Slow Cooker Chicken with Caramelized Apples and Onions
People (including me!) throw out the words “tastes like fall” a lot to describe recipes this time of year. But what does that mean? I guess it can mean something different to each person but I tend to think of foods that are found seasonally this time of year. Apples, pumpkins, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin beer…… wait what was I saying? Sorry! Got distracted there for a minute ;). What I really wanted to say is that THIS CHICKEN is one of those recipes that “tastes like fall” and should be made and enjoyed throughout this season!
Maybe it’s the caramelized apples and onions or maybe it’s the fact it’s cooked up with a big pot of delicious rice making it like the ultimate comfort food, but this dinner just makes me want to put on my coziest sweat pants and curl up with a bowl of this food in front of the fireplace!
And I do know how much you guys love complete meals made in the slow cooker! The rice cooks right along with the chicken leaving you only to caramelize the apples and onions for a couple of minutes on the stove. Whisk up a little creamy balsamic drizzle to top off the ultimate autumn meal.
How did I get my chicken so brown and crispy? Yes, I did brown it up first before slow cooking it. Can you skip this step? I really don’t recommend it in the recipe. We are using bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and that skin really need to be crispy. Why slow cook it at all then? Because you only have to brown it for a couple minutes, and slow cooking it keeps it so juicy and delicious! Hate dirtying up an extra pan? You can make it all in one of these multi-cookers
which is what I do! I love it!! Makes easy work of the perfect fall meal!
Slow Cooker Chicken with Caramelized Apples and Onions
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon seasoning blend (I used McCormick's Blue Moon White Ale Seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups brown texmati rice
- 4 cups chicken broth (I was low on broth and actually used 1 cup broth + 3 cups water)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
For caramelized apples and onions:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion sliced
- 1 granny smith apple peeled and sliced
- 1 gala apple peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Heat butter and olive oil in skillet over medium to high heat (or in multi cooker)
- Sprinkle chicken (skin side) with thyme, seasoning blend, parsley and a little salt and pepper
- Place chicken skin side down in skillet and let brown in pan without moving for 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned
- Remove from pan and add rice, garlic and thyme to remaining oil/butter
- Let brown while stirring for 2-3 minutes
- Transfer rice to slow cooker and stir in broth
- Add chicken on top and cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for 2.5 - 3.5 hours
- When fully cooked stir rice well and if not fully cooked you can add an additional 1/2 cup water and continue to cook on high for an additional 15-30 minutes
For caramelized apples and onions:
- Heat butter and olive oil in skillet over medium high heat
- Add onion and let cook for 6-8 minutes, stir occasionally
- Add apples and continue to cook for another 6-8 minutes or until onions and apples are browned and tender
- Serve with chicken and rice
Notes
Nutrition
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Tools used in making this recipe:
Craving more fall recipes:
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Gnocchi Bake
Hi, so cooking the rice 5-7 hours isn’t too long? (new to cooking for the family over here)
Using a whole chicken doesn’t change things too much hopefully…
Thanks for the help.
Hi Rob! Yes, using a whole chicken should be just fine. To be on the safe side, of course, always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. As far as the rice is concerned, it cooks up pretty well in the slow cooker over this period of time, however, it will be a bit of a different texture from conventionally cooked rice. If that will bother you, you could always cook it separately on the stove top OR add premium instant rice at the end of the cooking time for about 15-20 minutes.
would I need to increase the cooking time if I used 8 breasts instead of just 4? If I need to increase the time how much time would you add?
Hi Fran! I would probably add about and hour of cooking time for low (30 mins for high), but what will make the most difference is what size of slow cooker you use. Just make sure that your slow cooker is about 2/3 to 3/4 full and your food should cook properly.
Do I understand apples and onions go in after cooked?
Hi Sandra! Yes, they get a quick cook in a skillet to caramelize and then you serve them with along with the chicken.
1 thigh per person seems a little slim. Is there any reason why this same recipe wouldn’t work with breasts instead? I know thighs tend to be juicier, but that problem seems illevitated for breasts given the slow cooker.
Hi Kate! Yes, in this recipe I think it would be fine to sub out bone-in chicken breasts instead of thighs.
Chicken and apples together is such a great combination. What a yummy meal for the cooler weather.