to your liking.
Transfer the chicken to warm plates with a draining spoon. Stir the juices, taste and re-season, if necessary. Spoon over the chicken. Put a slice of fried French bread on each plate and top with an egg. Lay a langoustine alongside and garnish the chicken with the chopped parsley. Serve with slices of the remaining French bread.

Chicken Stew with Artichokes, Leeks and Potatoes

This is a selection of the best Mediterranean fare, braised together to create a stew worthy of France, Italy or Spain. Choose a well-flavoured white wine, such as a Chardonnay, for this recipe - and enjoy the rest of it chilled to accompany the meal. A delicious dish that couldn't be simpler
to prepare!

Serves 4
Cooking time 6-8 hours low
Serve with a crisp green salad

15 ml/1 tbsp olive oil
4 chicken portions
2 leeks, cut into chunks
4 potatoes, cut into walnut-sized pieces
120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup dry white wine
120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
280 g/10 oz jar of chargrilled artichoke hearts in oil, drained
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the chicken portions and brown quickly on all sides. Transfer to the crock pot with a draining spoon.
Add the leeks and potatoes to the pan and toss gently over a fairly high heat until lightly golden. Transfer to the pot.
Add the wine and stock to the pan and bring to the boil. Pour into the pot and season well. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours until everything is tender.
Taste the stew 5 minutes before eating. Re-season, if necessary, add the artichokes and sprinkle the garlic and parsley over. Re-cover and cook for the final 5 minutes. Serve straight from the pot with a crisp green salad.

Chicken in White Burgundy with Shallots and Chestnut Mushrooms

This is a classic - coq au vin. It is sometimes made with red wine but I prefer the subtle flavour of a white burgundy. The chicken is gently cooked in the wine with lardons, shallots and robust chestnut mushrooms. It is traditionally served with crusty French bread to mop up the juices and a crisp green salad.

Serves 4
Cooking time 6-8 hours low
Serve with crusty french bread and a green salad

15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp butter
15 ml/1 tbsp olive oil
4 chicken portions
50 g/2 oz lardons (diced bacon)
12 shallots, peeled but left whole
100 g/4 oz chestnut mushrooms, quartered if large
60 ml/4 tbsp plain flour
5 ml/1 tsp dark brown sugar
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup white burgundy, such as Chardonnay or Macon
200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bouquet garni sachet
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken portions and brown on all sides. Transfer to the crock pot with a draining spoon.
Add the lardons, shallots and mushrooms to the pan and fry, stirring, until lightly browned. Transfer to the pot with the draining spoon.
Stir the flour and sugar into the pan juices and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until nicely browned. Remove from the heat and blend in the wine and stock. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring. Season to taste and pour over the chicken.
Tuck in the bouquet garni, cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.
Discard the bouquet garni. Taste and re-season, if necessary. Garnish with the parsley before serving with crusty French bread and a green salad.

Chicken Fricassee with Spring Vegetables

A fricassee just means the dish is cooked in white sauce. But if that sounds bland and boring this dish is far from that. The pieces of chicken breast are slowly cooked in stock with a colourful selection of vegetables. Then sherry and double cream are added and the fricassee is served on a bed of buttered rice. It is delicate but full of flavour.

Serves 4
Cooking time 4-6 hours low and 1 hour high
Serve with buttered rice

100 g/4 oz baby corn cobs
1 bunch of spring onions (scallions), cut into short lengths
100 g/4 oz baby carrots, trimmed and halved lengthways if thick
100 g/4 oz whole button mushrooms
4 small turnips, quartered
450 ml/¾ pint/2 cups boiling chicken stock
45 ml/3 tbsp dry sherry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bouquet garni sachet
45 ml/3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
45 ml/3 tbsp water
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
100 g/4 oz mangetout (snow peas)
90 ml/6 tbsp double (heavy) cream
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Put the corn, spring onions, carrots, mushrooms and turnips in the crock pot.
Add the stock, sherry and some seasoning and tuck in the bouquet garni. Cover and cook on Low for 4-6 hours.
Blend the cornflour with the water and stir into the pot. Add the chicken and mangetout and cook on High for a further 1 hour.
Stir in the cream and discard the bouquet garni. Taste and re-season, if necessary.
Serve the fricassee on a bed of buttered rice, garnished with the chopped parsley.

Chicken Paella with Chorizo and Peppers

This lovely moist rice dish from Spain has chunky pieces of chicken and chorizo sausage, garlic and red peppers. Pimentón - smoked paprika - really enhances the flavour and is so characteristic of the country. Do use pieces of chicken with the bone in as it really adds to the flavour and keeps the meat juicy and tender. Serve as soon as it's cooked.

Serves 4-6
Cooking time 2 hours low
Serve with garlic bread and a crisp green salad

2 or 3 chicken portions or 4-6 chicken thighs
15 ml/1 tbsp olive oil
2 red (bell) peppers, diced
100 g/4 oz chorizo sausage, skinned and diced
100 g/4 oz button mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
350 g/12 oz/1½ cups paella or long-grain rice
1 litre/1¾ pints/4¼ cups chicken stock
2.5 ml/½ tsp pimentón
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground turmeric
5 ml/1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges, to garnish

Chop chicken portions into four pieces or thighs into two pieces, using a meat cleaver or a heavy knife and a weight.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken and brown thoroughly on all sides for about 5 minutes. Transfer to the crock pot with a draining spoon and add the peppers, chorizo and mushrooms.
Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes until they are softened but not browned.
Add the rice to the pan and stir until glistening in oil. Add the stock, pimentón, turmeric, oregano and some salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, stirring, and tip into the crock pot. Cover and cook on Low for 2 hours until the rice has absorbed the liquid and the chicken is tender.
Fluff up the rice with a fork, taste and re-season, if necessary. Spoon into warm shallow bowls, garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges and serve with garlic bread and a crisp green salad.

Poached Chicken with Pistachio Sauce

This classic Turkish dish dates back to the time of the Ottoman Empire. It was originally made with fresh walnuts, so do use them if you have a walnut tree in your garden (you will need to pick them when they are still young and quite ‘milky') but I love this version made with pale green pistachios.

Serves 4
Cooking time 6-8 hours low
Serve with plain boiled potatoes

1 small oven-ready chicken, about 1.25 kg/2½ lb
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut into chunks
1 celery stick, cut into chunks
6 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Boiling water
50 g/2 oz/½ cup shelled pistachio nuts
1 white pitta bread, cut into pieces
1 small garlic clove, crushed
30 ml/2 tbsp single (light) cream
450 g/1 lb fresh spinach leaves
15 ml/1 tbsp olive oil
15 ml/1 tbsp sweet paprika
1.5 ml/¼ tsp chilli powder

Pull off and discard any excess fat from around the inside of the body cavity of the chicken. Place the bird in the crock pot. Add the prepared vegetables, the peppercorns, bay leaf, star anise, some salt and pepper and 450 ml/¾ pint/2 cups of boiling water. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.
Meanwhile, to make the sauce, soak the pistachios in 45 ml/3 tbsp of boiling water for at least 30 minutes to soften. Transfer to a food processor and add the bread and garlic. Run the machine, stopping and scraping down the sides as necessary, until the mixture is finely processed. Transfer to a large bowl.
Carefully lift the chicken out of the pot and, when cool enough to handle, remove all the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the meat into neat pieces and keep warm. Strain the stock and reserve.
Gradually blend the strained stock with the pistachio mixture to form a thick sauce. Blend in the cream and season to taste. Stir the chicken into the sauce, then return everything to the crock pot to keep warm on Low.
Quickly pour boiling water over the spinach in a colander and toss to wilt it. Drain thoroughly. Pile the spinach on to warm plates and spoon the chicken and sauce over. Blend the oil with the paprika and chilli powder and trickle over. Serve this dish warm (not boiling hot) with plain boiled potatoes.

Chicken with Fennel, Courgette and Olives

Cheaper chicken joints are usually fine for the slow cooker treatment, but for this recipe breast fillets really are best. Greek Kalamata olives are large and black with a smooth, meaty texture and taste. A simple recipe but with lots of flavour that needs only rice as an accompaniment.

Serves 4
Cooking time 6-8 hrs low
Serve with rice

4 skinless chicken breast fillets, about 175 g/6 oz each
400 g/14 oz/large can of chopped tomatoes
120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup boiling chicken stock
120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup dry white wine
1 courgette (zucchini), sliced
2 small onions, chopped
1 fennel bulb, sliced
5 ml/1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
40 g/1½ oz stoned (pitted) Kalamata olives, sliced
5-10 ml/1-2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put all the ingredients except the olives, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the crock pot.
Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours, adding the olives during the last 30 minutes.
Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper and discard the bay leaf.
Serve the chicken and tomato mixture on plain boiled rice.

Oregano Chicken with Artichoke Hearts

The sweet and delicate flavour of artichoke goes very well with chicken, especially in this incredibly simple slow cooker recipe. Canned artichokes hearts are really very good, and are a convenient way to enjoy what is, after all, a thistle! This is another delicious dish with far more flavour than you would expect from its simplicity.

Serves 4
Cooking time 8-10 hrs low
Serve with couscous and a tomato and onion salad

450 g/1 lb skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into 2.5 cm/1 in cubes
400 g/14 oz/ large can of chopped tomatoes
200 g/7 oz drained canned artichoke hearts, quartered
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stick, thinly sliced
5 ml/1 tsp dried oregano
75 g/3 oz/¾ cup stoned (pitted) black olives, halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients except the olives, salt and pepper in the crock pot.
Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours, adding the olives during the last 30 minutes.
Season to taste and serve with couscous and a tomato and onion salad.

Spatchcocked Poussins with Lemon and Pesto

Poussins, also known as spring chickens, are now farmed all year round. They make a delicious dinner party treat. To cook four poussins, you need a large slow cooker. You can halve the recipe and cook two birds on top of each other in a smaller pot. This recipe is very simple but the flavours are truly Mediterranean - lemon, basil, garlic and white wine.

Serves 4
Cooking time 5-7 hours low
Serve with buttered tagliatelle

4 oven-ready poussins (Cornish hens)
60 ml/4 tbsp basil pesto from a jar
30 ml/2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, cut into thin slivers
15 ml/1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
90 ml/6 tbsp dry white wine
90 ml/6 tbsp chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon twists and sprigs of fresh basil, to garnish

To spatchcock the poussins, cut them each side of the backbone. Remove the backbone and open the birds out flat. Carefully loosen the skin and smear the pesto between the flesh and the skin.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the poussins and fry quickly to brown. Transfer to the crock pot. Tuck the lemon slices and garlic slivers around. Blend the cornflour with 15 ml/1 tbsp of the wine and add to the crock pot.
Add the remaining wine and the stock to the frying pan. Bring to the boil, stirring, and pour over the poussins. Season well. Cover and cook on Low for 5-7 hours until tender.
Remove the chicken from the pot with a draining spoon. Stir, taste and re-season the sauce, if necessary.
Serve the chicken on a bed of buttered tagliatelle, with the sauce spooned over, garnished with lemon twists and sprigs of basil.

Braised Duck with Lettuce and Petit Pois

This dish is very French. The simple sweet flavours of peas, fresh herbs and lettuce offset the richness of the duck to perfection. It needs very little accompaniment except, perhaps, some plain boiled potatoes. When partridges are in season, try cooking them in the same way; you would need one bird per person.

Serves 4
Cooking time 5-7 hours low and 1 hour high
Serve with plain boiled potatoes

4 duck portions
12 button (pearl) onions, peeled but left whole
45 ml/3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
45 ml/3 tbsp water
300 ml/½ pint/1¼ cups boiling chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
225 g/8 oz/2 cups frozen petit pois, thawed
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
15 ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
15 ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 round lettuce, shredded
Small sprigs of fresh mint, to garnish

Heat a large heavy-based frying pan. Turn down the heat to moderate, add the duck, skin-sides down, and heat gently until the fat runs. Turn up the heat and brown the duck all over. Transfer to the crock pot with a draining spoon.
Add the onions to the pan and brown quickly. Add to the duck, using the draining spoon.
Blend the cornflour with the water, then stir in the boiling stock. Pour over the duck. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook on Low for 5-7 hours.
Add the petit pois, herbs and lettuce. Cover and cook on High for a further 1 hour.
Transfer the duck to warm plates. Spoon off the excess fat from the peas and juices. Taste and re-season, if necessary. Spoon over the duck and garnish with small sprigs of mint. Serve with plain boiled potatoes.

Gascon Confit of Duck

Confit de canard is actually a speciality of Gascony, which is not on the Med - but it isn't that far away and it's too good a recipe to miss here as the slow cooker makes it perfectly. I've used oils rather than the traditional duck fat. It is an ancient way of preserving the meat and it will keep for ages in the fridge as long as it is totally submerged in the oil.

Serves 4
Cooking time 4-5 hours low
Serve with chicory, watercress and orange salad and crusty bread

4 duck leg portions
25 g/1 oz/¼ cup salt
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
8 black peppercorns, lightly crushed
A good pinch of ground cloves
5 ml/1 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
500 ml/17 fl oz/2¼ cups olive oil
500 ml/17 fl oz/2¼ cups sunflower oil

Put the duck portions in a large shallow plastic container and rub the salt all over. Add the garlic, spices and herbs and mix well so they are evenly distributed. Cover with a lid and chill for 24 hours.
Wash the duck thoroughly under cold water and pat dry on kitchen paper (paper towels). This is very important or the finished dish will be too salty. Arrange the duck in the crock pot.
Heat the oils in a saucepan until hot but not boiling. Pour over the duck. Cover and cook on Low for 4-5 hours until the duck is meltingly tender.
Remove the crock pot from its base and leave until fairly cool. Carefully transfer the duck to a suitable container that can be kept in the fridge and pour all the oil over to cover it completely. When completely cold, store in the fridge.
To serve, carefully take the duck out of the oil. Heat a large heavy-based frying pan and fry the duck until crisp and golden on the outside and piping hot. Serve with a chicory, watercress and orange salad and some crusty French bread.

Duck with Wine, Rosemary and Orange Sauce

This is a lovely version of canard à l'orange, where the duck is flavoured with orange marmalade as well as fresh orange juice and zest. The rosemary gives added fragrance and, when served with plain new potatoes and petit pois, makes a perfect, simple, special occasion meal.

Serves 4
Cooking time 6-8 hours low
Serve with new potatoes and petit pois

1.75 kg/4 lb oven-ready duck, quartered, or 4 duck portions
5 ml/1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup chicken stock
200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup dry white wine
30 ml/2 tbsp orange jelly marmalade
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
45 ml/3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
45 ml/3 tbsp water
4 small sprigs of fresh rosemary and 4 orange slices, to garnish

Heat a large heavy-based frying pan. Turn down the heat to moderate, add the duck, skin-sides down, and heat gently until the fat runs. Turn up the heat and brown the duck all over. Transfer to the crock pot with a draining spoon.
Add the rosemary, stock, wine, marmalade, orange zest and juice and some salt and pepper to the pan. Bring to the boil, stirring, until the marmalade melts. Blend the cornflour with the water and stir in. Cook until thickened, then pour over the duck. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours until tender.
Spoon off any fat from the cooking juices in the crock pot. Taste and re-season, if necessary. Transfer the duck to warm plates and spoon the sauce around. Garnish each piece of duck with a small sprig of rosemary and an orange slice and serve hot with new potatoes and petit pois.

Stewed Duck with Pears and Serrano Ham

This comes from Catalonia in Spain and has a wonderful mixture of flavours and textures. In Spain they often cook the dish one day, then cool and chill it so all the fat can be scraped off the following day before reheating. I find spooning it off then blotting the surface with kitchen paper works equally well and also means you can enjoy it sooner!

Serves 4
Cooking time 6-8 hours low and 30 minutes high
Serve with plain boiled rice

1.75 kg/4 lb oven-ready duck, quartered, or 4 duck portions
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 thin slices of Serrano ham, cut into thin strips
50 g/2 oz/½ cup blanched almonds
50 g/2 oz/1/3 cup sultanas (golden raisins)
A pinch of ground cloves
15 ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cup chicken stock
300 ml/½ pint/1¼ cups apple juice
15 ml/1 tbsp Spanish brandy
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
15 ml/1 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 eating (dessert) pears, peeled, cored and quartered
A few fresh sage leaves, to garnish

Heat a large heavy-based frying pan. Turn down the heat to moderate, add the duck, skin-sides down, and heat gently until the fat runs. Turn up the heat and brown the duck all over. Transfer to the crock pot with a draining spoon.
Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes until the onion is softened and lightly browned. Transfer to the pot with a draining spoon and add the ham, almonds, sultanas, cloves and sage.
Wipe out the frying pan with kitchen paper (paper towels). Add the stock, apple juice and brandy, bring to the boil and pour into the pot. Season well. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours until really tender.
Carefully lift the duck out of the pot. Spoon off as much fat as possible from the cooking liquid, then lay a sheet of kitchen paper on the surface to soak up the remaining fat (you may need to repeat this).
Turn up the cooker to High. Stir the sherry vinegar into the juices, taste and re-season, if necessary. Return the duck to the pot with the pears and cook on High for a further 30 minutes.
Serve on a bed of rice, garnished with a few sage leaves.

Guinea Fowl with Peppers and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Guinea fowl were introduced to the Mediterranean in ancient times but were first discovered in the Sahara in Africa. They are now farmed all over Europe. Here they are slow cooked on a bed of sweet peppers, with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. They are served with couscous to create a delicious Middle Eastern-style dish.

Serves 4
Cooking time 6-8 hours low
Serve with couscous

5 ml/1 tsp ground cumin
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 oven-ready guinea fowl, quartered
60 ml/4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, halved and sliced
2 red (bell) peppers, cut into 8 strips
2 green peppers, cut into 8 strips
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and chopped
15 ml/1 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
15 ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
A few coriander leaves, to garnish

Mix the cumin and cinnamon with 2.5 ml/½ tsp of salt. Rub all over the guinea fowl pieces.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fry for 2 minutes, stirring. Transfer to the crock pot with a draining spoon. Add the peppers, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and the sun-dried tomato oil. Toss well and spread out. Season with a little salt and lots of pepper.
Place the guinea fowl in the frying pan and brown all over. Transfer to the pot and pour over all the juices from the pan. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours until everything is meltingly tender.
Stir in the coriander. Taste and re-season, if necessary. Transfer to warm plates on a bed of couscous and garnish with coriander leaves.

Portuguese-style Chicken with Chillies

Frango piri piri originated in Mongolia but is now a popular Portuguese dish. It's often marinated then barbecued, but I've slow cooked it then popped it under the grill to brown and crisp the skin. Because it is slow cooked, you don't need to marinate it first as the flavours have plenty of time to penetrate. Vary the amount of chilli you use to taste.

Serves 4
Cooking time 5-6 hours low
Serve with sauteed potatoes and a large mixed salad

1 garlic clove, crushed
5 ml/1 tsp dried oregano
2.5-10 ml/½-2 tsp crushed dried chillies
5 ml/1 tsp paprika
2.5 ml/½ tsp salt
A good grinding of black pepper
90 ml/6 tbsp olive oil
60 ml/4 tbsp red wine vinegar
5 ml/1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
4 chicken portions
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Put the garlic, oregano, chillies, paprika, salt, pepper, oil, vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
Make several slashes in each piece of the chicken, place in the crock pot and pour the chilli mixture over. Cover and cook on Low for 5-6 hours.
Preheat the grill (broiler). Carefully lift out the chicken and transfer it, skin-sides down, to the grill. Grill (broil) for 5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and grill for a further 5-10 minutes until crisp and golden, brushing with the cooking juices from the crock pot during grilling.
Serve sprinkled with the parsley, with sautéed potatoes and a large mixed salad.