Caprese Chicken Thighs for Crockpot

This is a dish that is “fancy” enough for Sunday dinner, but easy enough for supper on any given Tuesday. Assembled the night before and slow-cooked while you do other things, caprese salad ingredients glorify humble chicken thighs.

I currently have an abundance of basil in the garden, and enjoy finding ways to use it — besides pesto. Don’t get me wrong, I like pesto! But if you have ever watched the 1992 remake of Christmas in Connecticut, (directed by Arnold Schwarzenegger and starring Tony Curtis and Dyan Cannon, with Kris Kristofferson as the heartthrob), you will understand that “pesto is passé”.

Some of my favorite ways to enjoy fresh basil is in lemonade and hummus. But few things can beat the pairing of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil.

Speaking of ingredients, there are some things to note:

• Garlic cloves come in all different sizes. These two are from the same head. Instead of having “2 garlic cloves” in the recipe, just mince garlic until you get to 2 teaspoons. A little more than that never hurt anyone.

• Sundried tomatoes should be used instead of fresh tomatoes in this recipe. Fresh will leave a soupy mess, while the sundried cook into an amazing flavor and texture.
• Basil should be in chiffonade cut. Just stack a bunch of washed and dried basil leaves, roll them into a log, and slice thinly.

• Italian seasoning is best and freshest when you make it at home using a recipe like this. Store bought works in a pinch.
• Mozzarella pearls are the simplest — and most fun — cheese to use in this caprese chicken recipe. But any form of fresh mozzarella works. Don’t use pre-shredded cheese from the store! Pre-shredded mozz is very low moisture (so it doesn’t mold as quickly) and has anti-caking agents added. 😳 Just use fresh mozzarella!

• Chicken thighs are my go-to for this caprese recipe. I love how tender and moist they are, how they stand up in the crockpot after hours of cooking, and the flavor is fantastic. I use a full bag of Good Ranchers boneless skinless chicken thighs, which means 8 individually-wrapped thighs of the BEST quality and taste. Good Ranchers is the one food subscription that I never regret. Since I live alone, but entertain frequently, I like being able to adjust the frequency of delivery. And each time a box arrives, I know it is top-quality, American-raised meat that will not disappoint. (And, NO, I am not paid to say that. It’s just reality in my life.)
• As ugly as raw chicken is in photos, boneless and skinless chicken thighs open up like a book. I try to remove as much of the gross fat as possible, then get the thighs as flat as possible. Season them generously with salt and pepper, then divide the tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella pearls between them. Roll them up — or fold them over, if they are super-stuffed. If you like things neat and perfect, stick a toothpick in them to hold the chicken together. I don’t worry about perfection, but that’s just me.

• In the bottom of a crockpot, put the minced garlic and olive oil, then give it a good stir to infuse every drop of oil with garlic. Place the chicken thighs on top of the garlicky oil, and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Cover the pot up, and cook on low until the chicken is done.

Just a word about crockpots: I have 2 of them — a round, brown one from our wedding in 1988, and an oval one from 2010. The “low” temp on the oval one is about as hot as the “high” on the brown one. Food takes a much shorter time to cook in the oval crockpot. Just pay attention to how yours works, and decide on timing based on that. Four hours on “low” in the oval crockpot gets chicken thighs perfectly cooked. With some sautéed veggies on the side, it’s a perfect meal.

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