Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Eggplant, Chickpeas, and Smoky Tomato Cinnamon Sauce

Name: Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Eggplant, Chickpeas, and Smoky Tomato Cinnamon Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 380 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Fusión mediterránea
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 12 oz eggplant; 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas; 1 cup yellow onion; 4 cloves garlic; 14 oz crushed tomatoes; 3/4 cup chicken broth; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground cumin; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1/4 cup fresh parsley

An original slow cooker recipe featuring tender chicken thighs slowly cooked with eggplant and chickpeas in a smoky tomato sauce with a warm hint of cinnamon. Comforting, balanced, and perfect as a complete meal.

20 minPrep

360 minCook

380 minTotal

4Servings

Dairy-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut en trozos large)
350 g eggplant (diced medium)
240 g cooked chickpeas (escurridos and enjuagados)
150 g yellow onion (chopped)
12 g garlic (chopped)
400 g crushed tomatoes (en conserva or casero)
180 ml chicken broth (low sodium if possible)
30 g tomato paste
5 g smoked paprika
1 g ground cinnamon
2 g ground cumin
30 ml olive oil
6 g salt (or to taste)
1 g black pepper (freshly ground)
15 ml red wine vinegar
10 g fresh parsley (chopped for terminar)

Nutrition facts

per serving

395 kcal

Calories

33 g

Protein

22 g

Carbs

19 g

Fat

7 g

Fiber

15 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Sulfites

Instructions

1
1. Season the chicken thighs in a large bowl with the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, and ground cumin.
2
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Brown the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side, just until colored; it does not need to cook through. If you prefer to brown it in the oven, roast at 425°F (220°C) for 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
3
3. In the same skillet, add the yellow onion and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute more, stirring to deepen the flavor.
4
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and red wine vinegar to the skillet. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits, and let the mixture simmer gently for 2 minutes.
5
5. Place the eggplant and cooked chickpeas over the chicken in the slow cooker. Pour the hot tomato, onion, and garlic sauce over the top.
6
6. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender and the eggplant is soft.
7
7. Uncover, gently stir to combine the eggplant, chickpeas, and sauce around the chicken, and taste for salt. If you want a thicker sauce, transfer the contents to an oven-safe baking dish and bake uncovered at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 12 minutes.
8
8. Serve hot with the fresh parsley sprinkled on top.

Chef tips

For deeper flavor, you can brown the eggplant in the skillet for 4 minutes before adding it to the slow cooker. It is also excellent served with rice, gluten-free couscous alternative, or on its own in a bowl.

Substitutions

You can swap the chicken thighs for turkey thigh pieces, adjusting the time slightly if the pieces are larger. Chickpeas can be replaced with cooked white beans. If you do not have red wine vinegar, use the same amount of lemon juice for a different profile.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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