Satisfying a Growing Carnivore

 Child #3, who has been stuck at home with his parents for much of the last year, must surely be looking forward to a visit his siblings for the holidays. Nevertheless, there are downsides (and not only the inevitable queue for the bathroom). You see, Children #1 and #2 are now both vegetarian, so upon their return, there will be even less meat consumed in this house (although I do note that, in preparation, their father has secretly stocked up on bacon). So in honor of the one remaining carnivorous offspring, we had a last hurrah of sorts: his choice of meaty deliciousness, before the plant-loving siblings return to the fold.  His request was for Sweet and Sour Chicken, so being a fabulously generous parent, that is what he got :-)

Sweet and Sour Chicken in the Slow Cooker
Serves 4 easily
Adapted from wellplated.com

1 1/2 lbs skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1 onion, sliced
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4" thick rounds
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1" chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1" chunks
6 TBSP soy sauce
3 TBSP honey
3 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 TBSP white vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP tomato paste
3 tsp sambal oelek (chile paste)
1 1/2 TBSP fresh grated ginger root
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBSP cornstarch
1/4 cup pineapple juice
sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds to serve

1. Add chicken and next four ingredients to the slow cooker.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, sambal oelek, ginger and garlic until combined, then pour over the chicken mixture and mix together until everything is coated.

3. Cook for 4 hours on low heat. Remove the chicken and pull apart into bite-size chunks, then set aside.

4. Mix together the cornstarch and the pineapple juice and stir into the vegetables in the crockpot. Cook for a further 30 minutes on high, or until the mixture thickens slightly.

5. Stir the chicken back in, and serve on a bed of rice, with green onions and sesame seeds sprinkled on top.