My work schedule can vary quite a bit. Some days, I may be at work by 7am…other days not until close to 9am. And I may leave any time between 4pm and 8pm. But on average, I leave the house by 8 and get home between 5:30 and 6pm.
Seeing as my work is 35 minutes from home, stopping by the house in the middle of the day is a non-option. Mr. Prevention, however…he has that luxury. Sometimes, he’ll even stop home and sneak in his workout at lunchtime. I’m jealous not only because he has that flexibility (lunch is my busiest time most days), but also that he can get home, workout, shower, and get back to work in just over an hour. I wish.
As I’ve transitioned to several morning workouts a week, it has freed up some time in the evenings. Let me just say…I love it. Now that I’m a solid 2 months in to my morning workout regimen, it is habit and it is a habit worth keeping. It was strangely rewarding to see the full-moon still well into the sky as I was returning home from the gym Friday morning.
Gaining that extra hour in the evenings is huge. So huge that if I can have dinner in the crock pot and ready to go, my evening is twice as long. Literally.
Last weekend, as I was putting together out weekly menu, I jokingly asked Mr. Prevention if he could come home one day at lunch and put on the crock pot as this recipe was not suggested to cook for an entire 9-10 hours. When he agreed without question, complaint, or grumble, I was…excited!
I threw this meal in the crock pot on Monday night and stored it in the fridge until Mr. Prevention turned on the crock pot around noon on Tuesday. By the time I got home, all I had to do was make some instant brown rice and thicken the sauce. We were having dinner by 6:30 and that is a beautiful, beautiful thing. It was all the sweeter when this meal received RAVE reviews from the peanut gallery 😉
- 2½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ⅓ cup honey
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ onion, diced
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 5 scallions, sliced, for garnish
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, olive oil, garlic, onion, and crushed red pepper flakes; pour over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- After cooking, carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer the liquid to a small sauce pan and place over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering liquid and whisk well. Heat 4-6 minutes or until thickened.
- Using 2 forks, shred the chicken on a large cutting board; return the chicken to the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the chicken and gently combine to distribute sauce. Serve the chicken topped with sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
Weekly Menu: October 20th – 24th
- Sunday: Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili
- Monday: (my last!) cookbook recipe 🙂
- Tuesday: Whole Wheat Penne with Vodka Sauce (pardon the horrible photo!)
- Wednesday: Chicken Noodle Soup
- Thursday: not sure…teaching a cooking class at night
Another lazy, productive day 🙂 Love it.
Be well,
My favorite! Love looking at your weekly menu 🙂 QUESTION: Any way you can put an index in your next cookbook? Just think that would make it easier to find things 🙂
I’m addicted to my morning workouts! Glad you’ve discovered the greatness.
This recipe sounds awesome. Maybe a slow cooker recipe book is in your future??!!
This reminds me that I need to use my crockpot more often. I’m always starving when I get home after a long day! Love this idea.
This looks awesome and totally something my husband would love! I don’t have a slow cooker (yet), but would imagine I can make it without one too. Thanks for the inspiration!
…wishing I were addicted to morning workouts :/
This recipe looks and sounds amazing!