Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

        BBrrrr, the weather is definitely turning around these parts. The mornings have a distinct chill and the leaves are starting to pile. Although I am a summer gal through and through, I do love the start of fall….all the colors, cozy wrap-around sweaters and new boots to strut around in. However, all this autumn excitement lasts, oh, until about mid November when the car is too flipping cold to get into in the morning, I realize I no longer have tan lines, and I have to drive in the dark home from work…yyuuuckkkk….how many months until Memorial Day!??!

            Okay, I got too ahead of myself and began to get winter cranky, sorry…So where I was going with this..I am writing this post to get to the point that when the weather turns cold, not much can make you smile more than a hearty and steaming meal. A dinner that warms you from the inside out is one that I crave from now until about April. Now I know that not every dinner can be quintessentially winter-ific, but I love when I can find easy meals that come pretty darn close.

            As in this one….. Hearty, steamy, and way-filling, it will have you hardly missing those 95 degree days. The recipe comes together in a snap and as a bonus makes your house smell quite nice. I served it over rice but I bet rice noodles would be fantastic too. Either way, I know you’ll enjoy it…..

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Adapted from: Cleverly Inspired and All Recipes

Serves: 4-6

OBJ: TCW be able to add a bit of pizzazz into the weeknight dinners

Ingredients:

½ C soy sauce

½ C ketchup

1/3 C honey

2 cloves garlic, minced,

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 tsp siracha

½ C chopped green onion

2 tsp canola oil

Fresh ground pepper (to taste)

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 C diced carrot

1 C cleaned and roughly chopped string beans

Cornstarch and water

Procedures:

1. Whisk all ingredients except chicken, carrots, string beans, cornstarch and water

2. Place chicken in slow cooker, pour mixture on top

3. Cook on low 4 ½ hours

4. Add carrots and string beans to slow cooker, cook for additional 30-45 minutes

4. Remove chicken from slow cooker, make sure it is done (it should be but chicken sizes vary so much), shred it

5.  Leave slow cooker on low and whisk together 2 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoon of water. Add “slurry” to mixture left in slow cooker and stir. Add chicken back into slow cooker and let everything heat and thicken through- about 5 minutes

6. Serve over rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds, enjoy