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Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs in Blood Oranges, Sherry and Spices

Chicken Thighs Braised in Blood Oranges with Sherry and Meyer Lemon

Author TheSpicedLife

Ingredients

  • 1-2 T Spanish extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
  • juice of 1 Meyer lemon, approximately 1/4 cup
  • juice of 2 blood oranges, approximately 1//3 cup
  • Spanish medium dry sherry, approximately 1/2 cup, divided
  • 3 medium onions, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, finely diced
  • 1 sweet bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 t cumin
  • 1/2 t smoked paprika
  • 1/8 t ground ginger
  • zest of one blood orange, peeled off in wide strips
  • segments of one blood orange
  • 1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock
  • 2-3 T honey or agave syrup to taste
  • Chopped cilantro, about 1/2 cup, for garnish
  • 1 blood orange, thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle some salt on the chicken thighs and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in the slow cooker insert or a sauté pan over medium high heat. When it is hot add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 8-10 minutes.
  3. While the chicken is browning, juice the lemon and oranges (zest the oranges first with a peeler). Pour the seedless juice into a liquid measuring cup. Then add sherry to the 1 cup line. Set aside.
  4. Remove the chicken to a bowl and set aside. Add the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook until starting to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Add the celery and bell pepper. Continue cooking another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with a little water if it begins to scorch or stick.
  5. Add the garlic and spices and stir. Let cook for one minute, stirring. If the pan needs to be deglazed, add a few tablespoons of sherry and scrape up the bottom of the pan. If you are using a separate pan, scrape this mixture into your slow cooker insert.
  6. Add the juice mixture with the peeled zest from the blood oranges and the segments from another blood orange. Add the chicken stock. Place the slow cooker insert onto the slow cooker base and cover. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
  7. When the chicken is finished cooking, add the cilantro, reserving some for garnish and 2 tablespoons of honey or agave. Taste for more honey/agave or salt.
  8. Serve over Farro with Pistachios and Fresh Herbs and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and raw slices of blood oranges.