Slow Cooker Chicken, Butternut Squash; Chocolate what?!?

I’ve been liking my slow cooker so much that I bought another one!

My original slow cooker is 3 1/2 litres, which is what I used for this recipe. But, as I cook for two, it was too big if I just wanted to do something simple like 2 pork chops or 2 chicken breasts without all the extra vegetables.

The new one is 2 litres – perfect for 2 boneless pork chops….. Recipe later.

For this recipe, I put the vegetables and liquid in first. The chicken with a spice rub went on top.

Serve it over couscous or rice – or just as is.

Slow Cooker Chicken, Butternut Squash

Total time: 7 hours

Ingredients:

  • 3 chicken thighs
  • 3 chicken legs
  • 16oz (500gr) butternut squash, cut (about 2 cups)
  • 1 cup (7oz (210gr) white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup (8oz, 240gr) tomatoes, peeled, chopped, juices reserved
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup (4oz, 180ml) chicken stock
  • 1 tsp za’atar
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

chicken_squash

 Instructions:

  • Combine paprika, cumin and cinnamon.
  • Put squash, beans, tomatoes, onion and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Add 1/2 the spice mixture, za’atar, stock and stir to combine.
  • Top with chicken, fitting it in carefully.
  • Sprinkle remaining spice mixture evenly over the chicken.
  • Cook on low, 7 hours.
  • Remove chicken, vegetables to a platter and serve.

Print Recipe

The Salon du Chocolat was this weekend in our local ville.

For those of you who think the French only care about bread, wine and cheese let me assure you that they also take chocolate very seriously. There is a chocolaterie in most small towns with a professional chocolatier plying his or her trade. The chocolates are hand-made and excellent.

You will hear as many French arguing over the merits of this or that chocolatier as often as discussing the best baguette or local wine.

There are Salon du Chocolat all over France. Ours is in November.

For a 2.50 euro entrance fee one can browse and sample and buy from over 30 professionals.

There is a lot of chocolate.

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There are slabs of all different chocolates with all different stuff added…. from the usual nuts and dried fruit to fresh herbs such as mint and basil to weird stuff like gummy berries.

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The individual chocolates come in all shapes and sizes and flavors as well.

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Like these chocolate penises – 2 sizes available in white, milk or dark chocolate.

Chocolate art and sculpture is, of course, a part of the 3-day event with demonstrations and contests.

There are other things on offer – mostly sweet like this booth selling honey and gingerbread (pain d’epices)

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And, of course a standard favorite: macarons.

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These are small, almost bite-size and, yes, I bought a box of them, assorted flavors.

I also bought chocolates from two different chocolatiers

And one weird (for me) thing….

I can never pass up herbs and spices, and one both was selling chocolate and condiments made with various spices. They were also selling tubes of the spices.

I bought a 50gr (1.75oz) tube of Combava powder.

Every heard of it?

I hadn’t but I really liked the scent and the vendor gave me some hints on how to use it.

I googled it when I got home and it’s the powdered zest of the Kaffir Lime.

I have something new to experiment with.

Plus some wonderful chocolates to eat.

Last update on November 20, 2016

12 thoughts on “Slow Cooker Chicken, Butternut Squash; Chocolate what?!?”

  1. Chocolate should be considered its own food group. Food of the gods…

    I have two slow cookers as well. A smaller one and then a larger one. The larger, I tend to use for soups, stews and roasts that I want to have a second meal with, but the smaller, like yours, is perfect for two.

  2. I’m embarrassed to admit … I have ah, four. A really big 7qt for the times we have a crowd, the traditional 3.5 qt which I think I need to do this chicken of yours in tomorrow and then I have two of the small ones. The small seem to get used the most.
    This butternut and chicken looks great and sounds lovely with the spices.

  3. Sounds like a delicious recipe; I have found that chicken and zaatar go well together .. thanks for sharing. I have a question about the beans you used .. are they canned or dried.

  4. I have a kafir lime tree and use the leaves for Thai dishes. I’ve always wondered what to do with the zest. The lime inside is quite awful so aside from candying, too much sugar, Its wasted. I’ll play with the zest to try to make Combava.

    • Phoenicia, I bought it because I liked the scent but am really pleased now that I now what it is. I have recipes that call for the leaves but, of course, can’t get them anywhere here. This is a powder, which I found interesting. He said to use it to flavor water as well as for cooking.

  5. Had some chocolates, and some macarons when in Paris this fall…sublime. I would love to go to a show like yours with all that chocolate…and honey and spice bread.
    Will try this recipe for sure! I have three slow cookers – large, regular and baby size. Will probably use them more if I can find recipes like yours Katie.

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