Mediterranean Chicken in Eggplant Sauce

Name: Mediterranean Chicken in Eggplant Sauce
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings.
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons paprika; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1-1/4 cups white wine or chicken broth; 1 small eggplant (1 pound), peeled and cubed; 1 jar (12 ounces) roasted sweet red peppers, drained; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup pitted ripe olives, halved; 1/4 cup minced fresh Italian parsley; 1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese; 8 naan flatbreads, quartered

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 45 min. Cook: 5 hours YIELD: 8 servings.

Spice-coated chicken thighs simmer in a rich red pepper-eggplant sauce. This savory entree is perfect for an everyday meal or potluck. It's an easy slow-cooker dish to prepare in the morning so that dinner is ready at the end of the day.—Judy Armstrong, Prairieville, Louisiana

Ingredients

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/4 cups white wine or chicken broth
1 small eggplant (1 pound), peeled and cubed
1 jar (12 ounces) roasted sweet red peppers, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup pitted ripe olives, halved
1/4 cup minced fresh Italian parsley
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
8 naan flatbreads, quartered

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add chicken; toss to coat. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil in batches. Transfer to a 4-qt. slow cooker.
2. Add wine to the skillet, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Stir in the eggplant, red peppers, onion, jalapeno, tomato paste, brown sugar and garlic. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer to a blender; cover and process until pureed. Pour over chicken.
3. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender, adding olives and parsley during the last 30 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with feta cheese. Serve with naan.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup chicken mixture with 4 pieces naan flatbread: 588 calories, 23 g fat (7g saturated fat), 126 mg cholesterol, 1293 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate (10 g sugars, 4 g fiber), 40 g protein.