Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken

The first time I made this recipe was about two years ago. Each time we have it, I think of another way to improve upon an already-good thing. What follows is my latest iteration, modified for the CrockPot.



Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken
heavily modified from this recipe on allrecipes.com
serves 2-4

1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
8oz canned pineapple chunks with juice reserved
1 1/2 Tbsp Sucanat
1 tsp jerk seasoning
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder*
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes*
1 medium onion, cubed
2 bell peppers (different colors), seeded and cubed
4oz mushrooms, cut in half
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 cups cooked brown rice
(*I didn't have these separately today, so I used 1/2 tsp taco seasoning instead)

1. In a medium bowl, combine cubed chicken with 1/2 Tbsp oil, 2 Tbsp pineapple juice, sucanat, jerk seasoning, cinnamon, chili powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Set aside to let flavors combine.



2. Meanwhile, chop the onion, peppers, and mushrooms, and place in crock with pineapple chunks.



3. Heat the remaining 1/2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken in small batches and cook until lightly browned but not cooked through, turning over to brown the underside. Make sure not to crowd the pieces. As they brown, transfer them to the crock.



4. Once all the chicken is in the crock, deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup water. Add 2 Tbsp of the reserved pineapple juice and let reduce for 1 minute. Pour over the chicken and veggies in the crock.

5. Cover crock and cook on low 3-4 hours, or until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked through. Serve over hot cooked rice.



The H really enjoyed this. I didn't care for how soft the peppers got, but that's my own fault for socializing too much after running group! This was on low for almost 5 hours before we ate it, and it was just too long. The chicken wasn't dry, but the peppers were too soft, and that was my only complaint.