Slow Cooker Chicken with Leeks, Mushrooms, and a Gentle Cider, Mustard, and Barley Sauce
An original slow cooker recipe featuring tender chicken thighs slowly cooked with leeks, mushrooms, and pearl barley, all brought together with a gentle apple cider, mustard, and herb sauce. Comforting, balanced, and perfect as a complete one-pot meal.
Ingredients
- 700 g boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut en trozos large)
- 300 g leeks (en medias lunas, well lavados)
- 250 g cremini mushrooms (en mitades or cuartos)
- 120 g pearl barley (enjuagada)
- 240 ml apple cider (without gas)
- 360 ml chicken broth (low sodium if possible)
- 80 ml heavy cream (for dar suavidad al final)
- 30 g Dijon mustard
- 12 g garlic (chopped fino)
- 15 ml olive oil
- 4 g fresh thyme (solo the leaves)
- 1 unit bay leaf
- 6 g salt (or to taste)
- 2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
- 8 g cornstarch (for espesar opcionalmente)
- 15 ml cold water (for mezclar with the maicena)
- 8 g fresh parsley (chopped, for terminar)
Nutrition facts
per serving
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
Instructions
- 1
1. Lightly grease the slow cooker insert with the olive oil. Season the chicken pieces with the salt and black pepper.
- 2
2. Place the leeks, cremini mushrooms, garlic, and pearl barley in the slow cooker. Arrange the seasoned chicken on top.
- 3
3. In a bowl, whisk together the apple cider, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, and fresh thyme. Pour this mixture over the ingredients in the slow cooker and add the bay leaf.
- 4
4. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, until the chicken is very tender and the barley is fully cooked. If using high heat, cook for about 3 hours; the thickest part of the chicken should reach at least 165°F and 74°C.
- 5
5. Open the slow cooker, remove the bay leaf, and gently stir in the heavy cream. Taste and adjust with more salt and black pepper if needed.
- 6
6. For a thicker sauce, stir the cornstarch with the cold water until smooth. Add this slurry to the slow cooker, stir well, cover again, and cook on high for 15 more minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- 7
7. Turn off the slow cooker, let it rest for 5 minutes, and finish with the chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Chef tips
Wash the leeks very well to remove any grit between the layers. For deeper flavor, you can brown the chicken in a skillet for 3 to 4 minutes before adding it to the slow cooker.
Substitutions
You can swap the barley for long-cooking brown rice with some liquid and time adjustments, or use plant-based cream instead of dairy cream for a dairy-free version. If cremini mushrooms are unavailable, use white mushrooms.
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 imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
Illustrative imageVictorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife
Chopping, slicing and cutting strips
- The knife I use most when cooking
- Chops, slices and cuts into strips
- Keep it sharp and hand-dry it
Illustrative imageTeakhaus Teak Cutting Board
Stable base for chopping
- Stable surface for chopping
- Gentle on your knife edge
- Hand-wash and let it dry
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