Slow Cooker Brussel Sprouts Recipe with Bacon and Chicken (2024)
15 Comments
3 minutes
January 17, 2023
Andi GleesonJump to Recipe
DinnerSide DishesPoultrySlow Cooker
Make thisslow cooker brussel sprouts recipewith or without the chicken for a perfect dinner or side dish recipe! This dish is seasoned with bacon, apple cider, and maple syrup making it perfect for Fall holidays or weeknight meals.
Recently, I signed us up for a local meat and produce delivery service. I’ve never really been big on grocery delivery because I really enjoy grocery shopping. I like reading labels, checking prices, browsing around, and telling my kids to stop running down the aisles. I just like it. However, I’m really not great at branching out when it comes to produce. I know we should be eating more fruits and vegetables, but when I’m planning my meals and grocery list, I always end up choosing old standbys. If I go to a farmer’s market instead of the grocery store, it’s even worse because I don’t have a list or plan and have no idea what to get. I always end up with something random like a container of hummus, two tomatoes, and a pint of strawberries.
In an effort to try to get more variety and quantity of produce in our diets, I signed up for this service. I have only gotten one delivery so far, but I love it! It was so fun to unpack and see what we got and start thinking of how to use everything. (Some things I didn’t even recognize, but that’s why I have all you wonderful folks on Facebook to help me.) I told you once that I love sponsored posts because they give me a starting point for recipes, and getting a couple sacks full of random ingredients had the same effect.
I was really happy to find a bag of brussels sprouts as one of my vegetables because we love the things.I usually roast them until they get almost black on the outside and velvety on the inside, but this time I wanted to branch out and try something new. That’s how thisslow cooker brussel sprouts recipe wasborn! Oh, and there are also rainbow carrots in there! That was another prize in my produce box, and they cooked up perfectly in the slow cooker too.
There is somemeat in my chosen box each week, but in this case, I already had the chicken drumsticks. In fact, they were a couple days past their sell by date, so I needed to cook them in a hurry! I love bone-in, skin-on chicken in the slow cooker because it doesn’t dry out, and these chicken legs were no exception. They were perfectly moist and tender and took on the rich flavor from the bacon and apple cider. (Did I mention there is hard cider in there?) You could also leave the chicken out completely and just make the vegetables as a side dish!
The slow cooker I used is the new Programmable Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker by Hamilton Beach, which the brand sent to me to test. This slow cooker features a locking lid for taking food to potlucks or parties. You can program it for the number of hours and temperature you want your food to cook, and then it automatically switches to “warm” when the cooking is done. A good slow cooker is a must for every weary chef, andyou canpick one up at Walmart!
1poundlarge carrotspeeled and sliced into 1/2” circles
2tablespoonsmaple syrup
1sweet onionchopped
3slicesbaconchopped
1 1/2poundsbone-in chicken with skin
seasoned salt
12ounceshard apple cider
Instructions
Place prepared brussels sprouts, carrots, and maple syrup in slow cooker.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and onion to hot skillet, and saute until most fat is rendered from bacon and onions are browning. Turn off heat. Use a slotted spoon to scoop cooked onions and bacon into slow cooker with vegetables. (Do not discard oil yet.) Stir contents of slow cooker well.
Heat same skillet with bacon drippings over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken on both sides lightly with seasoned salt. Cook chicken in hot oil for about 5 minutes on each side. Place chicken on top of vegetables.
Pour cider over the chicken and vegetables, and cover. Cook on high 6 hours or low 8 hours.
Author:Andi
Looking for more slow cooker recipes just right for Fall? Try these!
It turns out that giving Brussels sprouts a good soak can help them to cook evenly throughout. Not only will the sprouts have a better texture after being soaked, but you won't have to choose between burning the outside and undercooking the inside.
Roast 'em! Our two rules: place and space! Place them cut side down to create that slightly crunchy exterior and soft interior. Space them out evenly so they don't steam–a crowded sheet pan party is not where your brussels want to be.
If you want your roasted Brussels sprouts to be seriously crispy, you need to crank up the heat. Roasting at a low temperature won't allow them to brown properly, so you want to get that oven nice and hot before tossing in your baking sheet. Follow this tip: Roast Brussels sprouts at a minimum of 400°F.
Rinse under cold running water to remove any dust or dirt. Use a small knife to remove the sprout tip, and then remove any leaves that have bad spots. Raw: Slice thinly and toss with other shredded vegetables like cabbage, carrots, or beets.
A splash of lemon juice, or even apple cider vinegar, works wonders on bitter sprouts. Another key ingredient is fat, which helps Brussels sprouts to crisp up.
A Dutch scientist named Hans van Doorn, who worked at a seed and chemical company, figured out exactly which chemical compounds in Brussels sprouts made them bitter. The next step was to plant sprouts with the least amount of these chemicals and eventually cross-pollinate the chemicals out.
If any of the leaves have brown spots or are yellowing, it's a sign of early spoilage. If you remove the blemished leaves and the interior looks OK, you can still use the sprout. However, if the interior leaves are also showing blemishes or yellowing, it's best to toss it (or compost it, if you can).
Some people swear by cutting a cross in the bottom of each sprout, which they believe allows them to cook all through – but it's not necessary, and you'll save time if you don't.
Halved: Halved Brussel sprouts are the classic cut for sheet-pan roasting or sautéing. Sliced: Crisp these guys up in the air fryer. They are also great for sautéing and roasting – especially if you start with the larger sprouts and want to cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Over the last twenty years, farmers have mellowed the "unpleasant" flavor of brussels sprouts by breeding a vegetable that contains fewer bitter compounds or glucosinolates. So, brussels sprouts just taste better than they used to when we were kids. The rub is that glucosinolates help protect sprouts against pests.
For best results, cook sprouts until just tender, never mushy. Overcooking produces the offensive odor associated with Brussels sprouts. It's caused by the release of sulfur-containing compounds. Overcooking also causes them to turn a drab olive green.
Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and broccoli are bitter mainly from a specific type of compound: glucosinolates. They are released when cell walls are damaged from cutting or chewing.
Soaking: Think of soaking as the initial step before actually sprouting a legume, grain, nut or seed. Many people soak beans before cooking to cut down on cooking time and reduce compounds that may cause gasiness in our digestive systems (although it's not completely necessary, it's definitely recommended).
However, the natural agents that protect them from early germination can wreak havoc in our digestive system. Soaking and sprouting replicates germination, which activates and multiplies nutrients (particularly Vitamins A, B, and C), neutralizes enzyme inhibitors, and promotes the growth of vital digestive enzymes.
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