How about something a little different with a West African influence? Peanut butter chicken is cheap (it uses chicken thighs), quick to assemble in your slow cooker, and nutritious. It also tastes really, really good! If you like heat, feel free to add some cayenne or, better, chopped fresh ginger. The amount of ginger depends on your taste, but start with a small amount—a teaspoon—and add more, if you'd like. You can certainly use chicken breasts rather than thighs if you’d prefer, but I think the thighs hold up to the slow cooking better and stay moister. Serve this luscious chicken with rice to catch all the juices, and, if you’d like, sprinkle additional cilantro, green onions, and peanuts on top for added color, freshness, and crunch.
Peanut Butter Chicken – Serves 4+
1 ½-2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large red or yellow bell pepper, sliced (or use a little of each)
1 large onion, chopped
1 15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup of peanut butter
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
Zest and juice of one lime
1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon of chicken flavored “Better than Bullion” or bullion granules
¼ cup of reduced sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons of dried cilantro
½ teaspoon of garlic powder
¼ cup of fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
2-3 chopped green onions (optional)
¼ cup of chopped peanuts (optional)
Coat a large slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Add the chicken, bell pepper, onion, and chickpeas. In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter, cumin lime zest and juice, tomatoes, “Better than Bullion,” soy sauce, dried cilantro, and garlic powder until well combined. Pour the mixture over the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook for 3 1/2 - 4 hours on high or 5-7 on low. To serve the dish, sprinkle the chicken with fresh cilantro, green onions, and peanuts, if you’d like.
