This recipe is based on a shrimp recipe I found in Bon Appétit magazine several years ago. I had recently fallen in love with peperoncini peppers, so I did some ingredient swaps and adapted it for my slow cooker. The peperoncini add a little kick, so I use sweet Italian sausage when I make it for my kids. If you’d like to turn it up a notch, try using spicy Italian sausage.
Prep time 25 minutes
Serves 6
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 pound (455 g) bulk Italian sausage (sweet or spicy), casings removed, if necessary
1 to 11/2 pounds (455 to 680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
1/2 cup (68 g) sliced peperoncini peppers, plus 1/2 cup (120 ml) liquid from jar
1/2 cup (57 g) chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
A pinch of cayenne pepper (more if you’d like it spicier)
2 cups (500 ml) Basic Marinara or paleo-friendly marinara
1/2 cup (120 ml) full-fat coconut milk
Cauliflower Rice (shown here and here) or Squash Noodles, for serving
1 Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage to the pan and brown the meat, stirring frequently, breaking it up into small chunks. It doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through.
2 Transfer the sausage to a 4-quart (3.8 liter) slow cooker.
3 Turn the heat up to high and add chicken pieces. Brown the chicken quickly (again, it doesn’t have to be cooked through). Transfer chicken and any juices to the slow cooker.
4 Add the peperoncini slices and liquid, shallots, garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, and marinara to the slow cooker and give everything a quick stir.
5 Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours. Stir in the coconut milk, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes.
6 Serve over desired side dish.
