Citrus Glazed Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe
I've labeled the above photo so you know what it is --- it's human food, I promise. I struggle with my food photography. I've taken classes, and know that I'm supposed to take the food out of the pot when it's a bit under-done or when it has just finished cooking.
I own lighting and a backdrop. I'm just now realizing that the little "wb" on my camera means white balance and what the different little symbols are supposed to do.
But I don't follow the rules I'm supposed to follow, and more often than not, I plate the food for the family before realizing that I have broken all the guidelines and I have YET AGAIN produced an ugly looking plate of food.
Yeeps. I'm sorry about that.
Instead, I can attest to the taste. This is a great citrus chicken -- the flavors are sweet but not candy-coated sweet, and the sauce isn't greasy. My three kids gobbled all of this up, and my husband took the leftovers to work for lunch the next day.
I used a 4-quart slow cooker because it was already out on the countertop. If you'd like to use a larger pot, increase the quantities by 1/3.
Enjoy!
[updated. Thank you to Barbara G. for highlighting my photo in photoshop and sending it back for me to upload!!]
Citrus Glazed Chicken.
serves 4-6
2 oranges, peeled and separated into segments
3 pounds chicken thighs (I use boneless/skinless, your choice)
1 onion, sliced in rings
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chili sauce (in the ketchup aisle)
1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the orange segments into the bottom of your cooker, and place the chicken directly on top, and add the onion rings. In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic, orange juice, chili sauce, soy sauce, molasses, ground mustard, ginger, and pepper. Whisk together and pour evenly on top of the chicken. Cover, and cook on low for 5-6 hours, or on high for about 4 hours. Serve on a bed of rice with a spoonful of accumulated juices.
3 pounds chicken thighs (I use boneless/skinless, your choice)
1 onion, sliced in rings
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chili sauce (in the ketchup aisle)
1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the orange segments into the bottom of your cooker, and place the chicken directly on top, and add the onion rings. In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic, orange juice, chili sauce, soy sauce, molasses, ground mustard, ginger, and pepper. Whisk together and pour evenly on top of the chicken. Cover, and cook on low for 5-6 hours, or on high for about 4 hours. Serve on a bed of rice with a spoonful of accumulated juices.
The Verdict.
The whole family loved this dish, and I've made it a few times TV-Dinner style to have ready to go in the freezer. The orange segments cook away and slightly disappear in the sauce, but give off great orange flavor and texture. If you'd prefer a slightly sweeter version, you can certainly use canned mandarin oranges instead of the fresh.
I have a stash of chili sauce in the house because the store was running a special, but if you're wary of high-fructose (with good reason!) or want a homemade version, here's the recipe I've used with great success:
HomeMade Chili Sauce
makes approximately 2 cups; store in airtight container in the fridge for 6 months
2 cups tomato sauce (not pasta sauce!)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar (apple cider or white vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (just a pinch!)
I think part of the problem is that they show up so small on the web site that you can't see the details. I clicked on the chicken photo so that it opened in another window and it was a very nice picture when I could see it better.
ReplyDeleteI've been frequenting your web site for a few years now (a lurker, mostly) and I think your photography has really improved.
And this citrus chicken sounds great - I'll have to give it a go.
You're so welcome for the photo! I figure I owe you; you've shown me a way to not starve to death while my hand spends the better part of a year healing from a reconstruction surgery! I can guide my dear Hubs with your recipes and he won't have to stand and cook for an hour! He works out of the house, and travels a lot for a whole day at a time, so your recipes are going to ensure that we will live after all! Thanks so much for being here!
ReplyDeleteThat thud you may have heard was me, once again falling off the vegan wagon :-/ This recipe sounds so good, and the picture looks so yummy I'm just going to have to try it! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious. Everyone in our family likes different cuts of chicken. Do you think this would work with a combination of skinless / boneless thighs, breasts and also a couple of drumsticks?
ReplyDeleteThank you.
@Marita, thank you for the nice words -- I'm so happy that I can be of help in any way.
ReplyDelete@Barbara, I appreciate the help! Best of luck to you while your hand heals.
@Pheonix, hahaa! ;-) sorry to have knocked you off the wagon.
@Nita, yes, absolutely. Chicken wings, legs, or quarters would work very well with this sauce. Dump in what you have on hand!
This looks marvelous--and thank you for posting the chili sauce recipe as well. The quantity looked like a lot for what I think of as chili sauce, namely Sriracha or Frank's Red Hot.
ReplyDeleteI usually love your recipes, but was really disappointed by this one :( It was way too sweet, even for my kids. No one was willing to eat the leftovers, so they all went in the trash, which is unheard-of in our family :'(
ReplyDelete