Ah the slow cooker... helpmate to any working professional's need for a fast dinner. The best slow cooker recipes for the working stiff are ones that can be assembled at 7:30 AM in 15 minutes and are done at 6:00 PM. The problem is that most recipes call for 8 hours of cooking, which just isn't long enough to get you through a work day. And the anxiety ridden slow cooker manufacturers think that we're too dumb to figure out how to cook our food safely. They're so concerned that if I pre-mix everything and let it stand for 1 or 2 hours before beginning the cooking process, Botulism will reign supreme and they'll be sued. So they won't put a delay timer on any of their models.
To that end, we've resorted to one of those little timers that you get at the hardware store, like these:
Spicy Chicken in Peanut Sauce
1 Tbs Olive or Vegetable Oil
8 Large Chicken Thighs or 6 Boneless Chicken Thighs, Skins Removed
1 Large Onion, chopped
2 Hot Chilies, Seeds & Stems Removed, Chopped
2 14.5 oz Cans Diced Tomatoes
1 14.5 oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tbs Honey
3 tsp Ground Cumin
1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/3 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 tsp Salt
2 cups hot cooked couscous or Israeli Couscous
Shredded Carrots (Garnish)
Chopped Peanuts (Garnish)
1. Heat Oil in nonstick Skillet over Medium High. Cook chicken in oil about 4 minutes, turning once to brown. Also, if you're pressed for time in the morning, it'll be just fine if you just throw the chicken in there without browning.
2. Mix chopped onion, tomatoes, chilies, honey cumin and cinnamon in 4-5 quart slow cooker. Add chicken and spoon some mixture over top, leaving the chicken at the top of the pot. Toss another pepper if you like it really hot.
3. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or on high for 1 hour and turn down to low for 3-4 hours) until juice is no longer pink from thickest part of the chicken when cut. Or, don't be a ninny, and just eat it. Chicken on the slightly pink side never hurt anyone except those who are already frightened of life.
4.Remove chicken, stir in peanut butter until melted and blended. Replace chicken if not ready to serve and make a cocktail.
5. Serve chicken and sauce over couscous with sprinkled carrots and peanuts.
