Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Crock pot chicken with pickled mango chutney

This is actually the first time I've ever used a crock pot. Handy little things aren't they?!! When I think of crock pot food I usually think of Betty crocker/ hamburger helper type food. :( However your dusty old crock pot can be quite a useful little tool. I cooked my chicken in it from a frozen state... as I didn't plan ahead and defrost it the night before - it came out quite nicely and shredded perfectly, not dry either...at all. Once the chicken was cooked I shredded it, put it back in the crock pot and added the pickled mango chutney* with some chickpeas and some of the flavored chicken cooking liquid. I cooked it a little while longer for the chicken to absorb all of that flavor. I made chicken pitas with the shredded chicken, pickled mango chutney, and a cucumber yogurt sauce.

Ingredients:
4 medium sized chicken thighs
1 cup of water
1/2 chicken bullion (or substitute water and bullion for stock)
1/2 onion chopped
Salt and pepper as needed
1/4 cup pickled mango chutney* (it is spicy)
small handful of chopped cilantro
a few mint sprigs chopped
1 cup of plain yogurt
1/2 cucumber
1 small carrot (grated)
1 garlic clove
1/2 lemon juiced
To make:
Put onion, chicken, water, bullion, salt and pepper (be careful with salt - mango chutney is fairly salty), 3 Tablespoons pickled mango chutney, add chickpeas if raw - if cooked just add to chicken when cooked. Turn on high for an hour then turn down to low and cook for an additional 2 hours. Shred chicken and add the rest of the mango chutney and let go for about a 1/2 hour.
Yogurt Sauce:
In a mixing bowl add yogurt, chopped cucumber, shredded carrots, garlic, cilantro, mint, lemon juice, salt and pepper as needed.
You can use pita bread, or tortillas, naan, or any kind of flat bread. Enjoy!
*Pickled mango chutney is definitely an acquired taste! It's very common and popular condiment in Indian cuisine. The flavor is spicy, sweet, and tart. I personally love it. You can find this at most ethnic type grocery stores. However you may want to taste first before adding.




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