Chicken Thighs in Tomato Ginger Sauce

This Indian-inspired chicken dish is quick to put together, savory and oh so comforting.  Assemble the night before and cook it in the crock pot all day on low and you have a meal sure to please the Indian food lovers in your family.  Serve with basmati rice or naan.

Chicken Thighs in Tomato Ginger Sauce (adapted from Cooking Light, February/March 2013)

8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin off
Salt and pepper
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. ground ginger
1 t. garam masala (See note)
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
2 (15 oz) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

Place the chicken thighs in a slow cooker in a single layer (as much as possible) and season with salt and pepper.  Layer onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cinnamon, red pepper flakes and tomatoes on top and season with salt and pepper.  Turn crock pot to low and cook 6-8 hours or cook 4-6 hours on high.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro just before serving.

Note:  Garam masala is a spice blend used in North Indian cooking.  It is usually a blend of black and white peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, black and white cumin seeds and black, brown and green cardamom pods.  It is delicious and, while there really is no substitute, you <could> use curry powder in it's place, however, the flavor will not be exactly the same.  

To prep ahead just assemble the night before and cook at the desired temperature the next day.

4 servings (285 calories each serving, excluding rice or naan) according to my calculator on loseit.com