i uncovered this recipe last winter in a Cooking Light slow cooker cookbook. when i saw cumin and cinnamon in the ingredient list, it immediately went on the weeknight meal list. i wasn’t disappointed! serve with mashed potatoes or couscous.
Prep Time: 10 min | Cooking Time: 5 hours | Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 cup thinly sliced onion
- 1 cup ruby port or other sweet red wine
- 3/4 cup dried cherries
- 3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 1 (3″) cinnamon stick
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 3 1/2 lbs turkey thighs, skinned
- 1 tbspn cumin
Directions
Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large slow cooker then stir in 1/2 tsp of salt.
Rinse the turkey thighs with cold water and pat dry. Sprinkle thighs with remaining 1 tsp of salt. Place thighs in the slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, reduce the heat to low and cook an additional 4 hours. Discard the cinnamon stick and serve over a hearty side such as mashed potatoes or couscous.
Variation
For extra flavor, brown the turkey before placing it in the crockpot: heat some oil in a pan on the stove over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the turkey and brown on all sides (the goal is to sear, not cook through). Add the turkey to the crock pot as in the directions above.
You can also substitute skinless chicken thighs.