Slow Cooker Monday: Balsamic Chicken and Baked Yams

Be sure to visit 52 Kitchen Adventures on Wednesday. There are some exciting and big changes underway!

A couple of months ago I got a second slow cooker that almost twice as big as my original 3.5 quart. I wasn’t sure if I’d use it much since my small one has been the perfect size for me so far, but I love it for making bigger portions and batches of things like slow cooker apple butter.

Last week I discovered an even better use for my 2 Crock Pots: main dish in one, side dish in the other. After a busy day, coming home to an entire meal that’s completely prepared and still warm is pretty much the best thing in the world.

In my 5 quart slow cooker I made a balsamic chicken dish that’s covered in diced tomatoes. The chicken was moist, tender and tangy. For the side dish, I sprinkled some cinnamon on yams, wrapped them in aluminum foil and baked them in the 3.5 quart slow cooker. They came out perfectly cooked and were great with a little butter and a dash of salt.

It may seem counterintuitive, but you don’t need to add any water to your slow cooker when baking the yams. I found that they do need to be touching the bottom of the slow cooker though, so you can only make as many as will fit in the bottom of yours (keep in mind the size when you pick them out too – big ones take longer to cook). This method works with baking potatoes as well, which I’m excited to try next.

Have you made a whole meal in your slow cooker(s)? What did you make?

Recipe:

Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken

Adapted from Crock Pot Recipe Exchange

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 4-6 boneless & skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 t dried oregano
  • 1 t dried basil
  • 1/2 t thyme
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Coat the bottom of a slow cooker with the olive oil (I used a 5.5 quart, but you can use any from 3-6 quarts). Generously salt and pepper the chicken breasts, then place on top of oil. Add onion, garlic and herbs. Pour vinegar on top of everything and add tomatoes. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours or until chicken is cooked through.

 

Slow Cooker Baked Yams

  • Yams, washed and dried
  • Ground cinnamon (optional)
  • Aluminum foil

Sprinkle each yam with a few dashes of cinnamon and cover each one individually with aluminum foil. Place them at the bottom of your slow cooker. You can cook as many as will fit on the bottom of your Crock Pot (they need to touch the bottom to cook fully).

Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8 hours (cooking time will vary based on the size – smaller ones cook more quickly). Yams are done when you can easily prick them with a fork. Serve with butter and salt.

 

DISCLOSURE:  This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

3 Comments on Slow Cooker Monday: Balsamic Chicken and Baked Yams

  1. Linda
    March 24, 2012 at 8:50 pm (12 years ago)

    I’m a 70 year old grandmother and an accomplished cook (according to some web site definitions). I’m always looking for new recipes for my slow cooker as well as other recipes. I found your site by linking from another slow cooker site. I printed the Balsamic chicken recipe to try next week because it sounds like the kind of thing my husband and I like. We love anything made with balsamic vinegar and/or tomatoes. He’s not an accomplished cook, but can put anything together in the slow cooker. This will be a great recipe for him. He often bakes fish and serves it with steamed broccoli and baked sweet potatoes. I’m a retired Registered nurse and we eat very healthy food 95% of the time and buy everything organic when possible. The organic sweet potatoes we get are soooo much better than the non-organic they’ve spoiled us and we don’t enjoy the others much anymore. We’re also from the South and sweet potatoes have been part of our meals all our lives. You use the word “baked yams” paired with the balsamic chicken. Do you use yams or sweet potatoes? Many people think they are the same, but they are not. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
  2. bob rhinehart
    September 21, 2012 at 1:32 pm (11 years ago)

    please include a print program so we can copy just the receipe for filing at home. thank you. bob rhinehart

    Reply
  3. CharlesPr
    August 3, 2015 at 3:07 pm (9 years ago)

    Cook in the slow cooker set to High until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 4 hours.

    Reply

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