Vinny is a friend from back in the day. We used to ride our bikes around the neighborhood with him until the sun disappeared from the sky. To this day, he is still the sweetest human being we know, whose passion for good food is unmatched. We don’t get to talk to him as much as we’d like to, but when we think of him, we always make Vinny’s Tuscan Chicken. It’s so savory, juicy, and filled with all those herby, delicious Italian flavors. It takes a little bit of time, but the good thing is the slow cooker does all the hard work. We like to use that waiting time to call him and catch up and reminisce about the good times. And of course, whenever we do pick up the phone, we always tell him that we’re making Vinny’s Tuscan Chicken, and that makes him so happy. Aren’t old friends just the best? Invite yours over and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2.2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup onion, sliced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, optional
- 2 tablespoons water, optional
Directions
Step 1 –Coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray or insert a plastic liner.
Step 2 –Place the chicken thighs into the bottom of the prepared slow cooker.
Step 3 –Sprinkle the chicken thighs with the Italian seasoning, the red pepper flakes, the salt, and the black pepper.
Step 4 –Evenly layer the sun-dried tomatoes and the olives over the top of the seasoned chicken thighs.
Step 5 –Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
Step 6 –Add the onion to the olive oil and cook until they become tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 7 –Add the garlic to the onion and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 8 –Transfer the onion mixture into the slow cooker with a slotted spoon and evenly spread it over the sun-dried tomatoes.
Step 9 –Add the heavy cream to the same skillet and stir until all the olive oil is incorporated and the sauce begins to bubble.
Step 10 –Evenly pour the cream sauce over the onions in the slow cooker.
Step 11 –Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook the chicken thighs until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, on high heat for 3-4 hours or on low heat for 6-7 hours.
Step 12 –Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving platter.
Step 13 –If the sauce is too thin, pour it into a small saucepan over medium heat.
Step 14 –In a small bowl, add the cornstarch and the water and stir until all of the lumps are gone.
Step 15 –Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and is bubbly, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 16 –Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
Step 17 –Serve warm.
