Slow Cooker Chicken with Artichokes & Olives

Here's a good example of being flexible.  This recipe, originally taken from this one on epicurious.com, combines some of our favorite things.  Spices, check.  Olives (al-la as Peanut calls them), check.  Artichokes, check. It was one I absolutely couldn't wait to try, but in the middle of a bathroom remodel, there was no way I could spare a good hour to prep and cook it.  Meals are not so planned and methodical when doing house projects.  So, in a moment of Mama superpower, I decided to toss it all in a slow cooker and hope for the best!  We ended up serving it over pasta we had on hand since my parents made it in time for dinner and we needed to stretch it out a bit.  Honestly, it was delicious even on its own.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Chicken with Artichokes & Olives

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- salt & pepper
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 T. minced garlic
- 1 t. turmeric
- 1/2 t. ground cumin
- 1/2 t. ground coriander
- generous pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 cinnamon stick, or 1/4 t. ground cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 c. chicken stock
- 1 t. grated lemon zest
- 3 T. lemon juice
- 1 c. canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 1/2 c. pitted green olives
- optional:  2 T. cornstarch and 2 T. water to make a thicker sauce

Directions:
1.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken thighs then place in a slow cooker.

2.  Add remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and give it a good stir.  Cook on low heat  for 4-6 hours.

3.  Serve as is, or ladle out some of the pan juices into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. In a small dish, combine cornstarch and a little water, whisk until dissolved.  Add the cornstarch to the sauce and whisk constantly.  The sauce will thicken pretty quickly.  Allow to boil for about a minute, then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened slightly (should be slightly thinner than a gravy). Season with additional salt and pepper as needed, then pour over the chicken.

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