Crockpot Chicken Thighs with Beer and Andouille Sausage



Beer Braised Chicken with Andouille Sausage



I was inspired by this recipe while watching Rachael Ray on the Cooking channel.   It looked so good with the Andouille sausage, the beer and the juicy chicken thighs!  However, I was more interested in throwing everything in the crockpot and having it ready when I arrived home from work.   So, I simply put all the ingredients into the slow cooker without all the pre-browning of the vegetable and the chicken and the result was delicious! 

I have found that it goes very well served over mashed potatoes or over wild rice if you want a healthier version.   How can anything with Beer and Andouille sausage be less than stellar?!  The full original recipe can be found at http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/beer-braised-chicken-thighs.html

Ingredients

8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (I used 2 chicken leg quarters and it turned out great, we just had a lot of leftover broth and veggies)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 link andouille sausage, casing removed and chopped, or 4 slices bacon, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme ( I used 1 tbsp dried thyme instead for the crockpot version)

1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 (12-ounce) bottle lager beer

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with chiles or stewed tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons hot sauce (I use Cholula, of course)

Scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced, for garnish

Warm baguette, for mopping

Preparation:

I mix all of the Liquid ingredients in the crockpot first, along with the seasonings, flour and veggies. 

Take the chicken thighs or leg quarters and season them with salt and pepper on both sides.  Place the chicken in the crockpot, making sure that the liquid covers the chicken completely.  Cook for 10 hours on low.  Serve over mashed potatoes or wild rice with slices of warm french bread on the side.  Garnish with sliced scallions if desired.  Yumo!