The balsamic flavor is so rich you can almost see it. Kind of.

The balsamic flavor is so rich you can almost see it. Kind of.

As recently as last year, if I were to free-associate the noun “Crock-Pot”, I would come up with words like housewife, suburban, antiquated and missionary position.

None of which I wanted to apply to me.

But then I found a recipe posted by my now-friend Meri on her blog The Food Yenta. It was for a curried coconut chicken noodle soup. Cooked in a Crock-Pot.

I made the soup. But since I didn’t have a Crock-Pot, I cooked it on the stove over a low heat for most of an afternoon.

And my whole family loved it. And that was a rarity.

Then I cooked a few other dishes over the stove that were meant for a slow cooker. And they all turned out really well too.

Everything in one big pot. Easy to make. Easy to clean up. And I started to have Crock-Pot envy.

Until this past Hanukkah. When I was given one by my friend who always gives me the best gifts.

And I’ve used it a bunch of times. To great success. Especially because the Crock-Pot is large enough to have leftovers. Not an easy feat with a bunch of teenagers in the house.

I made this chicken recipe last week. I’m a sucker for the rich vinegary taste of balsamic vinegar. The chicken, tomatoes and the onions really take on that flavor when they are slow-cooked together. The kids loved the dish. My husband, the restaurant owner, loved it too. So much so, that a few days later he told me he was still thinking about it.

Balsamic Chicken with Tomatoes and Onions
Adapted from skinnyms.com

4-6 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 medium onion thinly sliced
6-8 garlic cloves halved
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. each of dried oregano, basil and rosemary
1/2 tsp. thyme
pepper and salt to taste
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella or parmesan

1. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts.
2. Pour the oil in the bottom of the Crock-Pot and add the chicken breast.
3. Top the chicken with the sliced onions, the garlic and the dried herbs.
4. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and top with the diced tomatoes.

Cook on high for four hours.

If you want a thicker sauce, when the chicken is done, take out the breasts and put them aside. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and slowly stir in to the Crock-Pot. Once the sauce thickens, place the chicken breasts back in to the pot and let them mix and re-heat with the other ingredients.

I served this over whole wheat spaghetti but rice would be equally as good. And don’t forget to top each plate off with a little cheese.

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