Recipes for Shabbat

Crock Pot Recipes

By Eileen Goltz

This is the time of year when I grab my trusty crock pot and head for the "what can I make for dinner that takes NO effort" recipe file. I know that I can throw in a few ingredients, turn it on, leave the house all day, and come home to a kitchen filled with incredible smells, grab a loaf of bread, toss together a salad I have can have a complete hot dinner under the stars with little or no effort.

Since we all tend to eat a little more red meat than we usually do during the holidays I thought that I would share some of my favorite chicken and turkey crock pot recipes and save the beef ones for another column.

There are some tips for cooking chicken and turkey in the crock pot:

You'll find that many crock pot recipes that cook for 8-10 hours will call for chicken thighs or legs. Chicken breast meat can become mushy and soft when cooked for longer than 6 hours on low. Using boneless chicken thighs will not only solve this problem, but this cut of meat is cheaper than chicken breasts and has a richer flavor. However, if your family prefers white meat, just make sure to cook for a shorter period of time and everything should turn out perfectly. Vegetables in these recipes should go into the bottom of the crock pot, with the meat on top. This arrangement will also help prevent the chicken from overcooking. If you choose to leave the skin on your chicken, brown it first in a skillet in olive oil to help improve the appearance of the finished dish.

You can make any of these recipes in a covered roasting pan in the oven. Preheat the oven to 300 and place all the ingredients in the pan in the order suggested in the recipe. Cover and cook for the same amount of time suggested in the recipe.

CROCK POT GARLIC AND BROWN SUGAR CHICKEN (meat)

Place the chicken and onion in the crock pot. In a bowl combine the brown sugar, vinegar, 7up, garlic, pepper, soy sauce, and pepper. Mix to combine and pour the sauce over the chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or noodles. Makes 4 to 6 servings. This recipe can be doubled.

SWEET AND SASSY CHICKEN (meat)

Combine the chicken, carrots, onion, chicken broth, ginger, and sweet and sour sauce in the crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours until vegetables are tender and chicken is thoroughly cooked. About 1/ 2 before you're ready to serve the chicken combine the reserved pineapple juice with cornstarch in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Stir this mixture into the chicken mixture in crock pot, mixing well. Stir in pineapple and bell peppers. Cover and cook on HIGH 20-30 minutes until slightly thickened and heated through. Serves 4 to 6. This recipe can be doubled.

PEANUT CHICKEN (meat)

In 3 to 5 quart crock pot, mix together everything but the chicken. Add chicken and stir to coat the pieces. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and no longer pink in center. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and serve with hot cooked rice and slices of lime. 4 servings.

SMOKEY CHICKEN AND WILD RICE (meat)

In large skillet, cook the kosher breakfast beef until crisp. Remove the breakfast beef, crumble and set aside. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings from skillet. Add chicken to skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in onion and carrots for just a minute and then place the mixture in the crock pot. In medium bowl, combine the broth and pareve sour cream and mix until smooth. Add the marjoram and pour the mixture over the chicken mixture in crock pot. Add the breakfast beef and wild rice. Cover crock pot and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes. Reduce crock pot setting to LOW and cook for 6-8 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and rice is tender. Makes 6 servings.

CHICKEN AND CORN SOUP (meat)

Rinse chicken, pat dry and set aside. In a crock pot, combine onion, carrots, celery, potato and 3 tablespoons parsley. Add chicken, and then pour in tomato sauce and broth. Cover and cook at low setting until chicken and potato are very tender when pierced, about 7 1/2-8 hours. Lift out chicken and let stand until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, skim and discard fat from broth mixture. Stir the corn into the broth mixture, increase cooker heat setting to high. Cover and cook 15 minutes more. Remove and discard bones and skin from chicken; tear meat into bite-sized shreds. Add chicken and zucchini to soup; cover and cook until zucchini is just tender to bite, (10-15 minutes). Season to taste and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley. Makes 6-8 servings.

SIMPLE CRANBERRY CHICKEN (meat)

Place chicken breasts in the crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients, mix to combine and to coat the chicken well. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Serves 4 to 6.

WINE BASTED TURKEY BREAST (meat)

Take the turkey breast out of wrapping and netting, and rinse under cold water; pat dry. Place turkey breast in crock pot. Add the onion, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper, wine, honey, and mushrooms. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. During the last 30 minutes pour liquid into a container to skim excess fat, if desired, and return broth to pot. Stir cornstarch mixture in and continue cooking until smooth and thickened. Serves 5 to 6.

LEMON HERBED TURKEY BREAST (meat)

Take the turkey breast out of wrapping and netting, and rinse under cold water; pat dry. Place turkey breast in crock pot Mix all the ingredients except the turkey breast in a bowl and mix to combine. Place the turkey (skin-side down) in Crock Pot, pour the sauce over and cook, covered on low 6 to 8 hours. You don't have to but, basting turkey does help with keeping in moist. Serves 6 to 8.

TURKEY/CHICKEN BARLEY SOUP (meat)
This is a great soup to use up left over turkey or chicken

Combine all the ingredients in soup pot or slow cooker. Cook over low heat in the slow cooker for 6 hours or simmer on the stove for 1 hour, or until the carrots are tender and the barley is soft. Serves 6.

CROCKPOT CHICKEN CHILI (meat)

Combine beans and boiling water in slow-cooker. Let stand while preparing other ingredients. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin and chili powder to pot with the beans. Place the chicken on top of the beans. Quarter the squash lengthwise; seed. Cut crosswise into 3/4 inch pieces. Add the squash to the pot. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 hours or until beans are tender. Stir in the corn pareve sour cream, salt, lime juice and chopped cilantro. Spoon the chili into bowls. Garnish with pareve sour cream, chopped tomato and cilantro leaves. (If a milder chili is desired, remove ribs and seeds from chilies.)

RUSTIC CHICKEN (meat)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Serve over pasta or rice. Serves 6.

Eileen Goltz, a professional chef and caterer, is the author of the new cookbook, Perfectly Pareve.