Chicken Go-To-Bed

A few years ago, I tried a recipe for my family called "Chicken Marengo".  As the story goes, it was named that because Napoleon insisted on this meal immediately following the battle at Marengo.  I don't know if that's true or not, I'll leave that to the historians.  But the name "Chicken Napoleon" stuck in my mind, and I could never find the recipe again.  But it was soooooooooooooooooooooooooo tasty, one of my daughter's personal favorites, and I was sorry to not have that recipe.

Recently I was sniffing around for new crockpot recipes and I came across a recipe for Chicken Marengo.  The light bulb went on in my head, and I was thrilled to see a crockpot version of something that formerly took half the evening to prepare (who needs that after a long day at the office!!!).

Last night, I ventured out to the freezer to take out the chicken for tonight's dinner.  I tried to remember the names "Napoleon" and "Marengo" but I was so exhausted that all I kept stammering was chicken....chicken...chicken...and finally blurted out "Chicken Go-To-Bed".  A star is born!

It wasn't quite the same, but was every bit as scrumptious as the more labor intensive recipe.  I'll still make traditional Chicken Marengo when time permits, but for now and ever more, this will be known as Chicken Go-To-Bed.  Click below for the details!

• As much boneless, skinless chicken as you need to feed your mob.  I like chicken thighs, the dark meat keeps this recipe moist and flavorful.  But you could use breasts as well if you prefer.
• Salt and pepper and flour for dredging.  You could use any flour, we used sorghum flour today.
• Equal amounts of butter and olive oil (for sauteeing)
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• a few large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Tomatoes - one medium can, cut up.  We used fresh tomatoes today, since they are so abundant right now. 
• Mushrooms - a few cups fresh sliced mushrooms, or a few cans, or dry - we used dried mushrooms
• Basil & Thyme - a teaspoon or so of each, dried

So cut up that nice chicken, dredge it in the flour and salt and pepper, and sautee it until it's nice and brown.  Put the chicken in the crock pot.

Now throw the onion and garlic into that pan and toss it around till it starts to get soft, just a few minutes.  Now throw everything else into that skillet with the onions and garlic, and stir it up and make sure you get that crispy goodness off the bottom. 

Now pour that mixture over the chicken in the crockpot, stir it up and go to work.

When you come home, just cook some rice and dinner is ready.  And it's really, really, really good!!!  Enjoy!