I love crock pot cooking! Throw a bunch of stuff in the crock and it delivers a wonderful meal at the end of the day. Plus it’s an easy way to fit my requirement of bulk cooking.
I found the original recipe at http://thehealthyfoodie.com/lemon-artichoke-slow-cooker-chicken/ but I’m not a fan of using whole chicken pieces and I like a little more simplicity. So I made mine with boneless, skinless chicken breast and I didn’t take the time to thicken the sauce.
So now you have two versions to play with to fit your taste!
I didn’t have ras el hanout or garam masala seasoning so I left it out, but I think this dish needed the extra seasoning, so I’d recommend getting some and adding it to your dish.
Lemon Artichoke Crock Pot Chicken
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons ghee, olive or coconut oil
1 teaspoon ras el hanout or garam masala seasoning
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
2 cups chicken broth
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
2 lemons, sliced
2 cans artichoke hearts in water, drained, rinsed and cut in half
1 cup caper berries or capers, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tapioca flour + 2 tablespoons water (optional for thickening the sauce)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional for garnish)
Directions:
- In small bowl, mix together all the spices and set aside.
- Set a large skillet over medium heat and melt the ghee or oil. Add the chicken a few pieces at a time and cook until golden, about 3 minutes per side.
- Place the browned chicken into your slow cooker.
- Once all the chicken has been browned, add the onion and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, lemon juice and zest and spice blend and scrape the bottom of the pan to get every bit of flavor. Bring to a simmer then pour over the chicken in the crock pot.
- Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until cooked through.
- 45-60 minutes before the end of your cooking time, add the sliced lemons, artichoke hearts and caper berries.
- When chicken is finished cooking, you can thicken the sauce, if desired:
- Remove the chicken, lemons, artichokes and caper berries.
- Strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer directly into a medium saucepan.
- Dilute the tapioca flour in 2 tablespoons water and pour into the simmering stock. Bring back to a boil and cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens.
- Pour over the chicken and garnish with parsley, if desired.