chicken patate douce

patate douce: sweet potato, yam

(en francais)

This was a magical creation. It was one of the easiest things I've ever made in my life and it made the house smell like the word 'holiday.' It's delicious, the meat falls apart, the sweet potatoes get cooked in the crock pot without you having to keep your oven for an hour and a half at 900 degrees... it's too breezy not to try it, friends. So let's get at it. Break out your crock pot!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 chicken breasts, frozen or thawed
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 bay leaf
• extra virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• cracked black pepper

Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of the crock pot. In a small dish, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon and seasoned salt until well combined. Sprinkle one or two little spoonfuls of the mixture onto the bottom of the crock pot. Place the chicken in the pot. (if the breasts are still frozen, don't fear, they'll cook all the way through nice and slowly... all safe!) Sprinkle more of the mixture on top of the chicken breasts. Layer the onion and sweet potatoes on top of that. Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with more of the brown sugar mixture and break up the bay leaf and place that in as well.

 Now dollop in your yellow mustard, making sure to drop some in a few different spots. Drizzle all over with some balsamic vinegar (not too much, it's potent!), the remaining brown sugar mixture, a little more olive oil and a lot of black pepper. Place the lid on and set it to "high" for 4-6 hours!

Dinner is stewing away without you preparing one darn thing! We served it along side a bowl of corn and black bean chowder... this was quite the gastronomic experience and I highly recommend it... BUT- next time I make this dish I think I'll serve it with a side of stewed cabbage. Anyone have any better ideas?

 BON APPETIT, sweet friends!

XOX