1 December 2013

* Slow Cooker Chicken with Chorizo

Slow Cooker Chicken with Chorizo Recipe
I'm not a fan of meat on the bone, any meat... but most especially chicken. I want to eat my food, not play with it, struggle with it or get covered in it - so it's incredibly rare that I buy a whole chicken or jointed chicken. I mostly buy chicken breasts, and although they are convenient - they aren't where the flavour is. The flavour is all in the meat that's wrapped around the bones.

If I buy chicken thighs (I never buy drum sticks), I de-bone them before I use them. Which can be a royal pain in the backside.... so... my slow cooker has been amazing to use when it comes to chicken thigh recipes. When cooked, the meat just melts off the bone - no muss, no fuss - and I end up with a delicious dinner, that was easy to throw together, easy to throw on a plate... and easy to throw down my throat.

This Slow Cooker Chicken with Chorizo is one such recipe that I've just adapted (yet again) from The Slow Cook Book by Heather Whinney.  I can honestly say I have not yet had all of the ingredients to make any of her recipes, off the bat. But they are so easily alterable that the book has to be amongst my top ten cook book purchases for this year... and there have been a few.

This freezes beautifully, especially if you pull the meat from the bone before hand, and goes with everything from Celeriac and Potato Mash to Chicken Flavoured Rice... or even couscous. I can't be bothered to cook tonight, so we're having it again (from the freezer) with Jacket Potatoes and some cheesy garlic bread.

I'm incredibly good at being lazy.

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Slow Cooker Chicken with Chorizo Recipe

Serves 4

Prep time - 30 minutes including pre-cook time
Cooking time - LOW/MEDIUM 6-8 hrs or HIGH 4 hrs
Total time - 6.5 - 8.5 hrs or 4.5 hrs

You will need
A non stick frying pan/skillet
A slow cooker

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
6 skinless chicken thighs
220g Spanish chorizo - chopped into bite size pieces
1 red onion - peeled and thinly sliced
2 small leeks - thickly sliced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried thyme
1 red bell pepper - deseeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper - - deseeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic - crushed
14oz/400g can chopped tomatoes
4fl oz/100ml chicken stock
2 fl oz/60 ml sherry
salt
pepper

Method
  • Preheat the slow cooker if desired.
  • Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the chicken thighs on all sides for 5 - 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Arrange the thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Throw the chorizo into the chicken pan and cook for 3 minutes until it starts to release it's oil - using a slotted spoon remove the chorizo from the pan and arrange over the chicken in the slow cooker.
  • Return the pan to the heat with the chorizo oil in it, and add the onions and leeks - cook gently for 5 minutes until softened.
  • Stir in the coriander, thyme, peppers and garlic and cook for three minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and sherry and bring to a simmer. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Pour the contents of the pan into the slow cooker with chicken and chorizo and give it a gentle shake to mix it together - you can use a spoon if you choose.
  • Cook on LOW/MEDIUM for 6 - 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
  • Serve with Celeriac and Potato Mash

EAT

Slow Cooker Chicken with Chorizo Recipe

NOTE: Whatever you do - don't substitute green bell pepper into a slow cooker dish... ever... I tried it a couple of weeks back and it turns grey. Tastes fine... but you have to eat with your eyes closed.

25 comments :

  1. I love slow cooker recipes so I'm all over this one! Perfection!

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  2. Abbe: The chicken stew with chorizo looks divine!!!! You are lucky to live far from me otherwise I'd be knocking your door.

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    1. Awww, thanks Denise! You can come to dinner any time ;-)

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  3. What a perfect dish for a cold evening! Great comfort food! I don't use a lot of Spanish chorizo because it's hard to find here, but when I can find it - I always pick it up. Saving this for the next time I get it. In the meantime, I might try it with Mexican chorizo. Great dish Abbe!

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    1. Thank you! What a difference an ocean makes, MJ - I can't get hold of Mexican Chorizo. Found a recipe the other day to make my own and may give it shot some time soon :)

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  4. Could you please bring a bowl of this for me when you move into the cupboard? I'm hungry and your space is all clear now! Seriously, that is a mean bowl of chicken! Love everything about it!!

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    1. Excellent! I am on my way... hope my cupboard has an air vent?!? I shall bring a bowl of chicken ;-) ....but then you really gotta feed me your food. I know how to have a temper tantrum to FULL effect!!!

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  5. Until recently I never used a slow cooker and now I love it, I make something every week. I finally saw the light!. I love chorizo and chicken together, although unlike you I love meat on the bone. :) Great looking stew, bet it was delish!

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    1. Thanks, Jo - it really was (though I probably should blow my own trumpet). I'm addicted to using the bloody thing now, and actively hunt down opportunities... it's perfect for all this seasonal shopping I keep having to leave the house to do... in the door and dinner is done :)

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  6. i love chicken and I love chorizo. What a perfect stew for a cold winter's day! Great dish, Abbe!

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    1. Thanks, Abbe! xx :D (I feel like I'm having a conversation with myself... which is fun!)

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  7. Yes, I find the meat around bones the ones that taste more...this being said, you sure make this chicken, although thighs sounds and looks fabulous, I love that you have chorizo...so much flavor.
    Thanks for this great recipe Abbe and have a beautiful week :D

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    1. Thanks, Juliana! I love chorizo, I'd put it in everything if I thought I could get away with it ;-) xx

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  8. Hello Abbe.....First time on your cooking blog today and I am so impressed with your fab recipes. If I wasn't sitting in bed early in the morning I'd be up and looking in the cupboard for ingredients !! Going to try the chicken and chorizo recipe for my slow cooker very soon. Thanks and I'll let you know how I get on.
    Karen x

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    1. Aaaaw , Karen - thankyou so much! I do hope you enjoy it if you try it, and would really love to know how you get on! xx

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  9. Mmm..this is lovely. Been raining all day ~ wish I were having something like this right now ♥

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    1. SHARON! I missed this comment!!! I am so roooood, sorry hun :(

      Thankyou xx

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  10. This sounds amazing! And I just got a new slow cooker!

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    1. Thanks, Rachel! I've had quite few failures in my slow cooker, but the few successes have made it worth it's while :) x

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  11. Can't wait to try this tomorrow.... Got my nana's slow cooker which must be over 20 yrs old :-) and it still works :-)

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  12. Hi Abbe
    I really love your recipes and have made a few. I know this recipe is from 2 years ago but I just decided to make this and was so excited. I had a problem though with the bones getting too soft in the slow cooker and splintering. It tasted delicious but was unfortunately not very edible as you couldn't take a bite without pulling out or chewing pieces of chicken bone. Do you have any idea why this happened or how it could be prevented in the future? I'd love to try it again if there was a solution to this!

    Thanks!
    Molly

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    1. Hi Molly, I'm so sorry and I can certainly understand your frustration - the only things I can suggest is that you debone the chicken thighs first, or perhaps buy your chicken thighs from somewhere else. Genuinely stumped by the bones crumbling and splintering whilst being cooked. This has never happened to me and I've asked a few slow cooker addicts if it has happened to them and they are equally lost. You are unique! Please let me know if you do try it again and if it is more successful xx

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  13. I came across your blog today and this recipe looked so good I immediately popped out for the ingredients and its currently cooking in the slow cooker. Hope it turns out as good as yours looks :). Will be trying a few of your other recipes too, thank you.

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Thanks for dropping in to read my recipes (and ramblings). I love it when you let me know what you think - so please leave a comment and I promise to take the time to reply!

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