Slow Cooker_ The Best Cookbook Ever - Diane Phillips [51]
2 cups chicken broth
3 whole black peppercorns
½ teaspoon dried thyme
12 chicken breast halves, skin and bones removed
mix together the broth, peppercorns, and thyme in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker, stacking them in an even layer.
cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Let the chicken cool and remove it from the slow cooker. Refrigerate for 2 days or freeze for up to 10 weeks.
serves 8
Chicken with Miso and Broccoli
This is a simple supper that is not only delicious, but also good for you! Miso broth poaches the chicken and steams the broccoli that rests on top of it, preventing it from being overcooked. The chicken can be served in shallow bowls on udon or soba noodles with some of the broth and broccoli.
2 cups chicken broth
¼ cup white miso paste
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 thin slices fresh ginger
6 chicken breast halves, skin and bones removed
1 pound broccoli, stalks trimmed and peeled and cut into florets
pour the broth into the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the miso, garlic, and ginger and stir to combine.
place the chicken in the broth and place the broccoli on top of the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 1½ to 2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the broccoli is tender.
remove the chicken from the broth and arrange it on a serving platter, surrounded by the broccoli. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and serve in bowls. The chicken can also be served in bowls.
serves 6
Boursin and Spinach–Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Though they require a bit more work than most chicken dishes, these stuffed chicken breasts will garner rave reviews from your family and friends. The tasty spinach-and-Boursin combination bursts from the interior when the breasts are sliced, and the white wine sauce, finished off with a bit of cream, takes it over the top.
6 chicken breast halves, skin and bones removed
2½ teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped shallot
One 16-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry (see savvy)
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
One 2-ounce package Boursin cheese
½ cup dry white wine or vermouth
1½ cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives
* * *
spinach savvy
Another use for your potato ricer is for squeezing spinach dry. If you don’t have a potato ricer, put the spinach in a colander and press the extra moisture out with your hands.
place the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and pound until the chicken is a uniform thickness. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with some of the salt and pepper.
heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the spinach and sauté until it is wilted and dry. Season with the remaining salt and pepper, add the nutmeg, and stir to blend. Let the filling cool, then add the Boursin and stir to blend.
spread the stuffing over the chicken breasts and roll up each one from the top of the breast, tucking in the sides to enclose the filling. (I find that if you roll these and then lay them into the cooker seam-side down, without stirring them, there is no need to secure them: they remain rolled during the cooking. If you would like to secure them, use 4-inch skewers and lace the skewer through the meat on the underside of the roll, or use kitchen string or silicone loops.)
place the stuffed breasts in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker, wedging them in to fit. Pour the wine and chicken broth into the slow cooker.
cover and cook on high for 2½ to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through (170°F on an instant-read thermometer). Carefully remove the chicken from the cooker