Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Thighs

I love to cook chicken thighs because it's almost impossible to overcook them.  Break out the slow cooker - this recipe makes sticky, flavorful thighs with very little effort.  

Make a flavorful spice rub by combining dried granulated garlic, dried basil, fine salt, ground black pepper, and dried granulated onion. 

Other flavor components needed - olive oil and freshly minced garlic.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the spice rub.  Use it all. 

Put olive oil in bottom of 5 or 6-quart slow cooker.

Add freshly minced garlic.  Garlic is oil soluble so that garlic flavor is going to flavor that oil beautifully.

In goes the seasoned chicken thighs.  Try to place them in a single layer.  I'm only making half a batch today, so I'm using my small slow cooker.  More on below the recipe.

Time to douse the chicken with balsamic vinegar.  IMPORTANT - be sure to use really good, aged, sweet balsamic.  This stuff is awesome!

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.  I know it doesn't look that great now, but just wait.

Alrightly - here we are after 4 hours on high.  Serve the chicken as is, or go the extra step and turn those yummy drippings into a rich glaze.  I'll show you how.

But first, decide whether or not you want to keep the chicken skin.  The skin doesn't get crispy in the slow cooker, so I place the chicken thighs, skin side up, on the sheet pan and I place them under a preheated broiler for a few minutes.  If you're not a fan of the skin, you can just discard it.

Pour the leftover drippings into a skillet and reduce by half, then taste and, if desired, add a teaspoon or two of honey.  

Pour glaze over chicken and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• slow cooker https://amzn.to/3s4CwwK

• balsamic vinegar https://amzn.to/32PA3xx

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Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Thighs

makes 8 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried granulated garlic

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 teaspoons dried minced onion

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (very good quality)

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley

• Optional: honey to taste

Directions

1. Combine the dried granulated garlic, dried basil, fine salt, ground black pepper, and dried minced onion in a small bowl and sprinkle over both sides of the chicken; set aside.

2. Place olive oil and fresh minced garlic in the bottom of a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker.

3. Place chicken pieces in the slow cooker, in a single layer; pour balsamic vinegar over chicken.

4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

5. Remove chicken from slow cooker and discard skin OR leave skin on and arrange chicken pieces, skin side up, on a sheet pan and place under a preheated broiler for several minutes to crisp skin.

6. Make glaze by pouring the leftover drippings from the slow cooker into a skillet and reduce by half over medium-high heat.

7. Carefully taste the reduced glaze and serve as is, or, whisk in a teaspoon or two of honey in until it reaches the sweetness level you like.

8. Pour glaze over chicken and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Notes

• Recipe can be halved using a 2 or 3-quart slow cooker.

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs may be substituted.

adapted from  Sugar Free Mom

Pork and Sauerkraut in the Slow Cooker

If you like Pork and Sauerkraut, you're going to love this easy version. I'm only posting the before photo. Why you ask? Well, let's face it... a pot full of monochrome brown food isn't particularly photo friendly, but trust me, it'll taste great! Seriously, I recently brought a double batch to a church dinner and it was all gobbled up!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 4-quart slow cooker https://amzn.to/4aHuJKR

• 7-quart slow cooker https://amzn.to/4aNeHiK

• French onion soup https://amzn.to/48Hqpti

• 9x13 casserole dish https://amzn.to/4aDUlZ7

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Pork and Sauerkraut in the Slow Cooker

recipe serves 6-8 (double the recipe for 6.5 to 7-quart slow cooker)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 pounds Boneless Country-Style Pork Ribs

• 1 1/2 pounds Sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

• 10 ounce can French Onion Soup

• 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)

Directions

1. Start by cutting the boneless ribs into bite-size cubes and place in 4-quart slow cooker.

2. Rinse and drain the sauerkraut and place it on top of the pork.

3. Mix together the soup and brown sugar and pour over the sauerkraut.

4. Cover and cook for 12 hours on low or 6 hours on high.

5. Stir together and serve.

Notes

• Alternatively, a single recipe will fit in a 9x13 casserole dish and can be baked in the oven (cover with foil and bake at 350F for 4 hours).

• If you don't have French onion soup on hand, you can substitute an equal amount of water and 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder or minced dried onion.