This party of 3 loves all things olives. This mama loves all things in the slow cooker. I tried this dish out on a whim trying to accomplish a fairly easy dinner. Pretty sure Brian fell in love with me all over again and I ended up pretty proud of this one. Siena tried to eat all of the olives while I brown the chicken thighs. Then she proceeded to act seriously afraid of the crockpot. That is still a mystery. However, whether or not chicken thighs work in a crockpot is no longer! After 4 hours they were juicy, tender, and flavorful.

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Olives

ingredients

• 1 lb of chicken thighs

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3 cloves of garlic, whole

• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped

• 1 1/4 c chicken stock

• 3 tbsp honey

• 2 tbsp dijon mustard

• 1/2 tbsp oregano

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1/2 lemon

• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced

• 1/2 lb olives, pitted (depending on the type of olive the flavor of the dish may vary. I used kalamata olives and greek green olives)

instructions

1. Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Then season with kosher salt and pepper.

2. In a ceramic pot heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium/high heat. Add 3 cloves of garlic.

3. Add chicken thighs, in batches if necessary in order not to crowd the pan. Fry the chicken thighs until they become golden brown on both sides. About 4 minutes per side. Set chicken aside.

4. In a medium size bowl whisk together the chicken stock, 4 chopped garlic cloves, 3 tbsps honey, 2 tbsp dijon mustard, kosher salt, pepper, oregano, and half of a lemon.

5. Add the sliced onion to the bowl of the slow cooker or crockpot. Place the chicken thighs on top, then pour the liquid over top, as well as the olives. Cover and place on low heat for 4 hours. You want the internal temperature of the chicken to reach 165 degrees.

6. One the chicken is cooked you may want to thicken the sauce. Transfer the sauce to a small sauce pot and add 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Whisk it in and let it come to a boil. Spoon over the chicken and serve.

RECIPE NOTES: I served the chicken over a spinach orzo and it was a lovely pairing!