Recipe: Slow-cooker Sesame & Honey Shredded Chicken

On the first day of Autumn I needed no encouragement to get the slow-cooker out. One-pot meals are my favourite as they often need minimum effort and taste great. 

I've inherited my Mum's old slow-cooker and intend to make just about anything and everything in it this year. Plenty of batch cooking to fill the freezer for work lunches and quick,  home cooked dinners. 

This first recipe is perfect for this limbo weather; for salads, sandwiches or for dinner served however you fancy!

Slow-cooked sesame honey shredded chicken

(Recipe adapted from Comfort of Cooking, serves 4-5)

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 4 chicken breasts

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tbsp honey

1 1/2 tbsp ketchup

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp vegetable oil/olive oil

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

4 tsp cornflour

80ml water

To serve:

Your choice of rice

Handful of chopped spring onions

Sesame seeds

Season the chicken and add to the slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil and chilli flakes before pouring over the chicken. Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook for 3-4 hours on low; or 2 hours on high.

Remove the chicken from the slow cooker onto a plate and shred into bite sized pieces. In a small bowl or jug, dissolve the cornflour in the water and add to the chicken sauce in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 10 minutes until it starts to thicken.

Cook the rice to packet instructions and serve with the chicken. Scatter over chopped spring onions and a generous helping of sesame seeds.

Leiths: Raisin Bran Muffins

   Another recipe from my Baking workshop at Leiths, these raisin bran muffins are really 100 times better than they sound. Imagine an Elvenses bar, but better and so quick and easy to make. This recipe can also be found in Leiths Baking Bible. I'll be baking more of these pretty soon, such an easy breakfast to grab on the go!

Makes 12

     200ml semi-skimmed milk

     115g butter, softened

     100g All-Bran cereal

     115g golden caster sugar

     2 eggs, beaten

     170g self raising flour, sifted

     1 teaspoon baking powder

     Half teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

     Half teaspoon ground cinnamon

     140g raisins

     Honey and oats for decoration

• Preheat the oven to 190 degrees and line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.
• Warm the milk and butter in a saucepan on a low heat until the butter has melted.
• Place the cereal and sugar in a bowl, stir in the butter and milk.
• Allow to cool to lukewarm before adding the eggs.
• Add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and raisins. Try to incorporate the mix well without stirring more than 20 times - other wise the muffins will become tough.
• Divide between the paper cases and bake for 25-30 minutes. 
• Cool on a wire rack before glazing with honey and adding a sprinkle of oats.

See my other post from this workshop for a raspberry sponge with elderflower mascarpone recipe.