Crock Pot Glory

Now that the fall weather has finally arrived, I decided it was time for a hearty meal to warm up our bones and stick to our ribs. A few weeks ago I was perusing the Food Network website and came across a variety of crock pot recipes...and these aren't your momma's crock pot recipes. My mom only used the crock pot for 2 things: mini BBQ weenies for parties, and pot roast. So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered crock pot recipes for Sweet and Sour Pork, Chipotle-Lime Chicken, and Chicken with Rosemary, Apples and Onions.

I chose Slow Cooker Chicken with Rosemary, Apples and Onions. I'm ashamed to say it's a Robin Miller recipe, and we all know how much I loathe her...but she gained an ounce of redemption with this meal.

Here's the deal: You dump all these yummy ingredients into an electric bowl and walk away. Six hours later, you have dinner. Why am I not doing this every day? Well, I'll tell you why...I'm away from home for a lot longer than six hours. To make the crock pot meal work for me, I had to scurry home on my lunch break, dump in the fixin's, and rush back to work. Still, it saved me loads of time in the end. When I came home after working out, dinner was ready and waiting.

The minute I opened my back door, my mouth started watering from the aroma of rosemary, apple, and onion that had been steeping for hours. What an amazing blend of flavor! I would have never in a million years paired apples and onions, but y'all, it works. The chicken was so tender that it was falling off the bone as I served up the dish. Sean and I deemed this recipe a definite keeper.

Slow Cooker Chicken with Rosemary, Apples, and Onions

2 cups sliced onions
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 pounds cut up chicken pieces (with bone), with or without skin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 Cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup cream of celery soup

*a couple of notes before you begin: use more S&P if you need to (I did), make sure the rosemary is FRESH and not from a jar.

Let's begin...Arrange onion and apple slices in bottom of slow cooker. Place chicken pieces (I used thighs) on top and season all over with salt and black pepper. (I also added garlic powder.) Sprinkle chopped rosemary over chicken.

In a medium bowl, whisk together chicken broth and soup. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.

Serve chicken, sauce, apples, and onions over rice. (I enjoy Uncle Ben's 90 Second brown rice, or instant 5 minute brown rice is also a speedy choice.)

The raw ingredients...

7 hours later...yummo