Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Thighs

I love to cook chicken thighs because it's almost impossible to overcook them.  Break out the slow cooker - this recipe makes sticky, flavorful thighs with very little effort.  

Make a flavorful spice rub by combining dried granulated garlic, dried basil, fine salt, ground black pepper, and dried granulated onion. 

Other flavor components needed - olive oil and freshly minced garlic.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the spice rub.  Use it all. 

Put olive oil in bottom of 5 or 6-quart slow cooker.

Add freshly minced garlic.  Garlic is oil soluble so that garlic flavor is going to flavor that oil beautifully.

In goes the seasoned chicken thighs.  Try to place them in a single layer.  I'm only making half a batch today, so I'm using my small slow cooker.  More on below the recipe.

Time to douse the chicken with balsamic vinegar.  IMPORTANT - be sure to use really good, aged, sweet balsamic.  This stuff is awesome!

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.  I know it doesn't look that great now, but just wait.

Alrightly - here we are after 4 hours on high.  Serve the chicken as is, or go the extra step and turn those yummy drippings into a rich glaze.  I'll show you how.

But first, decide whether or not you want to keep the chicken skin.  The skin doesn't get crispy in the slow cooker, so I place the chicken thighs, skin side up, on the sheet pan and I place them under a preheated broiler for a few minutes.  If you're not a fan of the skin, you can just discard it.

Pour the leftover drippings into a skillet and reduce by half, then taste and, if desired, add a teaspoon or two of honey.  

Pour glaze over chicken and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• slow cooker https://amzn.to/3s4CwwK

• balsamic vinegar https://amzn.to/32PA3xx

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Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Thighs

makes 8 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried granulated garlic

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 teaspoons dried minced onion

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (very good quality)

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley

• Optional: honey to taste

Directions

1. Combine the dried granulated garlic, dried basil, fine salt, ground black pepper, and dried minced onion in a small bowl and sprinkle over both sides of the chicken; set aside.

2. Place olive oil and fresh minced garlic in the bottom of a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker.

3. Place chicken pieces in the slow cooker, in a single layer; pour balsamic vinegar over chicken.

4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

5. Remove chicken from slow cooker and discard skin OR leave skin on and arrange chicken pieces, skin side up, on a sheet pan and place under a preheated broiler for several minutes to crisp skin.

6. Make glaze by pouring the leftover drippings from the slow cooker into a skillet and reduce by half over medium-high heat.

7. Carefully taste the reduced glaze and serve as is, or, whisk in a teaspoon or two of honey in until it reaches the sweetness level you like.

8. Pour glaze over chicken and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Notes

• Recipe can be halved using a 2 or 3-quart slow cooker.

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs may be substituted.

adapted from  Sugar Free Mom

Bacon and Mushroom Frittata Cups

Individual frittatas are great to keep in the fridge for a quick snack or breakfast on the go.  Feel free to switch up the vegetables, or use sausage instead of bacon.  Make a batch today.

Start by sauteing the bacon and mushrooms together.  Feel free to add a other vegetables too.  I dad a few spears of leftover asparagus in the fridge so I tossed them in.  You'll need about a cup of cooked bacon and vegetables in all. 

Drain the bacon mixture well.

I measured out a cup of the bacon mixture and gathered my eggs.  I started with 10, but didn't have quite enough to fill all the muffin cups so I ended up using 12 in the end.  My eggs were from a farm and were a little on the small side. 

Eggs are notoriously sticky, like cement, so I always spray my pans with Baker's Joy so I know they'll release without any trouble.  

My favorite tool for whisking eggs is a flat whisk.  I can't believe how much faster and better it works than a standard whisk.  Love it!  

See what I mean?  Beautiful.

Divide the bacon/mushroom mixture evenly among the muffin cups.

Transfer the beaten eggs to an "easy pour" container.  

Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full.  Note how neat the beaker poured the beaten eggs.  

Bake for 15-20 minutes until done.  Don't be alarmed if the frittata cups puff up high or even look like they're going to pop out of the muffin pan.  They'll settle down shortly after removing from the oven.  

I like to sprinkle each with about 1 teaspoon of shredded cheddar cheese, a few sliced scallions, and a drizzle of Sriracha.  The cheese will melt on the  hot frittatas almost immediately. 

items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• professional muffin pan https://amzn.to/3B578CB

• flat whisk https://amzn.to/3IWWiRD

• baker’s joy https://amzn.to/3scMnjZ

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BACON AND MUSHROOM FRITTATA CUPS

makes 12 individual servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, chopped

• 12 mushrooms, chopped

• 10-12 large eggs, beaten

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• optional: shredded cheddar cheese, sliced scallions, Sriracha, etc

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray a standard 12-muffin pan with Baker's Joy.

2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook chopped bacon and mushrooms together until the bacon is brown and the mushrooms are caramelized; drain, cool, and place in muffin cups.

3. Combine beaten eggs with salt and pepper; pour over bacon and mushrooms.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with optional cheese, scallions, and Sriracha.

Notes

• store leftovers, chilled, in an airtight container. Reheat for a minute or two in the microwave.

• depending on the bacon you use, you may need to adjust the amount of salt in the recipe.