Slow cooker

Freezer friendlyGreat for batch cookingRecommended for a 3.5 litre slow cooker

Slow cooker Chicken Family dinner Pasta Freezer friendly Batch cooking Midweek meals

Slow Cooker Chicken Thigh, Carrot and Thyme Ragu

Name: Slow Cooker Chicken Thigh, Carrot and Thyme Ragu
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 320 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced; 2 sticks celery, finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons tomato purée; 400 g tin chopped tomatoes; 500 ml chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube; 2 teaspoons dried thyme; 1 bay leaf; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; ½ teaspoon fine salt, plus extra if needed; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 15 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 300 g dried pasta, to serve; 30 g finely grated Parmesan or mature Cheddar, optional, to serve

Tender chicken thighs are slowly cooked in a rich tomato sauce with carrots, onion and thyme, then shredded into a family-friendly ragu. Serve with pasta, jacket potatoes or crusty bread for an easy midweek dinner.

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Slow cooker

Tags: Slow cooker, Chicken, Family dinner, Pasta, Freezer friendly, Batch cooking, Midweek meals

Slow Cooker Chicken Thigh, Carrot and Thyme Ragu

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 5 hrs
Total: 5 hr 20 min
Servings: 4

Equipment

Slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5-litre slow cooker
Large frying pan, optional
Large saucepan
Two forks
Shallow container for cooling leftovers

Ingredients

700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato purée
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
500 ml chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon fine salt, plus extra if needed
¼ teaspoon black pepper
15 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
300 g dried pasta, to serve
30 g finely grated Parmesan or mature Cheddar, optional, to serve

Substitutions

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs → Chicken breast fillets (Use the same weight, but check earlier as breast meat can dry out if overcooked.)
Celery → 1 small courgette, finely diced (Add the courgette with the other vegetables.)
Dried pasta → Jacket potatoes or crusty bread (Choose a gluten-free accompaniment if needed.)
Parmesan or mature Cheddar → Leave it out (The ragu remains flavourful without a cheese topping.)

Instructions

Pat the chicken thighs dry and trim away any excess fat. If you have time, heat the olive oil in a frying pan and brown the chicken for 2–3 minutes on each side; this is optional but adds extra flavour.
Put the onion, carrots, celery and garlic into the slow cooker. Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, dried thyme, bay leaf, paprika and Worcestershire sauce.
Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce and season with the salt and black pepper. Cover with the lid.
Cook on low for 5 hours, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Do not put frozen chicken into the slow cooker; thaw it fully in the fridge first.
Remove the chicken to a plate and discard the bay leaf. Shred the chicken with two forks, then return it to the sauce. Stir through the parsley and taste for seasoning.
Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling water according to the packet instructions. Drain, toss with the chicken ragu and serve with the grated Parmesan or Cheddar, if using.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes

Suitable for batch cooking

Cool the ragu promptly in a shallow container and refrigerate within two hours. Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store cooked pasta separately where possible, as it can soften in the sauce. Defrost: Defrost the frozen ragu in a covered container in the fridge overnight. Use within 24 hours of complete defrosting, then reheat until piping hot throughout.

Reheat the ragu in a saucepan over a medium heat or in the microwave, stirring several times, until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. Reheat only once.

Use leftover ragu in jacket potatoes, spoon it over mashed potato, or layer it with pasta and cheese for a quick oven bake.

Allergen information

The stock cube, Worcestershire sauce and cheese may contain allergens; check labels. Pasta contains gluten unless a gluten-free variety is used. Celery is present in the recipe and may also be present in stock.

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

Instructions

Pat the chicken thighs dry and trim away any excess fat. If you have time, heat the olive oil in a frying pan and brown the chicken for 2–3 minutes on each side; this is optional but adds extra flavour.

Put the onion, carrots, celery and garlic into the slow cooker. Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, dried thyme, bay leaf, paprika and Worcestershire sauce.

Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce and season with the salt and black pepper. Cover with the lid.

Cook on low for 5 hours, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Do not put frozen chicken into the slow cooker; thaw it fully in the fridge first.

Remove the chicken to a plate and discard the bay leaf. Shred the chicken with two forks, then return it to the sauce. Stir through the parsley and taste for seasoning.

Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling water according to the packet instructions. Drain, toss with the chicken ragu and serve with the grated Parmesan or Cheddar, if using.

Swaps and substitutions

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs → Chicken breast fillets

Use the same weight, but check earlier as breast meat can dry out if overcooked.

Celery → 1 small courgette, finely diced

Add the courgette with the other vegetables.

Dried pasta → Jacket potatoes or crusty bread

Choose a gluten-free accompaniment if needed.

Parmesan or mature Cheddar → Leave it out

The ragu remains flavourful without a cheese topping.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly

Yes

Batch cooking

Suitable for batch cooking

Storage

Reheating

Reheat the ragu in a saucepan over a medium heat or in the microwave, stirring several times, until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. Reheat only once.

Leftover ideas

Use leftover ragu in jacket potatoes, spoon it over mashed potato, or layer it with pasta and cheese for a quick oven bake.

Allergen information

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

Ingredients

Recipe serves 4

Adjust servings

Cooking time may not change in direct proportion to serving size.

700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely diced

2 sticks celery, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato purée

400 g tin chopped tomatoes

500 ml chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon fine salt, plus extra if needed

¼ teaspoon black pepper

15 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped

300 g dried pasta, to serve

30 g finely grated Parmesan or mature Cheddar, optional, to serve

Slow Cooker Chicken Thigh, Carrot and Thyme Ragu

Slow Cooker Chicken Thigh, Carrot and Thyme Ragu

Equipment

Ingredients

Substitutions

Instructions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

Instructions

Equipment needed

Swaps and substitutions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

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