I seriously cannot fathom that we are just 4 days from Christmas. I mean, yes, I’ve had my son’s preschool Christmas show (nothing cuter than a bunch of under 5-year-olds singing and dancing on stage for an hour!) and I took my daughter to the Nutcracker. And we’ve had multiple Santa visits (another one coming tonight) and made ALL the cookies and done all the decorating. But still. It’s almost Christmas… what the what?!?! And yet, I’m so ready and so excited and so into it. I have a few more Christmas movies I need to watch, a few last presents to wrap, maybe one more batch of cookies to make, but overall I’m pretty much set and feeling good about it all. (I’m not normally very calm, cool and collected so I’m also patting myself on the back for being on the more chill side this year. So far at least.) But let’s move on to the FOOD!
I love slow cooker recipes, especially on busy days or days where I know I’m gonna be pressed for time at dinner. And so many of you love crock pot recipes and request them too! My slow cooker balsamic chicken and slow cooker apricot chicken are always favorites and my slow cooker tequila chicken and slow cooker teriyaki chicken are great for being so versatile and serving in wraps, rice bowls, for meal prep and more. And today’s slow cooker bistro chicken will surely be a new favorite!
This French-inspired dish is full of rich flavors from the luscious wine and tomato sauce, the aromatics of the onion and garlic and thyme, and the tender, dark meat chicken thighs. And it only takes 15 minutes to prep this for the crock pot in the morning, so it’s a pretty quick one to put together. (I know, even 15 minutes can be a lot in the morning but it’s not very labor intensive.) I also love that it’s just ready to serve - no shredding or sauce making or anything to do when you get home. Just dish it up! Oh, and I should mention, this is adapted from Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever. You might also love this Easy Coq au Vin for a quick and elegant dinner idea.
Notes on slow cooker bistro chicken:
I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this but the original calls for bone-in, which you could use as well. (You do need to remove the skin though.) You could also substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts here if you prefer. I used a Cabernet Sauvignon for the wine, but any dry red wine will do. Use some in the recipe and save the rest for dinner! Next time, I think I’ll add some mushrooms to this. If you want to as well, I’d suggest a 16 oz. package of white button mushrooms, sliced, added to the pan along with the onions to soften slightly. Yum!
We served our slow cooker bistro chicken with mashed potatoes and I highly recommend that! The creamy potatoes are perfect for soaking up some of that extra sauce! But I think pasta or rice would be great, too. Or just a great loaf of bread that you can tear into pieces to sop up the juices on your plate. Deliciousness!
Add your favorite steamed veggie — we had broccolini here — or my quick and easy green beans with mustard butter sauce and dinner is served! I’ll be skipping Monday since it’s Christmas but I’ll be back next Thursday with a light and fresh salad to get us ready for a fresh start in the new year. Happy holidays! XO, Kathryn
Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Sear the chicken in the skillet until well browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the chicken thighs to the insert of the slow cooker. Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the onions, garlic and thyme and sauté until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and tomatoes to the pan and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker and pour over the chicken thighs. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve over mashed potatoes, pasta or rice. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this but the original calls for bone-in, which you could use as well. (You do need to remove the skin though.) You could also substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts here if you prefer. If you’d like to add mushrooms, I’d suggest a 16 oz. package of white button mushrooms, sliced, added to the pan along with the onions to soften slightly. Adapted from Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever.
All-Clad SD700450 Programmable Oval-Shaped Slow Cooker with Black Ceramic Insert and Glass Lid, 6.5-Quart, Silver Calphalon 2 Piece Classic Nonstick Fry Pan Set, Grey Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever with More Than 400 Easy-to-Make Recipes
