Everyone is preparing for the upcoming High Holy Days. Perhaps if you are a newlywed or a couple of friends, not a large gathering, this delicious, sweet, fall chicken recipe might be perfect. It is made in a crock pot or slow cooker. I am sure it will also work if baked in an oven. For those who have a large gathering, perhaps save this recipe for another fall or winter night.

Wishing everyone a happy healthy new year!

The recipe is from “Slow Cooker Double Dinners for Two” by Cynthia Graubart

Gibbs Smith/April 2014.

Chicken with sweet potatoes and figs

Serves 2

Sweet potatoes and figs taste like fall, and when the first tease of cooler weather arrives, this is the to serve.

4 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup chopped dried figs
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash of cayenne pepper, optional

Insert liner into the remaining space in the slow cooker, fully opening the bag and draping the excess over the sides. Add chicken to the bottom of the liner. Season with salt and pepper. Top chicken with figs, sweet potato, and onion. Stir together chicken broth, orange juice, ginger, coriander, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne pepper, in a small bowl and pour over chicken and vegetables. Fold the top of the bag over to the opposite side of the first bag and nestle the ingredients of each bag so that they are sharing the space evenly.

Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.

Move two shallow bowls next to the slow cooker. Remove cover and using oven mitts, carefully open each liner and remove the solids with a slotted spoon or tongs to its own serving bowl. Still using a pot holder, gather the top of the first liner, carefully lift the bag from the slow cooker and move over its serving bowl. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag, large enough to allow the remaining contents of the bag to be released into the

bowl. Discard the liner. Repeat with the second liner.

Allow the recipe not being served to cool, and package in a re-sealable plastic freezer bag or freezer container. Label and freeze up to 3 months.