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Slow Cooker Dijon-Thyme Chicken Legs are simple to make and sure to please the whole family.

Prep: 25 minsCook: 5 hoursTotal: 5 hours, 25 mins
Servings: Serves 4-5 1x

Ingredients

  • 810 skin-on chicken drumsticks (about 2 lbs. depending on their size)
  • 1 Tbsp. ghee (or avocado oil for dairy-free), divided
  • 3 Tbsp. Tessemae’s Dijon Mustard
  • 3/4 cup bone broth (homemade or store-bought)
  • 23 dates, pitted and finely chopped (may substitute 1 Tbsp. honey if not Whole30)
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1½ tsp. dried thyme
  • ½ tsp. paprika (smoked or sweet)
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Optional: Arrowroot starch (for Whole30) or corn starch for thickening the gravy

Instructions

Slow Cooker Directions:

  1. In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high, add 1/2 Tbsp. ghee or avocado oil. When the oil is hot, add chicken legs and cook 3-4 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Remove chicken and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Repeat with remaining chicken.
  2. To make the sauce, add Dijon mustard through black pepper (i.e. Dijon mustard, broth, dates, cumin, thyme, paprika, salt & black pepper) in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Alternatively, you can blend the sauce in a blender.
  3. Pour sauce over chicken in the slow cooker and toss chicken to coat each piece with sauce. Place lid on slow cooker and set to LOW heat. Cook 5 hours or until chicken is cooked through.
  4. Remove chicken to a plate to keep warm. Carefully pour the sauce into a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
  5. Bring sauce to a boil and reduce heat slightly to produce an aggressive simmer/low boil for 5-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. You may further thicken the sauce with a bit of arrowroot starch mixed with cold water if desired (how much you need will depend on how much liquid you have).
  7. Serve chicken with sauce.

Instant Pot Directions:

  1. Select ‘Saute’ on the Instant Pot. When it’s hot, add 1/2 Tbsp. ghee or avocado oil. When the oil is hot, add chicken legs and cook 3-4 minutes on each side until lightly browned, cooking in batches if needed (remove the browned chicken to a plate and continue with remaining chicken until all of the legs are browned).
  2. To make the sauce, add Dijon mustard through black pepper (i.e. Dijon mustard, broth, dates, cumin, thyme, paprika, salt & black pepper) in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Alternatively, you can blend the sauce in a blender.
  3. Pour sauce over chicken in the Instant Pot and toss the chicken to coat each piece with sauce. Lock lid into place and cook at high pressure for 12 minutes allowing 10 minutes of natural pressure release before releasing any residual pressure.
  4. Remove the chicken to a plate to keep warm and set Instant Pot to ‘saute’.
  5. Allow the sauce to aggressively simmer for 5-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. You may further thicken the sauce with a bit of arrowroot starch mixed with cold water if desired (how much you need will depend on how much liquid you have).
  7. Serve chicken with sauce.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size: 2 legs + 3 Tbsp. sauce
  • Calories: 304
  • Fat: 14g
  • Sodium: 375mg
  • Carbohydrate: 8g
  • (Fiber: 1g
  • Sugar: 6g)
  • Protein: 30g

Dietary

© The Real Food Dietitians
Recipe By: Jessica Beacom