Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs (Whole30)
To be honest, I usually don’t have the energy to come up with a new meal everyday. Some days are so hectic, if I don’t have leftovers in the fridge, then I’ll turn to something fast which usually means junky. This means having healthy leftovers in the fridge vital.
Sometimes I’ll make a big pot of something on the stove, but my slow cooker is my go-to friend for these, bigger than normal, meals. I’ve been trying to get into the habit of chopping all the veggies for the upcoming week on Sundays. It is really a huge timesaver as the week wears on.
Finding Compliant Broth
Part of Whole30 is reading labels. Sugar is absolutely, 100% off limits. This is a good thing for your body. Unfortunately almost everything in the grocery store contains sugar, even the broth. I’m still not sure why the food companies feel the need to put sugar in broth!
I’ve only made stock/broth once and it was a pain. I also knew I would not be able to survive Whole30 without chicken broth. I went to two stores read every single broth label until I found Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth (affiliate)! If I had the ability to a backflip, I would have. Needless to say I grabbed 4 boxes, just in case the store ran out. Irrational I know, but I was just so glad to not have to make my own.
P.S Sorry for the poor quality broth photos. I literally took these while my toddler was eating breakfast. Plus it is what is inside that counts!
This is an extremely versatile recipe. It freezes very well either before or after cooking. I like to prep the veggies on the weekend, so everything is ready to just toss in the slow cooker in the morning. Sometimes I'll double the veggies and use them as a topping for steak later in the week.
- 3 T coconut Oil (or other cooking fat)
- 2 lbs chicken thighs and legs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 red or green bell peppers diced small but not fine
- 1.5 cups sliced mushrooms fresh, canned, or frozen
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 T capers
- 2 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken broth
-
Layer in the crockpot:
Coconut oil
Veggies
Chicken
Spices
Garlic
Capers
Diced tomatoes
Chicken broth
-
Cook on low for 8 hours or cook on high for 4 hours.
Notes: This recipe freezes very well and tastes even better the second day. I usually serve it with cauliflower mash or on a baked potato. For non-Whole30 meals, this is great over a bed of barley, quinoa, or brown rice.