This easy, yet delectable crockpot chicken recipe is the brainchild of my 12 year old who always requests my Sweet-n-Spicy BBQ Chicken anytime I ask, “what should be on next week’s meal plan?” When I told him I was getting ready to post some of our favorite crockpot recipes, he asked if I would create a new one by finding a way to make his favorite chicken in the crockpot. Brilliant idea! Yet again, proving that kids belong in the kitchen!
What’s equally brilliant is this recipe allows you to prep the ingredients ahead of time and place them into the freezer. Then when you know you’re going to have one of those days where there’s just no time to cook, you can simply toss the frozen ingredients right into the crockpot and enjoy a super-easy and delicious home-cooked healthy meal! (See note in recipe below for details.)
P.S. Whenever I make this, my boys can hardly stop themselves from shoveling it in – LOL! I have to admit this recipe is a new favorite of mine too and I’m not usually one for dinners on the sweet side. But this dish has a nice spicy flavor that balances out the sweetness of the apricot. And the flavorful sauce is especially delicious over rice and steamed veggies. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup diced red pepper
- 1 cup organic apricot preserves (or homemade peach jam)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Coconut Secret soy-free sauce (I use this in place of soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp dried minced onion
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp crushed red chili pepper flakes
- Optional: 1 tbsp arrowroot powder to thicken the sauce
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts into 2x2-inch chunks and place into crockpot. Top with a half-cup of diced red pepper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients, except the arrowroot powder, and pour over chicken and peppers.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. (Since crockpots vary in temperature, it's best to check this at the 4-hour mark. If the chicken is cooked through, it's ready to serve.)
- When ready to serve, use tongs to remove chicken from crockpot and place in a serving dish. Whisk in the arrowroot powder to thicken the sauce, if desired. Once thickened, ladle the sauce over the chicken and serve with steamed rice and your favorite green veggie.
Notes
Freezer Recipe: This sweet-n-spicy chicken dish makes a great freezer recipe. Simply place the diced chicken and red pepper into a freezer-safe container. Whisk together the sauce and add it to the container and freeze. (Make sure to use a container that is smaller than the size of your crockpot base so it freezes in a shape that will easily fit into your crockpot.) When ready to make this meal, just place the frozen ingredients into your crockpot and cook on low for approximately 5 to 5 1/2 hours. Easy and delicious!
It sounds really delicious!
Thanks so much for your kind words! Hope you give it a try! Blessings, Kelly
This was an easy recipe and turned out great, the entire family enjoyed the meal. Thank you Kelly!!
So great to hear you all enjoyed this too! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a kind note! Lots of blessings, Kelly
Can any fruit in season be used in your peach jam recipe?
Hi, A.O. You could certainly use other fruits in place of the peaches. You can also make jam without using pectin, if you include cranberries. This mixed berry jam is my absolute favorite and explains the process:
http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/jumble-berry-jam-gf/
Blessings, Kelly
Thank you so very much for this recipe that looks mouth-watering! I don’t use my crockpot often so I really appreciate this recipe! This is the first time I have visited here; looks like a wonderful place to be encouraged. ~Blessings
Welcome, Cordelia! So glad you found me. I hope you enjoy this recipe. It’s quick for a crockpot recipe – cooks in about 4 hours, but that’s perfect for days when I we’re doing afternoon sports events and I just want to come home to dinner already made. Hope you all enjoy it too!
Blessings, Kelly
This was delicious! Any idea how many weight watchers points in each serving?
Hi, Danielle! I am not familiar with the Weight Watchers points system. But I do know that if you’re using an all-fruit jam (no sugar), that will definitely help with the calorie count. Also, I’ve noticed that for those people who are trying to lose weight that I’ve worked with, as they move from processed foods to whole foods and utilize proper food portions, the weight comes off without all of the calorie counting. Hunger decreases as whole food nourishment increases, making sure to eat whole foods based meals at least every 3-4 hours and stop eating after 7pm, so you’re hungry for breakfast – truly the most important meal of the day. It’s also important to stay well hydrated as even the slightest amount of dehydration can trigger a false hunger response. May God bless in your health journey! Thanks so much for your kind note! Blessings, Kelly
Kelly,
We absolutely loved this dish! I shared it on my blog today with a few of the changes I made. Nothing needed to be changed in the recipe, I just wasn’t able to plan ahead to use the crockpot. I converted it to a skillet dish with a gluten-free breading on the chicken. We loved it and will make again soon! Here is the link to my modifications: http://willingcook.com/spotlight-recipe-sweet-n-spicy-chicken-our-allergy-meal-plan/
Thanks, Friend!
Michelle
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! What a great idea to make it a skillet dish! I would love to hear how you make coconut rice – WOW! That sounds delish! Blessings, Kelly
Coconut Rice: I don’t know if it is the actual way to make coconut rice, but it’s how I make it and we always love it. I measure out the amount of uncooked rice I want in a pan (I don’t have a rice cooker so I’m not sure if this would change by using that.), then add a can of coconut milk (for coconut rice, I like to use Trader Joe’s light coconut milk). For any additional liquid I need for the rice, I put water in the can to get out the rest of the coconut milk and pour the needed amount into the rice. So, for example, 1 cup rice + 1 can coconut milk (usually 14 oz) + 2-3 additional ounces of water. Cook rice as your would normally.
Did that make sense at all?
Thanks so much for sharing. I can’t wait to try it!
Kelly,
I couldn’t make this at first because I’m always gone for many more than 4 hours. Then, I decided the pressure cooker would be the right answer. Delicious! Enire meal including brown jasmine rice in 20 minutes. The idea for prepping a bag in the freezer…brilliant. I love your inspirations. THANK YOU.
Yeah! What a great idea to use your pressure cooker, Gwen! Thanks for sharing that idea with us! Blessings, Kelly
This looks delicious – I can’t wait to try! When freezing it, do you cook it in the crockpot first and then freeze or just freeze the entire thing (ingredients mixed up, etc) and then cook it for 5 hours in the crock pot from frozen? Thanks!
Hi, Livia. Yes, you prep everything (pre-cut it) and place it in the freezer uncooked. You then place it directly into the crockpot frozen whenever your ready to make it. Hope you and your family enjoy it! Blessings, Kelly
Thanks for another great recipe, Kelly. I just made this yesterday and we all loved it! I doubled everything in the recipe but the apricot preserves (leaving that at one cup of all fruit apricot preserves) and then added in sliced dried apricots as well. Delicious! And it still had plenty of sweetness for us.
So glad you all enjoyed it, Stephanie! What a great idea to add some dried apricots too – YUM! Blessings, Kelly
So excited to find a yummy looking crock pot recipe that doesn’t require a can of cream of something soup! This looks really delicious and healthy too! I work shift work 10a-10p and this will be perfect to get ready and let my hubby throw everything in straight from the freezer on the days I work. We will be trying this on Monday. Thanks! I just found your website and so far I love everything
Welcome, Lindsay! Glad you’re here! This is a favorite recipe in our house and I’ll often triple it and serve it to company and it’s always a hit. Just watch the cook time because some crockpots run hotter than others and too long in the crockpot will burn the sauce. Lots of blessings, Kelly
Hi Kelly- first off I must say that I love your blog!! I’ve made several of your recipes and we just love them! I want to double this for company. Do I need to lengthen the cooking time or is it the same? Thanks so much!
In Christ,
Erin
Oopsie. I just realized that I replied with a CRAZY answer. LOL! I was thinking for some reason you were talking about my chicken and dumplings recipe. Sorry! yes, for this one if you’re doubling it, I would increase the cook time about 20 minutes and check it. It’s done when the chicken is cooked through. Crockpots can really very in actual temps so it’s always best to check sooner than later, and then add time as needed. Hope you all enjoy this as much as we do! Thanks again for your kind words! Blessings, Kelly