Winner winner (crockpot) chicken dinner

Slow cooker chicken curry

Good golly, The Ninj won a Bloggie!

I still can't believe it. It really was enough of an honor to be nominated and then to be named one of the five finalists -- but to win?

So. Freakin'. Cool. 

Thanks to everyone who nominated me or took part in the voting process. I'm happy to hear that y'all agree that this blog is the best-kept secret -- now maybe some others will discover it, too.

And you had better believe that I partied just like the Oscar winners -- that is, if the Oscar winners played with their dogs and went to bed at 11pm. (Oh yeah, it's a wicked glamorous life, being The Ninj.)

But enough about my major award ... what's for dinner?

This dish is officially called a curried chicken stew but I don't like the word stew. Sounds too gloppy and boring -- not to mention that it sounds like you're holding your nose when you say it. Steeeeeeeeeeeeew. See? 

So we're going with Chicken Curry, as it tastes like something you'd expect to find in your favorite Asian restaurant.

As with many of my favorite recipes, you can turn this dish into a little something different each time you make it. For example,  you could spice it up by using a hot curry paste, as opposed to the mild that I suggest. Or use bone-in chicken thighs or boneless breasts (just increase the cooking time a little bit). How about adding another onion or some potatoes? Or using peanuts rather than pistachios for the topping?

I serve this curry over brown rice, which absorbs the spicy sauce really well. Egg noodles would also be great, giving it more of a stroganoff presentation, if that's what you prefer.

I urge you not to skip the golden raisins, though -- they add a really special flavor and texture.

Give this one a try and let me know what you think. How would you change it up to make it a winner?

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Slow Cooker Chicken Curry (adapted from a recipe by Jill Lust in Better Homes and Gardens)

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
8 oz. baby carrots or 4-5 regular carrots, sliced into chunks
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 cup unsweetened light coconut milk, divided
1/4 cup mild red curry paste
Chopped pistachios, golden raisins and cilantro or parsley for topping

Directions:
Add the carrots and onion to the slow cooker. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and lay the pieces on top of the vegetables.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the coconut milk and the curry paste. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.

When the chicken is done, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk. Serve over rice or noodles, and top each serving with the pistachios, raisins and herbs.