Chicken Thighs with Kalamata Olives and Tomato Sauce

Recipe from Cooking Light, March 2009 and Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 chicken thighs and about 1/3 cup sauce)

I love it when I find a recipe that my husband really likes and it's easy to boot! This is one of those recipes. After browning the chicken and sauteing the garlic in the same pan, just dump the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker and you're good to go. I served this on top of brown rice with steamed fresh broccoli. I think this is even good enough for company with the right side dishes. All of the ingredients (included kalamata olives that are already pitted) can be found at Lost River Market & Deli where you can also find local chicken and locally grown broccoli.

12 chicken thighs (about 4 pounds), skinned (2 packages)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 to 3 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned.
Place chicken in an electric slow cooker.
Add garlic to pan, and sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 30 seconds. Place wine mixture in cooker.

Add tomato paste, crushed red pepper, and tomatoes to cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, olives, and parsley.


CALORIES 270 ; FAT 12.9g (sat 3.3g,mono 5.6g,poly 2.8g); CHOLESTEROL 99mg; CALCIUM 44mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.7g; SODIUM 658mg; PROTEIN 29.1g; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 2.4mg