After running a few polls on my Instagram stories last month, I learned that a lot of you are looking for quick, healthy dinners that you can make in under 30 minutes. Well, I heard you and over the next couple of months I have many easy dinner recipes coming your way! To kick things off, today I’m sharing this delicious Slow Cooker Chicken with Dates and Golden Raisins recipe.
I know that the Instant Pot is all the rage this year, but I’ll be honest, I haven’t really had the urge to buy one. Part of that likely comes from the fact that we simply don’t have room for additional appliances in our new apartment, but it’s also because I just love my slow cooker.
If you’re in the market for a slow cooker, this is the one I have and I LOVE it. I received it as a holiday gift four years ago and I must have used it hundreds of times since then. There are more expensive, fancier slow cookers on the market, but this one has all of the features you need and it’s less than $45! Plus you can put the insert right in the dishwasher, making clean up a breeze!
No faulty This is Us slow cookers here! 😉
We’re all very busy, so it’s great to be able to throw a meal in the slow cooker to braise for a few hours, while simultaneously running in and out of the house.
Here is why I think you’ll love this Slow Cooker Chicken with Dates and Golden Raisins recipe:
- Compared to other slow cooker recipes, it cooks relatively quickly: just 2 hours on HIGH or 4 hours on LOW.
- Leftovers reheat really well, making it a great recipe for meal prep and work/school lunches throughout the week.
- You can pair it with just about any whole grain you have on hand (barley, farro, couscous, quinoa, brown rice, etc.) and it tastes great!
This recipe does require a bit of work at the beginning before everything goes in the slow cooker, but the extra steps are worth it! Browning the chicken and quickly sautéing the vegetables in a skillet first really help to maximize the flavors in this dish. I urge you not to skip those steps.
If you love Moroccan-inspired or “sweet and sour” meals, this Slow Cooker Chicken with Dates and Golden Raisins is for you.
This Slow Cooker Chicken with Dates and Golden Raisins is easy for a weeknight dinner or meal prep, but the flavors are also impressive enough for a dinner party!
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/8 cup fresh cilantro, chopped + more for garnish
- 6 dates, cut in half
- 1/8 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 1.5 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
- 1.5 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 strips of orange zest (optional)
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. When hot, add the onion and bell pepper to the pan. Sauté for 4 minutes, then add the garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 more minute. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the onion mixture into the bottom of a slow cooker.
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Add 1/8 cup of cilantro, dates, golden raisins, just ¾ cup of the chicken broth, and the apple cider vinegar to the slow cooker. Give everything a quick stir.
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In a small bowl combine the paprika, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, cayenne, and salt. Add HALF of the spice mixture to the slow cooker and reserve the other half.
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Place the chicken breast pieces on a large plate and rub the remaining spice mixture onto the chicken, so that it is thoroughly coated on all sides.
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Bring the large skillet back to medium heat and add an additional Tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add half of the chicken pieces to the pan and brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side, but do not cook all the way through. Put the browned chicken into the slow cooker, then add an additional Tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and repeat with the remaining chicken. Add the last batch of chicken to the slow cooker, laying the pieces next to each other, and spooning some of the broth mixture on top of the chicken.
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Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 3.5-4 hours. When the time is up, whisk together the cornstarch with the remaining ¼ cup of chicken broth and add to the slow cooker with the orange zest. Cook on HIGH for 20 minutes, until sauce is thickened. Serve hot over whole wheat couscous or barley and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.
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