Friday Food Finds: Healthy ‘Cookie Dough’ Bites, Ruby Chocolate, Chicken & Waffles Popcorn, and More!

I’ll take a moment to give myself two pats on the back for bringing in a highly successful line-up of Friday Food Find options for this week’s Chub Chub Chowdown segment on the Taylor Strecker Show. We enjoyed nearly everything, which can be a rarity in a world where new products and flavor iterations are constant and opinions are strong. Check out our thoughts below and sound off on the ones you’re most excited to try.

Trolli Sour Brite Mystery Nite Crawlers

We live in a world where some people are unable to tolerate sour candy (crazy, I know), but these mystery-flavor gummies from Trolli offer a less pucker-inducing, soft and sweet experience that is equal parts delicious and entertaining. Think you can guess the flavors? The only two we could come up with were peach and pear, but that’s because we were pressed for time. Give us 10 extra minutes with these bad boys and we’ll also be able to tell you their ingredient list, down to where the sugar is sourced. Impressive or embarrassing? We’re not here for your opinions. Just get ’em and enjoy ’em.

The Popcorn Factory Popcorn (Chicken & Waffles)

For those with an aversion to meat-flavored anything, these may be initially off-putting. In fact, the first bite resembles the taste of Top Ramen’s powdered seasoning packets. But the more you eat, the more you can’t stop, which means we need these in our lives as a permanent snack option. Also, while we expected the flavor to be a bit sweeter (with strong maple syrup vibes), the sweetness hits randomly, which was a much appreciated departure from other popcorn varieties that drown in sugar. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up.

Daily Harvest Bites (Cacao + Chickpea Cookie Dough)

We were really blown away by these. Borderline obsessed, even. Edible cookie dough is all the rage, so to take something naturally decadent and make it healthy is truly mind-blowing. We genuinely have no complaints here. Our only recommendation is to let these sit a bit so that the texture isn’t hard from being frozen. Other than that, they’re damn-near perfect and we can’t wait to buy them in bulk.

Brownwood Farms Famous Kream Mustard

I am a self-proclaimed sauce connoisseur and this is probably my favorite sauce I’ve tried all year. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and spicy with an almost caramel-like texture that clings to nearly anything you want to dip into it. I can’t wait to pile this on chicken fingers and french fries for a weekend indulgence to celebrate the end of bathing suit weather and the start of hibernation season. Don’t act like you’re not planning to do the same.

Bahlsen Ruby Choco Leibniz Biscuits

These biscuits weren’t out-of-this-world amazing, but would make a perfectly delightful (and fabulously pink!) treat with tea. We also love the use of ruby chocolate, which boasts a natural berry taste sans anything artificial. Looking to eat for a good cause? The limited edition snacks will also donate a portion of their sales to breast cancer awareness initiatives. And that’s something we can always get behind.

MustKetch (Original)

Conceptually, the idea is cute and the packaging is colorful and fun, but we couldn’t really figure out how this elevates your standard ketchup and mustard combo. Some spices gave it some added tang, but nothing really made it different than what we’d expect to taste on a hot dog or hamburger. That being said, they’ve also introduced Smoke and Zesty varieties that should kick things up a notch. Apparently Zesty tastes identical to a Chicago-style hot dog, which we’re entirely here for!

Reeds Ginger Beer Infused with Hemp Extract

CBD has a polarizing taste, but it pairs surprisingly well with ginger. In this case, Reeds’ potent ginger beer makes for a satisfying option that would obviously be great with vodka. Yes, we know that kind of defeats the purpose of being healthy, but two mood relaxers are always better than one. Give this one a shot (literally…with vodka) if you don’t shy away from bold beverage flavors.

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Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo two ways: with cream and nutmeg, or with butter and Parmesan! Try it both ways and decide which one you like the best!

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These Are the Best Slow Cookers for Every Personality and Situation

Yes, an Instant Pot Is Worth Getting

12 Appetizers You Won’t Believe Came Out of the Crock-Pot

Pasta With Burst Cherry Tomatoes and XO Sauce

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9 Easy Slow Cooker Pasta Sauces to Last You All Week

10 Great Slow Cooker Jams, Preserves, and Condiments

These Crock-Pot jelly, jam, preserve, and condiment recipes are great for making summer produce last awhile longer (and for giving as gifts in a few months, for that matter).

The Crock-Pot just might be the perfect appliance for making ketchup, jam, fruit butter, and other cooked-down things. These are all things best left to transform on their own, in the presence of steady, pervasive heat. The other great thing about slow cooking in summer is you can set it, and flee the stuffiness of the kitchen. Here are 10 recipes that’ll be humming away in our kitchen for the rest of the season (including fruit preserves that aim to let us revisit it even in fall).

1. Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter

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In this old-fashioned fruit butter recipe, a puree of fresh blueberries cooks down for at least 4 hours in the Crock-Pot. Sugar, lemon, cinnamon, and nutmeg join the berries in the last hour of cooking. Get our Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter recipe.

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2. Slow Cooker Honey BBQ Sauce

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Combine ketchup, honey, brown sugar, vinegar, soy and Worcestershire sauces and a few aromatics, cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, and you’ve got the perfect thing to slather onto ribs. Get Top Ate on Your Plate’s Slow Cooker Honey BBQ Sauce recipe.

3. Slow Cooker Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

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Four ingredients—fresh rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and cinnamon—and 6 or 7 hours of unsupervised simmering in the slow cooker are all you need. Get The Cottage Mama’s Slow Cooker Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam recipe.

4. Slow Cooker Bacon Compote

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Spoon some onto pizza along with jalapeños and red onions or try it as a meaty nacho topping, even toast a bagel and top with cream cheese and bacon compote—it’s fantastic, any way you eat it. Get our Slow Cooker Bacon Compote recipe.

5. Slow Cooker Peach Jam

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“If you’ve never made homemade jam before,” writes Kelly on New Leaf Wellness, “then this is the recipe for you. Super quick and easy to prep.” And the perfect way to hold onto perfect summer peaches. Get Kelly’s Slow Cooker Peach Jam recipe.

6. Paleo Slow Cooker Ketchup

Medjool dates give this ketchup sweetness without refined sugar (which is what makes it paleo), and long, slow cooking gives the spices a chance to fully to give up their flavors (which is what makes it delicious). Get Plated With Style’s Paleo Slow Cooker Ketchup recipe.

7. Slow Cooker Spicy Relish

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This serrano-heavy relish works on a whole range of casual foods besides franks—nachos, burgers, tacos, you name it. Since this recipe makes a lot, you’ll be able to extend your condiment adventure into next season. Get our Slow Cooker Spicy Relish recipe.

8. Slow Cooker Apple Butter

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Let peeled, cored, and chunked apples cook away, then purée with an immersion blender, add sugar and flavorings (from cinnamon to five spice powder), and cook a little longer until rich and caramelized. Super easy. Get our Slow Cooker Apple Butter recipe.

Related Reading: What to Do with Apple Butter (Besides Slather It on Toast)

9. Slow Cooker Blueberry and Ginger Jam

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Toss fresh blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and ground ginger into the Crock-Pot, then switch it on. The especially good thing about this recipe: It shouldn’t take longer than 3 hours. Get BakingQueen74’s Slow Cooker Blueberry and Ginger Jam recipe.

10. Slow Cooker Strawberry Basil Jam

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Strawberry jam gets a sophisticated little boost from fresh basil, still abundant in gardens this time of year. The little bit of earthiness makes it especially perfect as a switch-hitter in both sweet and savory dishes—for some specific ideas, see what we like to do with Trader Joe’s Peach Bellini Jam; they pretty much all work for this one too, or any other jam or jelly you prefer. Get Life as a Strawberry’s Crock-Pot Strawberry Basil Jam recipe.

Related video: How to Hack Your Slow Cooker

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International Cold Soups to Enjoy Before Cooler Fall Temperatures

21 Easy, Cozy Soups & Stews You’d Never Guess Came Out of the Slow Cooker

These 21 easy slow cooker soups and stews make cooking with a plug-in appliance taste super sophisticated—which is a good thing, because when spoon weather rolls around (and then sticks around for a long time), we have to satisfy the craving again and again. Our favorite easy Crock-Pot soup and stew recipes range from classic to deliciously non-traditional.

Cracking a can of tomato soup is great and all, especially when paired with a perfect grilled cheese sandwich, but even that gets old after a while. Enter: the Crock-Pot. It’s convenient for sure, but just because you toss a bunch of ingredients together, press “cook,” and head to work doesn’t mean you’ll have a meal to be proud of at the end of the day. A little finesse is still a good idea, and so we present these fantastic and easy slow cooker soups to get you through early fall all the way through the last stretch of winter.

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They’re great one-pot, make-ahead meals that are even better the next day…and the next…and the next, if you still have some left over. So this idea works equally well for weeknight dinners, when you have a time crunch, and on weekends, when all you want to do is hibernate and scroll through Netflix or watch “Harry Potter” again. We understand. We recommend you get cooking—or rather, let your Crock-Pot do most of the cooking for you.

1. Chinese Brisket and Turnip Stew

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This classic Chinese dish flavors beef brisket with ginger, star anise, garlic, and chu hou, a paste made of soybeans. You can use steamed rice or rice noodles along with a good broth, which is best if you have your own, but it will still be good if you get store-bought broth. With this stew comes the low-and-slow beauty of making tough meat tender in a slow cooker. Get our Chinese Brisket and Turnip Stew recipe.

2. Ethiopian-Spiced Chicken Stew

This staple in Ethiopian cooking is a heady mix that usually includes garlic, fenugreek, allspice, red pepper, ginger, chiles, coriander, cinnamon, and black pepper. If you can’t find it, use a mixture of 4 tablespoons garam masala, 1 tablespoon hot paprika, 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek and 1 teaspoon salt in this recipe. Get the Ethiopian-Spiced Chicken Stew recipe.

3. Slow Cooker Root Vegetable Stew

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This stew is wonderful for so many reasons. Let’s count the ways. One, it utilizes the root vegetables available locally in the winter season (well, for those in the Northern hemisphere).  Two, the spices—saffron, cayenne, ginger, cinnamon—are so pungent, they make parsnips and potatoes exciting. And three, those spices are medicine for your immune system, a great thing during cold and flu season. Get our Slow Cooker Root Vegetable Stew recipe.

4. Sweet Potato, Chicken, & Quinoa Soup

Chelsea has it going on with this healthy, rich, filling, sweet, spicy, and savory soup. Plus, you’ll be a part of the ancient grain game, by using quinoa, a nice change from rice or pasta. Get the Sweet Potato, Chicken, & Quinoa Soup recipe.

5. Moroccan Lentil Soup

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Leave out the chicken, and you still have a hearty, protein-filled soup spiced with curry, Sriracha, and cinnamon. With this soup, you really can toss it in a pot and leave it to cook for eight to 10 hours while you work. Get the Moroccan Lentil Soup recipe.

6. Slow Cooker Beef Stew

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The dry red wine, Dijon mustard, and cremini mushrooms deepen the earthy, savory essence of this class wintertime stew. Get our Slow Cooker Beef Stew recipe.

7. Indian Cauliflower and Potato Soup (Aloo Gobi)

Creamy and smooth, this Aloo Gobi recipe even re-purposes your leftover mashed potatoes. It’s a soup after our own hearts (located in the belly, of course). Get the Indian Cauliflower and Potato Soup (Aloo Gobi) recipe.

8. Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup

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What could be easier? You load diced butternut squash, a bell pepper, sliced carrots, and an onion in the Crock Pot, add vegetable broth, maple syrup, and a pinch of cumin, and let it simmer away for four hours. Purée it with an immersion bender (or tip it in the blender), and you’re left with something smooth, rich, and long-simmered, perfect for sprinkling with our Spicy Oven-Roasted Chickpeas. Get our Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup recipe.

9. Pork Ramen

Eva Kolenko

“Here is a simplified, yet still delicious, [ramen] that boasts plenty of succulent braised pork,” writes cookbook author Kim Laidlaw. “Serve the soup with your favorite ramen embellishments. I like to top my bowl with a soft-boiled egg and some baby spinach.” Get Kim Laidlaw’s Slow Cooker Pork Ramen recipe.

10. Chicken Soup

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Throw a whole chicken in the Crock Pot with a few aromatic herbs and veggies. Let it simmer away until the chicken falls apart in a rich, concentrated broth. Shred the meat and add it back to the slow cooker, then stir in cooked egg noodles, or steamed white or wild rice. Done. Get our Slow Cooker Chicken Soup recipe.

11. Split Pea Soup

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When split peas break down into a thick, creamy soup, it’s pretty much the best thing about cooking, a patient transformation of raw ingredients. Use a slow cooker, and the transformation is slower and arguably more dramatic. Here. Green split peas cook with carrot, celery, onion, and a smoked ham bone to yield an epically comforting soup. Get our Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup recipe.

12. Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Congee recipe

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Congee (rice porridge) is a Chinese breakfast favorite. Here, thanks to pulled chicken and kernels of sweet corn, it becomes a complete meal. Top it with chopped scallions, Sriracha, and a drizzle of sesame oil for pizazz. Get the Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Congee recipe.

13. Crab and Corn Chowder

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With this Crock Pot version of crab and corn chowder, you can re-create sunnier days at the shore with little more than your slow cooker insert. To beef it up, go crazy with more mix-ins, like diced potatoes, red bell pepper, and even bacon. Get the Crab and Corn Chowder recipe.

14. Shio Ramen with Chili Oil

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Enjoy ramen the not-so-instant way by simmering up a batch of slow-cooked shio broth. Not only will you wind up with a full-bodied broth, you’ll have found a way to make the most of your leftover chicken bones. And don’t skip the chili oil. Get the Shio Ramen with Chili Oil recipe.

15. Sopa de Ajo

Sopa de ajo, or garlic soup, is a peasant-style potage that hails from Spain’s Castile-León region. Its intoxicating aroma is sure to warm your kitchen and ward off all signs of cold or flu. We recommend throwing pieces of stale bread in the slow cooker for extra oomph. Get the Sopa de Ajo recipe.

16. Beef Pho

Yes, good Vietnamese noodle soup can be coaxed out of a slow cooker. Don’t skip toasting the spices and browning the aromatics—they’re essential to the synthesis of a complex beef broth, and you’ll be enjoying rice noodles in a delicate beef broth for days to come. Get the Beef Pho recipe.

17. Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

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Use this versatile recipe to make chicken and sausage gumbo with okra and tomatoes from the farmers’ market in season, or canned tomatoes and frozen okra when the weather turns cold. If it’s Mardi Gras, all the better! (Try our Slow Cooker Shrimp Gumbo recipe too.) Get the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo recipe.

18. Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup

Have the foresight to prep tom kha gai, or Thai chicken and coconut soup, and you won’t have to worry about what restaurant to call for takeout. Get the Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup recipe.

19. Crock Pot Taco Soup

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A brief saute of onions and ground beef and then everything goes into the slow cooker for a Tex Mex taco soup that mostly makes itself. Top it with corn chips, sour cream, cheese, and jalapeños. Get our Crock Pot Taco Soup recipe.

20. Birria

The Spanish word birria means rubbish, but this Jalisco-style stew is anything but, thanks to the addition of guajillo chiles, cumin, and Mexican oregano. The recipe calls for lamb but would work just as well with beef or, if you can get your hands on one, goat. Get the Birria recipe.

21. Slow Cooker Matzo Ball Soup

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Don’t tell your bubbie that your new go-to soup tastes just as good as hers yet requires a fraction of the effort. Who knew? Get the Slow Cooker Matzo Ball Soup recipe.

Looking for more slow cooker saviors? Check out these easy Crock-Pot pasta recipes, see how to make apple butter in your slow cooker, and get Crock-Pot drink recipes to keep you warm and cozy.

Related Video: Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo

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12 Budget-Friendly Slow Cooker Meals to Serve a Crowd

If you’re trying to throw a dinner party without stressing yourself out, a slow cooker may become your new best friend. These easy Crock-Pot dinner party recipes are all worthy of company and feed a crowd without costing a lot, in effort or money.

If you just make a few key decisions ahead of time, you can have a meal ready to go as soon as you walk in the door—or as soon as your guests arrive (while you can spend the time you’re not actively cooking sprucing up the place or putting together an easy dessert).

Check out these 12 budget friendly slow cooker meals that are perfect for a dinner party and you’ll be able to entertain throughout the season without ever breaking a sweat—or the bank. If you have more than one Crock-Pot (it happens), you can use the spare to make a Crock-Pot chocolate cake for dessert, or warm up Crock-Pot drinks to ward off the chill once fall arrives.

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1. Slow Cooker Root Vegetable Stew

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This is a delicious fall soup that’s easy to make vegetarian if you need to by substituting the chicken broth with vegetable or mushroom stock. Cumin, cayenne, saffron, and black pepper add a kick. Get our Slow Cooker Root Vegetable Stew recipe.

2. Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

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This soup stretches one chicken breast to feed six people but doesn’t feel stingy at all, thanks to the ton of other delicious but thrifty additions (like fire roasted tomatoes from a can, diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, and frozen corn kernels). Bake your own tortilla strips and set out additional toppings of diced avocado, shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream, limes, and fresh or pickled jalapeños and you have a feast. Get the Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe.

3. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

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Cinnamon, dark brown sugar, chili powder, and cumin combine for a deliciously sweet-smoky flavor and the pork shreds apart like a dream. Serve in pulled pork sandwiches, enchiladas, rice bowls, or whatever else you like. Get our Crock-Pot Pulled Pork recipe.

4. Slow Cooker Burmese Chicken and Noodles

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Topped with hard boiled egg slices and diced green onion, our recipe for Burmese Chicken made in a slow cooker is enhanced with coconut milk, paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper, fresh ginger, and garlic. Get our Slow Cooker Burmese Chicken and Noodles recipe.

5. Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

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This slow cooker soup is great for serving a crowd, or storing a few portions in the freezer for a last-minute meal. You can use whatever type of pasta you want and substitute any kind of beans that you have on hand. Get the Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup recipe.

6. Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket

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Barbecue beef brisket is worth the wait (not to mention you’ll have sandwiches for days). The barbecue sauce is made with ketchup, dark brown sugar, chipotle peppers, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and cumin and is absolutely fantastic. Get our Crock-Pot BBQ Beef Brisket recipe.

Related Reading: What to Do with Leftover Brisket

7. Easy Slow Cooker Chili

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The flavor of this chili develops slowly as it cooks—you can make this recipe overnight and it only gets better the longer you let the flavors meld. Make this in advance for a dinner party and serve with cornbread or even Cincinnati-style, over pasta. Get our Easy Crock-Pot Chili recipe.

8. Slow Cooker Beef Goulash

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Rich beef short ribs with sweet paprika, caraway, and coriander with tender chunks of carrots and onion…this dish smells almost as good as it tastes. Serve over egg noodles with sour cream on the side for a homey yet captivating party centerpiece. Get our Crock-Pot Beef Goulash recipe.

9. Slow Cooker Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole

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Using the slow cooker to make breakfast? A perfect plan. This easy, cheesy casserole is studded with sage-spiced breakfast sausage and is the perfect make-ahead brunch dish. Drizzle with maple syrup if you like the sweet-salty-savory combo. Get our Crock-Pot Breakfast Casserole recipe.

10. The Best Slow Cooker Baked Beans

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Bacon makes these beans better than the rest (though if need to make them vegetarian or vegan, just leave it out and a few drops of liquid smoke instead). With ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, cloves, and pepper, these are complex and creamy and perfect for serving with anything grilled. Get our Crock-Pot Baked Beans recipe.

11. Slow Cooker Honey-Ginger Pork

Eva Kolenko

This Asian-inspired pork is super tender after hours in the slow cooker and packed with flavor thanks to ginger, garlic, honey, soy sauce, and mirin. Stirring in some kale an hour before it’s finished means the vegetable is taken care of too, and this is a complete meal with rice or noodles (or cauliflower rice if you’re cutting carbs). Serve with Sriracha or chili oil for those who like extra spice. Get the Crock-Pot Honey-Ginger Pork recipe.

12. Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Olives and Fennel

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Fresh fennel, orange juice and zest, whole-grain mustard, and niçoise olives give humble chicken thighs a fancy French flair and make them taste delicious. Serve with egg noodles or rice pilaf for an affordable but showstopping party centerpiece. Get our Crock-Pot Provencal Chicken Thighs recipe.

Related Video: Slow Cooker Root Vegetable Stew

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