Until the age of approximately nine years old, I had no idea that mac and cheese came in a box. Now, there’s nothing wrong with boxed mac and cheese – I give my daughter Annie’s organic macaroni on nights I don’t feel inspired or want to have a food war.

What I’m getting at is that I grew up eating really good food because my mom was a chef for George Lucas (and that’s just the tip of the cooking iceberg with her). You’d think that being exposed to elevated cooking from a young age that I’d have this natural cooking ability…..

Yes and no. I’m far more recipe oriented than any legitimate chef who can easily combine flavors and make things on the fly. That’s part of the reason why I love to bake, because it always needs to be precise.

When I’m on top of things during the week with meal planning, I have recipes and ingredients ready for certain nights of the week. I rely a lot on leftovers so I can send my husband to work with good food to fuel him for his workday.

I’ve been asked to share this Moroccan inspired dish by multiple Instagram followers, so here we go!

What will surprise you most (or not!) is that it’s a simple slow cooker meal that’s bursting with flavor. Even better yet, my daughter Gia LOVED it! I know all little kiddos have different taste buds, but it has the potential to be a very kid friendly dish for an adventurous eater.

If you’re tired and uninspired when it comes to dinners, this recipe is a lifesaver. I hope you guys enjoy the ease of this dish as much as I do!

Happy slow cooking!

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken & Couscous

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 4 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup dried prunes, halved
• 1/2 pitted green olives
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste
• chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
• lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:

1. In slow cooker, combine the chicken, carrots, onion, prunes, olives, garlic, flour, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Cover and cook on low for six hours.
3. When ready to serve, sprinkle with cilantro or nuts (optional) and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes:

• I chose to serve the dish over couscous.  Perfect pairing, in my opinion!

Recipe from Skinny Taste

Xo