Moroccan Apricot Chicken for Crock Pot

Total time (approx.): 45 min + 5-7 hours crock pot cooking time
 Ingredients: 

• 5 Medium carrots, sliced
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1-3 lb chicken, cut up
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c dried apricots
• 1/2 c raisins
• 2 T flour
• 1 can chicken broth (or whatever you usually use)
• 1/4 c tom paste (I used pretty much a whole can)
• 2 T lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 1/2 t ground ginger
• 1 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 2/3 t pepper
• hot cooked couscous

 Why you might want to make this:  This is a tasty crock pot recipe.  You can make it when you have time earlier in the day and dinner will be ready for you in the evening.  And if you use instant couscous, it will really only take you a few minutes to put together into a meal!


I am always interested when the title of a recipe includes the word Moroccan.
I have found that these recipes come in varying levels of authenticity, but are usually fun to try regardless. This recipe is similar to one that I got from my mom's country woman magazine (feb/march 2011).  It's the only crock pot recipe so far that I've made more than once, I think.  It's a nice meal-in-one-dish alternative to soup in the wintertime.  I know you may think the ingredients sound like a strange combination, but trust me on this one - the tender chicken and the apricots and the carrots go so well together!

Ok, so here's how to made it:
First put the carrots and onions in a greased crock pot.

Add chicken and sprinkle with the salt.  Then put in the apricots and raisins.  I chopped my apricots in half, but it also works to leave them whole.  The less you chop them, the more you will notice them in the final product.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.

Pour the sauce over everything in the crock pot.  Put the lid on it, turn it on, and you're good to go!  It will be done when the chicken is cooked and tender.

Make some couscous and enjoy!