CROCK POT CHICKEN MARSALA: Calorie Conscious Comfort Food

CROCK POT CHICKEN MARSALA

A sunny 70 degree day in early March is probably not the best day to post a "comfort food" recipe!  However, I put supper in the crock pot this morning before I realized what a beautiful, amazing day it was going to be!  While supper was cooking away, I spent the morning in the sun cleaning off our porch, mats and doing a little raking.  Usually at this time we are shoveling snow!  What I love about this recipe is that it is very easy, very basic clean ingredients but appears to be smothered in an unhealthy gravy...the secret is..it's not!

 

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• sea salt and pepper to taste (I used about ½ teaspoon of each)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup organic fat free chicken broth
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup cornstarch ***I use 1 or so teaspoons Xanthan gum-see my notes about this..it's not as crazy as it sounds!
• fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Lightly greasy your slow cooker with nonstick spray.  I use crock pot liner bags. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Top chicken with garlic, mushrooms, and chicken broth.  Cover and cook for 5-6 hours on low.
3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken to a plate. Whisk together water and cornstarch or Xanthan gum til dissolved, then pour into slow cooker and stir.
4. Add chicken back to slow cooker, switch heat to high, cover and cook another 20-30 minutes until sauce is thickened. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle with parsley and serve over the rice of your choice. 

 

Let's talk about Xanthan gum!  When I first started learning about cooking and baking in a healthier, cleaner way I resisted!!  I did NOT want to cook with weird ingredients that I couldn't pronounce or couldn't find locally or easily.  I have learned that it's really NO BIG DEAL! It's just another item that you get used to using and it's a choice you make to be healthier.  Right on the label of Xanthan Gum it says that the name appears to come right out of a cheesy Sci Fi movie but Xanthan Gum is actually a widely used all natural thickening agent.  It is awesome because it takes only a little to go a long ways! It prevents oil separation and keeps solids like your spices suspended while making the sauces smooth and not adding anything "bad" to your dishes! It works great in sweet sauces like rhubarb or strawberry crunch, in baking and cooking.   So get over your fear of the Sci Fi name and just try it!