Slow Cooker Saffron Chicken & Apricot Tagine

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS HANDS-ON TIME 15 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 9 HOURS

1 796 ml can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 540 ml can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 onions, sliced

1 cup dried apricots

1 cup sodium-reduced chicken broth

2 tbsp liquid honey

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 strips lemon zest

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

2 tsp sweet paprika

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp saffron threads

12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 850 g total), cut in 1-inch chunks

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds lemon wedges

In slow cooker, combine tomatoes, chickpeas, onions, apricots, broth, honey, garlic, lemon zest, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, paprika, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, pepper and saffron. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Discard lemon zest, bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Stir in chicken. Cover and cook on high until juices run clear when chicken is pierced, about 40 minutes. Stir in parsley; sprinkle with almonds. Serve with lemon wedges.

PER EACH OF 8 SERVINGS about 371 cal, 27 g pro, 10 g total fat (2 g sat. fat), 33 g carb (6 g dietary fibre, 19 g sugar), 88 mg chol, 671 mg sodium.