Slow Cooker Pineapple Curry Chicken

This recipe comes with a disclaimer. I've only made it once, and there was a kink, so I'm going to give you my suggestion for what not to do. I wanted to post it anyway because I thought it had awesome flavor, and it was something fun and different to do in your slow cooker.

I got the recipe out of the February/March 2012 issue of Taste Of Home. I've been wanting to try it ever since I read it. I finally got around to adding it to our menu this week. The original recipe called for 6 (12-ounce each) bone-in chicken breasts. I figured that up to be 4 1/2 lbs. of chicken. Always looking for a good deal, when I saw the price of chicken leg quarters vs. the price of bone-in chicken breasts, I bought the leg quarters. Don't do that! The chicken simmers for so long and gets so wonderfully tender that it falls off the bone, the bones fall apart, and you end up picking through your dinner, trying to fish out little chicken bones. I would suggest either going with the original recipe and using bone-in chicken breasts, or using boneless chicken. I would think that if you use boneless chicken, you might check it after 6 hours to see if it's done so you don't overcook it. You also probably don't need 4 1/2 lbs. of boneless meat. Maybe 3 to 3 1/2, I'm guessing, but that's only a guess.

Don't be scared by the long list of ingredients. It takes a little time to put together in the morning, but that doesn't make it hard. It's just a little time consuming. The hardest thing is removing the skin from the chicken, but if you buy boneless skinless chicken instead of bone-in chicken, you won't have to do that. Just remember that at the end of the day all you have to do is cook some rice and if you want to, toast some coconut and chop a little basil.

Slow Cooker Pineapple Curry Chicken

from Taste Of Home

2 (8 oz.) cans unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved
6 (12 oz. each) bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed
1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 c. julienned carrots (I just bought a bag of shredded carrots)
1 sweet red pepper, cut into strips
1/2 c. light coconut milk (I couldn't find light so I used regular)
2 Tbs. cornstarch
2 Tbs. sugar
3 tsp. curry powder
2 cloves garlic, minced (that's about 1 tsp.)
2 tsp. minced fresh gingerroot (I forgot to buy fresh ginger so I subbed in 1/2 tsp. dry ginger)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. lime juice (the juice of about half a lime)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

hot cooked rice
minced fresh basil (optional)
toasted coconut (optional)

Place chicken, beans, vegetables, and pineapple in a 6-quart slow cooker (I think I might have gotten away with a 5-quart one, but I'm not sure). In small bowl, combine coconut milk and cornstarch until smooth. Stir in sugar, curry powder, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, lime juice, pepper flakes, and reserved pineapple juice. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or until chicken is tender. I let mine go for 8 hours and the chicken just fell off the bone. It was great! Serve over rice and garnish with basil and coconut, if desired. I recommend it.