Cranberry Chicken Fricassee

As always, I was looking for a recipe that maybe the Picky One would eat...

I ended up taking an old Mr. Food recipe and changing it up. It started off as Simple Turkey One Pot. And ended up as Cranberry Chicken Fricassee. I changed a bunch of things, took some out and added some others.

For one, I didn't have a turkey breast...so chicken was going to have to do.

I don't really like stuffing...so instead, I put in Yukon gold potatoes.

I wanted a sauce for this stew, so I used a can of whole cranberry sauce instead of some Craisins.

And nobody but me will eat 'shrooms on a regular basis...so I just left those out.

And then I added a bunch of herbs/spices that he didn't think of.

Where did I get the name for my new recipe?

When I was a kid, one of my Mom's friend's was a horrible cook. (Everyone knew it but her. And I know that my sis and mom know who I'm talking about.) But the one thing she could cook well was chicken fricassee. I have never had it before...nor since. When I scooped the leftovers into a container, it dawned on me that it looked like her old standby that I once loved. So it will now be called fricassee!

Here is my new recipe that my Picky One gave a thumbs up to...

Cranberry Chicken Fricassee

2 skinless boneless chicken breast

2 leg quarters, separated at joints (next time I will probably remove some of the skin)

10 Yukon gold potatoes, approx 1/2 slices (I sliced the long way, 'cuz it meant I'd be doing less work)

1/2 bag of baby carrots (next time, I'll use a whole bag, they were tasty!)

1 small cooking onion, chopped

1-15 oz can whole cranberry sauce

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp dried basil

dusting of garlic powder (I'm not sure how much of either one of these I used, a generous sprinkle)

dusting of powdered ginger

Spray the crock pot before you do anything. (I forgot, I hope it's not too hard to clean! It's too heavy for me so that's Hubby's job.)

Season with salt and pepper.

Place the sliced potatoes in layers on top of the chicken. Salt and pepper each layer.

Sprinkle liberally with garlic powder. Sprinkle basil and thyme over the top too.

Add onion, carrots and cranberry sauce. 

Sprinkle ginger over the cranberry sauce.

Put your lid on and turn on the pot. 4-5 hrs on high or 7-8 hrs on low. (I'm just guessing here the thermostat on my 7 quart crock pot is screwy!)

I just asked Smarty Pants what he thought of the meal. He said that "it probably needs more juice/sauce." We had enough but there probably won't be enough for the leftovers. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I'm not sure if I want to add chicken broth to it, but it'll either be that or next time I can add another can of cranberry sauce (either whole or jellied). If anyone makes it and finds the perfect solution...let me know!