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Health & Fitness

Honey Balsamic Chicken: Kitchen Tested, Family Approved!

Have you ever seen a recipe on Facebook and saved it to your timeline or pinned a recipe whose photo made your mouth water, only to make it and have it not turn out to look or taste like what you had expected?  Have no fear:  Most likely it’s not your fault.  Many recipes that are put out into cyberspace may never have been tested.  Some may have even been created by someone who looked at a photo of a dish and decided on a list of ingredients that could create it without ever stepping foot in the kitchen.  Most recipes, especially those from magazines and cookbooks have been tested; made over and over again until the ratio of sweet to savory or salt to pepper is perfect.  Although I am not a magazine or a cookbook publisher, I do test all of my recipes.  If they don’t taste exactly how I expected, I go back and try again.  Such is the case with the recipe I am sharing today.  I had found a slow cooker recipe for Balsamic Chicken on a non-magazine, non-cookbook site and decided to try it.  What a waste of time and money!  Four hours of cooking and the meal was so bitter that my organic boneless breasts of chicken found their way to the trash.  I worked with the idea of a balsamic chicken dish from the slow cooker; I considered the moisture needed for the meat, and vegetables that could withstand a 4-hour steam bath and still look like a vegetable, and I went to work on a new recipe.  Believe me when I tell you that this has been tested and approved by the most discerning eaters in my house.  It is delicious, easy, and most of all, it works!  So without further ado, I present you with a very tasty, kitchen tested, family approved Honey Balsamic Chicken for the slow cooker:

Honey Balsamic Chicken

Serves 6

6 boneless chicken breasts (about 24 oz in total)

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8 oz baby carrots

2 Tablespoons freeze dried chives

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2 teaspoons dried basil

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 Tablespoons honey

 

I know it looks like a long list of ingredients, but hopefully you have all of these on hand, with the exception of maybe one or two items.  Get your slow cooker set for some deliciousness!  I use slow cooker liners to make my clean up easier, but feel free to add your ingredients directly into the pot. Drizzle the olive oil on the bottom of the slow cooker and add the minced garlic and ginger.  If you do not want to take the time to mince, you can buy pre-minced garlic and ginger from the supermarket in the produce aisle.  Next, add the carrots in a layer to the slow cooker.

In a shallow bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients; chives, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  These will serve as the “rub” for the chicken.  Coat each side of the chicken breasts with the rub and add in a single layer to the slow cooker.  In a measuring cup, add the balsamic vinegar to the 1/2 cup line and then add water to make a cup.  Take the honey and add it to the liquid, whisking with a fork to break it up a bit before pouring it over the chicken.  I use Really Raw honey because it is has anti-inflammatory properties and tastes really good.  I found it at my local health food stores, but it can be purchased online.  I am sure the recipe will work with the honey from the bear container just as well.

Once the honey-balsamic mixture is poured over the chicken, it’s time to get cooking!  Cover your slow cooker and set it to cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.  Always test your meat with a meat thermometer to ensure that it is cooked through.  All cookers are different so you may need to adjust your cooking time.

This dish is so easy to make and tastes so good that you can make it on a week night, or serve it to guests at a dinner party.  I served mine over brown rice, but you can serve yours over cauliflower couscous or another grain that would hold in the delicious liquids and seasonings.

Please let me know how it turned out for you.  If you liked it as much as my family does, feel free to save it to your timeline, pin it on Pinterest, tweet about it, or Instagram a photo of it – basically share the wealth with others!  No one should miss out on this one!

For more photos and other great recipes, head over to Goodness Gracious Living!


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