I've been making this dish for over 2 years and am surprised I haven't shared the recipe before!
Since the pandemic I'm home a lot more. Being home has meant I'm making a lot more breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I'm also cleaning that all up on repeat. The routine gets monotonous so now more than ever, I like simple delicious dinners.
My slow cooker gets a lot of use because it gets dinner out of the way in the morning. Since I'm usually burnt out at dinnertime, having something hot and ready when I am is a game changer. No more door dash, delivery or fast food!
This dish is a crowd pleaser and while I make it often during the week, I also serve it as a family Sunday supper too. On weeknights I serve this over rice, roasted or mashed potatoes and a have a side salad. For family Sunday supper, I serve a pasta with marinara sauce first, then this chicken and then a salad or garlic & oil with broccoli rabe.
I like it because -
- It's flavorful
- Easy
- Low carb
- High Protein
- Filling
- Crowd pleaser
The dish is packed with flavor from the pepperoni, dried rosemary and fennel! The chicken comes out so tender and juicy.
It's also -
- Freezer friendly.
- Great leftover.
I often double the recipe and freeze half for another time.
How to make it
- Liberally season the chicken on both sides with kosher salt.
- Spray a dutch oven with cooking spray.
- Brown on both sides and add to a slow cooker.
- Spray the dutch oven again with cooking spray. Add the pepperoni, onion, fennel seeds and rosemary to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onion softens.
- Add the peppers, tomatoes + broth to the skillet. Stir and loosen any browned bits in the pan.
- Transfer to the cooker.
- Cook on low for 3 hours.
- Then simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens.
- Adjust for seasoning.
- Sprinkle with chives or scallions and serve.
- I like to serve this with roasted potatoes or rice and a salad.
Other slow cooker meals
RECIPE
Serves 4
Per serving: 498 cals | 17.4 total fat | 4.3 saturated fat | 13.3 carbs | 4.1 fiber | 6.9 sugars | 71.5 protein
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (bone-in, skinless thighs work also)
4 ounces sliced turkey pepperoni
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed lightly
3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 medium red bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced no sodium added tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 tsp no sodium added chicken bouillon granules (or instead of water + bouillon, use low salt chicken stock)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives or green onions
Kosher salt
Avocado cooking spray
- Heat a dutch oven over medium heat; season both sides of chicken thighs with Kosher salt. Spray dutch oven with cooking spray. Add chicken and cook on both sides until brown (approximately 5 minutes per side).
- Transfer to slow cooker.
- Spray dutch oven with more avocado cooking spray. Add pepperoni, onion, fennel seeds and rosemary, stirring and cooking for approximately 5 minutes, or until softened. The onion doesn't need to be cooked all the way through. It'll finish cooking in the dish.
- Add peppers, tomatoes and water + bouillon; using a wooden spoon: stir to combine and loosen any brown bits in the pan.
- Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker. Cover & cook on low for 3 hours.
- Uncover, increase to high and allow to simmer until the sauce thickens (approximately 15 minutes). (Optional)
- Garnish with chives or green onions and serve.
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