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Slow-Cooker Greek Chicken With Warm Tabbouleh

By Sebastian Nava

Published on October 16, 2019

Time

2 to 3 hours on low

Yield

Serves 4

Slow cooker size

4 to 7 quarts

Slow-Cooker Greek Chicken With Warm Tabbouleh

Ingredients

1 cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed1 cup chicken broth Salt and pepper 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 4 teaspoons minced fresh oregano 1 ¼ teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice1 garlic clove, minced4 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed½ cup plain Greek yogurt ½ cup minced fresh parsley 3 tablespoons water 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered

Before You Begin

When shopping, don't confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. Check the chicken's temperature after 2 hours of cooking and continue to monitor until it registers 160 degrees.

Instructions

  1. 1. Lightly coat slow cooker with vegetable oil spray. Combine bulgur, broth, and ¼ teaspoon salt in slow cooker. Microwave 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl until fragrant, about 30 seconds; let cool slightly. Rub chicken with oregano mixture, then arrange, skinned side up, in even layer in prepared slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 2 to 3 hours on low.
  2. Whisk yogurt, 1 tablespoon parsley, water, remaining 1 teaspoon oregano, remaining ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, and ⅛ teaspoon salt together in bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Transfer chicken to serving dish, brushing any bulgur that sticks to breasts back into slow cooker. Drain bulgur mixture, if necessary, and return to now-empty slow cooker. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, remaining 7 tablespoons parsley, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil and fluff with fork to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken with tabbouleh and yogurt sauce.
Slow-Cooker Greek Chicken With Warm Tabbouleh
Photography by Keller + Keller. Styling by Marie Piraino.

Slow-Cooker Greek Chicken With Warm Tabbouleh

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Time

2 to 3 hours on low

Yield

Serves 4

Slow cooker size

4 to 7 quarts

Ingredients

1 cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
1 ¼ teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice
1 garlic clove, minced
4 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons water
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered

Ingredients

1 cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
1 ¼ teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice
1 garlic clove, minced
4 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons water
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered

Ingredients

1 cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
1 ¼ teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice
1 garlic clove, minced
4 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons water
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered

Why This Recipe Works

Most grains need to cook for much longer than chicken to become tender enough to eat, making it a challenge to adapt this dish to a slow cooker. Looking for bright and fresh flavors to pair with our Greek-inspired chicken, we turned to the classic tabbouleh salad. Fortunately, our testing revealed that medium-grind bulgur is one of the few hearty grains that can cook through in the slow cooker without breaking down and becoming gummy. Rubbing the chicken with an aromatic mixture of garlic, oregano, and lemon zest seasoned not only the chicken but also the bulgur as it cooked. We drained the bulgur at the end of cooking to remove excess liquid and seasoned it with olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and tomatoes to turn the hearty grain into a vibrant salad.

Before You Begin

When shopping, don't confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. Check the chicken's temperature after 2 hours of cooking and continue to monitor until it registers 160 degrees.

Instructions

  1. 1. Lightly coat slow cooker with vegetable oil spray. Combine bulgur, broth, and ¼ teaspoon salt in slow cooker. Microwave 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl until fragrant, about 30 seconds; let cool slightly. Rub chicken with oregano mixture, then arrange, skinned side up, in even layer in prepared slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 2 to 3 hours on low.
  2. Whisk yogurt, 1 tablespoon parsley, water, remaining 1 teaspoon oregano, remaining ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, and ⅛ teaspoon salt together in bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Transfer chicken to serving dish, brushing any bulgur that sticks to breasts back into slow cooker. Drain bulgur mixture, if necessary, and return to now-empty slow cooker. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, remaining 7 tablespoons parsley, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil and fluff with fork to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken with tabbouleh and yogurt sauce.

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