Slow Cooker Chicken Merlot With Mushrooms
May. 15th, 2011 01:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wendelah1 in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
omnomnomThis recipe is from Lora Brody's "Slow Cooker Cooking," 2001; however, with one minor change, it is identical to the recipe in "Better Homes and Gardens: New Flavors for Your Crockery Cooker," 1998. Did Lora think we wouldn't notice?
The change is in the first ingredient. Lora specifies to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. This is absurd. Chicken cooked on the bone tastes better and is cheaper. Buy the chicken thighs bone-in and remove the skin yourself. Just pull it off. If you want to be fussy, trim the little bits of fat that cling with scissors.
2 1/2 to 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Instead of thighs, BHG says to use "meaty chicken parts, thighs, legs, breasts, with the skin removed." I say if you want legs and breasts in your dish, buy a whole chicken when they go on sale and cut it up yourself, saving the back and wings for stock. I'd probably cut the breasts into four pieces: in half at the breast bone and then in half again to make for more uniform servings. But if you can get a cut-up fryer cheaply, by all means, use it. Since I am cheap, I only use bone-in chicken thighs. I save the more expensive breasts for the skillet or the oven.
12 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3/4 C. low-sodium chicken broth (I like Swanson's fine, but if you have any homemade in your freezer, use it.)
1 6-oz. can tomato paste (I like Muir Glen. It's expensive but if you buy if when it goes on sale, it's worth stocking up.)
1/4 C. Merlot or any dry red wine, or additional chicken broth (this isn't chicken Merlot without Merlot. Broth will not do.)
2 T. quick-cooking tapioca
2 T. chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 t. dried basil (I forget this half the time...)
2 t. granulated sugar (Also this, but suit yourself...)
1/4 t. salt (My husband has high blood pressure, so I never add salt. There is plenty of sodium in the broth and tomato paste so let the salt-lovers add their own at the table.)
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper (Fresh pepper for the win!)
2 C. cooked noodles (I serve it with brown rice but whole wheat pasta would be good, too.)
2 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano (My husband is lactose-intolerant so this can also safely be left off. It tastes nice with it, though.)
Rinse chicken, pat dry and set aside.
Place the mushrooms, onion and garlic in the insert of the slow cooker. Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables.
Combine broth, tomato paste, wine, tapioca, dried basil (if using), sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours or on High for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. If you are using fresh basil, stir it in after the chicken is cooked, shortly before serving. To serve, spoon chicken mixture over cooked noodles. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
The change is in the first ingredient. Lora specifies to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. This is absurd. Chicken cooked on the bone tastes better and is cheaper. Buy the chicken thighs bone-in and remove the skin yourself. Just pull it off. If you want to be fussy, trim the little bits of fat that cling with scissors.
2 1/2 to 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Instead of thighs, BHG says to use "meaty chicken parts, thighs, legs, breasts, with the skin removed." I say if you want legs and breasts in your dish, buy a whole chicken when they go on sale and cut it up yourself, saving the back and wings for stock. I'd probably cut the breasts into four pieces: in half at the breast bone and then in half again to make for more uniform servings. But if you can get a cut-up fryer cheaply, by all means, use it. Since I am cheap, I only use bone-in chicken thighs. I save the more expensive breasts for the skillet or the oven.
12 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3/4 C. low-sodium chicken broth (I like Swanson's fine, but if you have any homemade in your freezer, use it.)
1 6-oz. can tomato paste (I like Muir Glen. It's expensive but if you buy if when it goes on sale, it's worth stocking up.)
1/4 C. Merlot or any dry red wine, or additional chicken broth (this isn't chicken Merlot without Merlot. Broth will not do.)
2 T. quick-cooking tapioca
2 T. chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 t. dried basil (I forget this half the time...)
2 t. granulated sugar (Also this, but suit yourself...)
1/4 t. salt (My husband has high blood pressure, so I never add salt. There is plenty of sodium in the broth and tomato paste so let the salt-lovers add their own at the table.)
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper (Fresh pepper for the win!)
2 C. cooked noodles (I serve it with brown rice but whole wheat pasta would be good, too.)
2 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano (My husband is lactose-intolerant so this can also safely be left off. It tastes nice with it, though.)
Rinse chicken, pat dry and set aside.
Place the mushrooms, onion and garlic in the insert of the slow cooker. Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables.
Combine broth, tomato paste, wine, tapioca, dried basil (if using), sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours or on High for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. If you are using fresh basil, stir it in after the chicken is cooked, shortly before serving. To serve, spoon chicken mixture over cooked noodles. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
no subject
on 2011-05-15 09:55 pm (UTC)This recipe sounds very good, as well as providing me with enlightenment. :-)
no subject
on 2011-05-15 10:40 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2011-05-16 06:38 am (UTC)