Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken Vindaloo

Slow Cooker Chicken Vindaloo Recipe (Serves six to eight people)

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs (about 1 kg) boneless chicken pieces (thighs or breast), cut into chunks

• 2 large onions, finely sliced

• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1-inch piece of ginger, grated

• 3-4 dried red chili peppers, soaked in warm water and deseeded

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/4 cup vinegar (apple cider or white vinegar)

• 1/4 cup tomato paste

• 1 cup chicken broth

• Salt to taste

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

• Cooked basmati rice, for serving

• Naan or roti, for serving

Instructions:

• Begin by making the vindaloo paste. In a blender or food processor, combine the soaked and deseeded dried red chili peppers, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, cinnamon powder, ground cloves, ground cardamom, black pepper, grated ginger, minced garlic, and vinegar. Blend until you have a smooth paste. You can adjust the amount of chili peppers based on your spice preference.

• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely sliced onions and sauté until they turn translucent and start to brown around the edges.

• Add the vindaloo paste to the skillet and sauté for a couple of minutes until the mixture is fragrant.

• Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.

• Transfer the onion and spice mixture to the slow cooker.

• Place the chicken chunks on top of the onion-spice mixture in the slow cooker.

• Pour in the chicken broth and add salt to taste. Gently mix everything together.

• Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or until the chicken is tender and fully cooked. If you're short on time, you can cook it on high heat for 3-4 hours.

• Once the chicken is cooked, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

• Serve the slow cooker vindaloo over cooked basmati rice, garnished with freshly chopped cilantro. Accompany with naan or roti on the side.

• Enjoy your delicious Indian-inspired slow cooker vindaloo with friends and family!

Note: Vindaloo tastes even better when prepared a day in advance as it allows the flavors to develop further. This dish tends to be on the spicier side, but you can adjust the amount of chili peppers to suit your taste preferences.