Slow cooker Basque chicken, Take 2

Slow cooker month persists, as does that pesky stuff falling from the sky that’s forecast to be messy. To counteract that, today’s recipe comes from “The French Slow Cooker,” a book that I snapped up the minute I saw it. It capitalizes on the basic French method of slow braising tasty ingredients in a large pot --without any need for periodic monitoring of the stove for hours -- allowing you to put a crockpot to its highest and best use. Canned creamed soup need not apply.

For those paying attention, yes, this is the second allegedly Basque chicken recipe for a slow cooker in a month. It’s been that kind of month. And apparently there’s some latitude in what qualifies as Basque chicken.

Basque Chicken with Ham and Sweet Peppers

Adapted from “The French Slow Cooker” by Michele Scicolone. To find the full original recipe or if you're interested in seeing more of this fun book, check it out here.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, minced

4 ounces ham, cut into small pieces

1 28-ounce can pureed tomatoes

3 sweet peppers cut into bite-size chunks; I used a mix of orange and red

1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

3 tablespoons fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces

Method:

Saute chopped onions in hot oil in large skillet over medium heat until softened and starting to turn color. Add ham and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the tomato puree, peppers, herbs and spices. Transfer to a slow cooker insert.

Salt the chicken pieces and add to the pot, pushing the pieces below the surface of the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

It’s still pretty saucy when it’s done; I left Dave some roasted potatoes to heat up on the side to soak it up. Wish I’d been home to eat it.