Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken and Vegetables

This Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken and Vegetables one-pot meal is an easy way to enjoy savory flavors and spices that are sure to delight your taste buds. Chicken, artichoke hearts, eggplant, zucchini, and chickpeas are joined with couscous for a satisfying meal that is sure to become a family favorite.

If you’re looking for a veggie-packed and highly seasoned meal, this one is it! But even better, it’s practically a dump-and-go meal. Just some quick prep with cutting the veggies is all you need to do before filling your slow cooker with all the ingredients.

The only time you’ll lift the lid is about 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat. You’ll add the couscous to the slow cooker so it can cook and absorb all those amazing flavors. How easy is that?

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s a true one-pot meal – everything happens in the slow cooker.
• It’s a healthy meal full of protein and vegetables.
• It offers a delicious Mediterranean flavor using spices that are easily available.
• It’s a great way to use zucchini and eggplant, which can often be bland on their own.

Ingredients Needed:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – These go in whole with no need to cut them up.

Seasoning and Aromatics – Minced garlic, ground turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.

Chickpeas – I use the canned version, drained and rinsed.

Marinated Artichoke Hearts – I use the jarred version, drained.

Zucchini – Cut in half and sliced into 1-inch pieces.

Eggplant – Cut into quarters and sliced into 1-inch pieces.

Onion – Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Red Bell Pepper – Seeded and diced.

Chicken Broth – I like to use low sodium.

Pearl Couscous – Will be added toward the end of cooking.

Freshly Chopped Italian Parsley – For garnish.

How To Make Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Chicken and Vegetables

STEP 1: Place the chicken breasts into the bottom of a 7-quart slow cooker.

STEP 2: Top the chicken with the garlic, vegetables, and seasonings. Pour the chicken broth over everything.

STEP 3: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.

STEP 4: Remove the chicken and shred it if desired. Stir back into the slow cooker.

STEP 5: Stir in the couscous, recover the slow cooker, and cook on low for 30 minutes or until the couscous is tender.

STEP 6: Stir in the parsley and serve.

What Is Couscous?

Popular in Israeli cuisine, couscous is made with coarse semolina flour, which is made from durum wheat. Interestingly, couscous is closer to pasta than grain.

You’ll see couscous offered in two varieties: a fine-grain texture and a larger, round, pearl-shaped texture.

For this recipe, you’ll need pearl couscous. It has a nuttier flavor and takes a little longer to cook, making it perfect for a slow cooker meal.

Do I Need To Brown The Chicken?

No, you don’t. Just add the raw chicken thighs to the bottom of the slow cooker. The rest of the ingredients go on top. The cooking time is such that the chicken will be completely cooked without the need for browning it.

Do I Need To Shred The Chicken Before Serving?

That’s completely up to you! You can remove it to shred with 2 forks and return it to the slow cooker or just leave them whole. They will easily fall apart when you plate up the meal to serve.

Variations

• You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs.
• Use any type of onion, although red and white are good choices for these Mediterranean flavors.
• Add in black Kalamata olives for a true Mediterranean touch.
• Omit the couscous and serve this over riced cauliflower or white or brown rice (cooked separately and not added to the slow cooker.

What To Serve With This Meal

This meal is so full of ingredients that it can stand on its own. However, I do love to serve bread with it.

My zucchini bread would be fabulous with this meal or my easy 3 ingredient sour cream biscuits. And of course, it’s hard to beat a hearty sourdough bread.

If you’re looking for an additional vegetable, my air fryer roasted Brussels sprouts would be a quick side item to add.

Storage

Store any cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop. You may need to add a splash of broth or water.

I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers. The texture of the couscous will not transfer well when thawed and reheated.

More Easy Slow Cooker Meals

Slow Cooker Cowboy Stew

Slow Cooker Copycat Olive Garden Gnocchi Soup

Slow Cooker Cube Steak

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff