Gluten Free Crock Pot Apple Pie Chicken with Turmeric, Cranberry & Almond Rice

Slowly cooked chicken sweetened with apples and honey served with turmeric rice studded with flaked almonds and jewels of dried cranberries. An unusual, but tasty Easter dinner alternative! 

Yield 2 to 4 servings

Crock Pot Apple Pie Chicken with Turmeric, Cranberry & Almond Rice 

I know what you're thinking: Apple pie with chicken?! but I promise you, I've not gone completely mad. Apple and meat dishes are usually made with pork and occasionally beef, but not so much chicken. That's what was most intriguing about this flavor combination for me. But, it really works together and it tastes fantastic. I think it's striking and unusual enough to be used as an Easter dinner recipe, too; you know, if you wanted a break from ham.

If you sear the chicken before you add it to the crock pot, you'll get that lovely caramel color on the skin, plus the the chicken will be juicier after its prolonged cook. I use Golden Delicious apples in this recipe because they are my favorite, but this dish would be interesting with a classic Red Delicious apple or a tart Granny Smith. If you wanted it really sweet, you could try a Fuji apple.

The addition of brown sugar, apple juice, honey and apples make this a naturally sweet tasting dish. It's not exactly as sweet as apple pie, but it's pretty close! So the rice really helps to break up the sweetness a bit and the tartness of the dried cranberries further this effect. In the end you're left with a surprisingly balanced dish that's savory, sweet and tart.

If you're looking for Easter recipes, have a look at this board

 

Ingredients:

For the apple pie chicken
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp celery salt
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 tbsp gluten free plain/all-purpose flour
2 large bay leaves
2 large chicken quarter thighs
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 medium-sized Golden Delicious apples, sliced*
150ml/5 ounces apple juice
300ml/10 ounces chicken stock
fresh mint
salt
pepper

For the turmeric, cranberry and almond rice
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
2 to 3 tbsp ground turmeric
3 cups water
dried cranberries, to taste
flaked almonds, to taste
salt

**Notes**

• Only slice 1 of the apples to be put in the crock pot.

This recipe was adapted from Slow Cooker

Instructions:

Crock Pot Apple Pie Chicken with Turmeric, Cranberry & Almond Rice

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan large enough to fit the chicken. Brown the chicken over high heat and sear until completely golden on both sides, about 12 minutes. Put the chicken in the slow cooker.
2. Add the diced onion to the pan and cook. 
3. Sprinkle in the celery salt and flour when the onions are soft. Stir to combine.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the apple juice and chicken stock. 
5. Place the pan back on the heat and bring to the boil, stirring. 
6. Add the apple slices to the pan along with the honey and bay leaves.
7. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the chicken.
8. Cook the chicken on high for 4 hours or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
9. Make the rice during the last hour of cooking.
10. Boil the basmati rice until it is just cooked.
11. Sprinkle over the turmeric and a bit of salt and stir through to combine.
12. Add the cranberries and almonds.
13. Core and slice the remaining two apples. Brush the apple slices with the butter and sprinkle over the brown sugar and pan fry for 2 minutes or place under the grill/broiler until the sugar has caramelized.
14. Serve the chicken with the rice and top each serving with a few of the caramelized apple slices and sprinkle generously with torn fresh mint leaves.

Winner, winner chicken dinner? Try these:

Easy & Impressive Roast Chicken Dinner

Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Easy White Wine & Mushroom Sauce