This Mediterranean Chicken recipe for the crockpot slow cooker uses frozen artichoke hearts, a jar of green olives, and a can of tomatoes to make a delicious sauce that is a super easy dump it all in recipe.
Perfect for a busy school or work night!
Day 62.
One of the really cool things about crockpot cooking is that you can throw frozen things in the crock to cool all day long and they will tenderize and release a whole bunch of flavor while they cook slowly in their own juices.
This is a grown-up version of lazy chicken.
The taste is sophisticated, but the preparation takes all of twelve seconds. The most difficult part of this dinner was remembering to take a picture before we ate it all.
We've been having spring-type weather, and the day that I threw this together, I didn't want to stand around in the kitchen--and wanted to be able to stay outside with the kids after school at the playground.
I put this on at 8am, and was overjoyed to have a light, healthy, and flavorful meal with very little effort when we got home at 5 o'clock, tired, hungry and whiny.
The Ingredients:
serves 4
2-3 pounds chicken. I like boneless thighs; any kind will work.
1 (10-ounce) bag of frozen artichoke hearts
1 cup green olives, no juice
1 (26-ounce) can of tomatoes (and juice)
The Directions:
put everything in your crockpot.
turn on.
cook on low for 8 hours, high for 4-6.
Serve over pasta, rice, or quinoa.
We ate it with quinoa, and it was a great pairing.
and it kind of made me want to go on a vacation.
The Verdict.
Sometimes the best tasting recipes are also the easiest. It's really not important (well it's not important to me!) to slave away in the kitchen to get a good tasting meal.
I am a set it and forget it kind of girl and this recipe fits that criteria!!
:-)
Do you eat a lot of chicken in your family? Here are over 70 different ways to make (non boring!) chicken in the crockpot slow cooker.
Enjoy!
Posted by: Stephanie O'Dea | A Year of Slow Cooking at March 02, 2017
Labels: chicken, crockpot, gluten free, light and healthy, main course, Make it Fast Cook it Slow, Stephanie O'Dea, summer cooking,
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What they say about this article
Canadian Saver3/02/2008
Oh this looks great! I love Mediterranean flavors. I've never seen frozen artichoke hearts up here though.... Hmmmm, will have to look for those.
Anonymous3/02/2008
Your new RSS feed settings (clicking to view the "rest of the post and comments") make it more difficult to keep up with your blog for those of us with busy lives. You might consider going back to the previous style; I know that, for me, if I am scrolling posts in my reader and one invites me to click on it, I'm less likely to do that than I am to just keep scrolling.
Just a thought; unfortunately I've been missing the pictures and recipes because it means going to a separate site, which I usually don't have time for.
Great blog!
:)Stephanie ODea3/02/2008
Nicole, I did it get more hits on the ads. I think you're right though, and that it's annoying. How about I'll turn it back to the other way, but if you ever have time and want to leave me messages, I'll be so very happy.
and cook you things. ;-)
I appreciate the feedback. I really do.
xox
stephKim -today's creative blog3/02/2008
oh how I wish I could get away with doing all my shopping at Trader Joes! I think that's why my husband has started to do most of the grocery shopping on Sunday's.....to keep me out of TJs. He just doesn't get it.
Amy3/02/2008
I haven't been over here for a few days..looks like you've been making lots of yummy stuff...I'm going to have to try this one...I love artichoke hearts..
Welcome!4/16/2008
Love your blog. Thank you for all the recipes. I tried this one last night but left out the olives. VERY GOOD! Served it over cous cous.
Miss Katharine5/15/2008
This sounds fabulous! I haven't seen frozen artichoke hearts, either. Do you think canned would do?
Stephanie ODea5/15/2008
HI Katharine,
I do think the canned would be fine---just drain them well. THe stuff in the oil would work too, but would be, um, oily. ;-)xox
stephAnonymous9/17/2008
This was unbelievably good. MY HUSband and older daughter loved it. She even told me it was the best chicken I have ever made. Thank you soooo much for your blog.
Jenna B8/11/2009
This was amazing. Using canned artichoke hearts turned out fine. The taste wasn't too strong and I think even picky eaters might like this one! Definitely company worthy.
Anonymous1/12/2010
Wow! This was a hit in our house, on par with the peanut butter pork recipe. I used jarred artichoke hearts in seasoned oil, because that's what I had (I drained them, and it was not oily), and added onions. I served it with dill rice and a cucumber, dill and yogurt "salad."
I will make this again, and again and again!
--RA
Alaina833/13/2011
This sounds so good, my husband and I like a little spice to everything we eat so I will try adding some pepperoncini's to this as well. Will report back with results.
Anonymous3/16/2011
Made this the other night - used 1 1/2 c of marinated artichoke hearts from Costco - drained. Came out divine!! The chicken shredded and was just perfect. I put on top of rice, but really, it didnt need anything else. And so easy too! next time will add slivered onions and red bell peppers. Put a sprinkle of feta cheese on top - wow!! Thanks for another great recipe!
Anonymous4/13/2011
This recipe COMPLETELY saved the day for me when I was being (of course) lazy. I salt and peppered the chicken at a couple of points during the cook time, but the olives and sauce really give it all it needs. Husband ate the whole thing. Success!
Courtney5/29/2011
I have a friend with a gluten and dairy allergy. She just adopted a little girl from China and I wanted to take their new sweet family a meal. Automatically I turned to your site, and this recipe looks super yummy! I just want to be sure i don't have to look for any "hidden gluten" in anything. As it's all meat and veggies I'm thinking there should be no problem, but I just thought I'd double check. Thanks so much!!
Courtney
Anonymous1/15/2013
I am wondering if I did something wrong. The comments indicate lots of positives, and generally I've found your own review, Stephanie, to be really spot-on in terms of he yummy factor. But, we made this tonight, and it was (at best) really, really bland. We love Mediterranean food, and were really excited about the olives and artichoke hearts; but, in the end, we couldn't even taste them.
Usually I use organic or local, pastured chicken, but this was commercial boneless, skinless breast. I am wondering if that was the issue, since it also had enough liquid in it to almost be soup (I didn't add any liquid except for the tomatoes, so I am going to guess this was from the "broth" the commercial stuff is injected with; but, I couldn't get organic this week).
We probably won't make this again. But, I'll definitely keep making many of the other recipes you've shared--so many favorites on this site!
Anonymous4/03/2023
I don’t particularly like chicken thighs so I try to add chicken breasts. But chicken breasts cook so fast and dry out (rubbery) so quickly I would add the breasts near the endo of the cooking. 8 hours is way too long to cook even thighs. I would cook the thighs for an hour then add the breasts.
Love your recipes!!
