Slow Cooker Lemon Tahini Chicken

📝Shopping list

To make this amazing crockpot chicken recipe, you will need these simple ingredients:

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts - or boneless skinless chicken thighs
• tahini
• olive oil
• fresh lemon - both the juice and zest
• garlic cloves -  minced
• salt
• black pepper
• water

What is Tahini? 

Tahini is a paste made from hulled sesame seeds that have been roasted and ground.   It is made similarly to how peanut butter is made.  It's thick and creamy, but still thinner than most nut butters.  

 Tahini or "sesame seed butter" adds a dairy free creaminess to the dishes it is used in. Plus, It's a good source of healthy fats and protein. It can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.  

In this recipe, the tahini adds a mild creaminess that is the perfect compliment to the tangy lemon and pungent garlic.

🔪Instructions

This great recipe just involves a few basic steps:

Preparing Your Slow Cooker

Prepare your slow cooker by coating it with a non-stick agent.  Any nonstick cooking spray or oil will work. Olive oil and avocado oil are my go-to coatings. 

 NOTE: some slow cooker inserts come with a nonstick surface.  Use of a non-stick agent is still suggested. However, oil is sometimes recommended rather than spray to protect the longevity of the non-stick surface.  Check your slow cooker's manual if you have any concerns. 

Alternatively, you can choose to use a slow cooker liner.  

🍳Cooking

• 🍗 Add all ingredients other than chicken and water to your slow cooker
• 🍗Using a silicone whisk, whisk tahini together with  all other ingredients.  As you stir, you will notice that your sauce will start to seize up or clump.  This is normal.  
• 🍗To smooth it out into a creamy sauce, whisk in a few tablespoons of cold water at a time.  Keep whisking and adding water until your sauce reaches a thick salad dressing-like consistency.  I generally wind up using a little less than ¼ cup. 
• 🍗TASTE!  Yes, this is the part where I suggest you stick your finger into your slow cooker and taste the sauce.  If you feel you need a little more salt, lemon, or garlic, you can add it now (and/or later). 
• 🍗Add the chicken breasts into the sauce in your slow cooker.  Turn the chicken a few times to make sure it is well coated with sauce.  When I am finished turning, I also like to spoon some of the sauce on top of the chicken.  Just to make sure it gets to marinate on all sides.  
• 🍗Cover your slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.  Based on your timing, you can also choose to cook on high for 3-4 hours.  For best results low and slow is always preferred, when possible.  
• 🍗Once your chicken is cooked through* remove the chicken from the slow cooker.  Shred chicken on a separate plate using two forks.
• 🍗Stir shredded chicken back into the cooked sauce in your slow cooker until fully combined and creamy.  Don't worry if the sauce appears separated when you first remove the chicken.  It will all mix back perfectly. 
• 🍗Enjoy your creamy chicken!! 

🍽Serving ideas

Now comes the fun part!  Deciding how to serve your amazing chicken. Some of my favorite ways are:

1. On a grain. Rice, Quinoa,  and couscous are all great whole grains for this dish. You can use these grains as a bed for your creamy chicken dish or as part of a chicken and grain bowl.  To make a full bowl, add in some cooked green beans, broccoli, or diced sweet potatoes. 
2. With Lettuce - Serve on a bed of lettuce or on top of a salad
3. With a garnish.  Chopped parsley, feta cheese, sliced green onion, and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt all make great toppings for this Middle Eastern food. Other fresh herbs such as cilantro, fresh dill, and fresh thyme are also great garnishes. 
4. As a sandwich.  Cut a round pita bread in half and stuff the pocket full of tahini chicken and veggies.  Lettuce and sliced red onion are great pita-mates for this chicken. My personal favorite is to add in some diced bell peppers along with a chopped cucumber tomato salad.  It is the perfect flavorful crunch to accompany the star of the show!
5. Next to other Mediterranean flavors: Baba ghanoush, Tzatziki, and hummus are all great Middle Eastern dishes that are delicious with this dish.

🔁Substitutions

• Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of breasts.  Cut thighs into bite sized pieces or slice into strips for a totally different tahini sauce chicken experience.  
• I prefer to use fresh lemon juice for this dish.  However, to save some time, bottled lemon juice is also delicious.
• Kosher salt is great in the recipe, as is sea salt.
• While fresh garlic is preferred, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder can be used in a pinch.  Jarred minced garlic also works. Use ½ teaspoon jarred garlic for each clove of fresh.
• Use avocado oil in place of olive oil, if you are out.
• Substitute lime juice for lemon for a different citrusy twist.  

Storing

Store leftovers of your lemon-tahini chicken in an airtight container or bag.  It will last for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.  

pro-tip: leftovers are great cold!  Serve them the same way you would chicken salad for a unique twist. 

😉Hints & hacks

• The safest way to cook anything in your slow cooker is always to check the internal temperature before serving.  For chicken, the recommended temperature is 165 F.  A meat thermometer is the best way to test this.  
• This is an easy meal to prep in advance  Mix the sauce ingredients as instructed above in a small bowl.  Add in the chicken and cover with plastic wrap or transfer to a zipper top bag.  Depending on how fresh your chicken is, it should last 2-3 days in the refridgerator.  When you are ready to cook, just dump it in your slow cooker and go!!
• I always recommend the use of a slow cooker liner. Of course, this is an optional step. I like to purchase my liners in bulk for a less expensive per-piece price. 
• In the market for a new slow cooker? I love mine!
• Don't forget to turn on (and plug-in!) your slow cooker!!  There is nothing worse than coming home to a cold slow cooker 😔!