I feel so fortunate to live in a country that shares and celebrates cultural diversity.  Growing up in Canada gave me an appreciation for multiculturalism and the opportunity to expand my palette. You can literally step outside your door and get transported to any culinary experience you want, feeling like greek today? Head over to the Danforth. How bout some Indian? Stroll on down to little India. Craving authentic Chinese food? Chinatown isn’t too far away. All these experiences have influenced the experiments in my own kitchen. I tend to buy different types of vegetables, herbs and spices and mix them all together and hope for the best. This is one such recipe that’s turned into a family favourite at our house. This recipe draws on spices,flavors and elements from the Caribbean and India to create a unique and delicious, succulent, fall-off-the-bone curry because it uses a crockpot to get that tender juicy chicken. 

Ingredients

• 7-10 pieces chicken legs/thighs 
• 2 tbsp Jamaican curry poweder
• 1 tbsp Jamaican meat seasoning
• 2 tsp Jamaican Jerk seasoning
• 2-3 tsp Indian red chili powder/curry powder (depending how hot you want it) 
• 2-3 tbsp oil of choice
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1-11/2 cup yogurt 
• 2-3 sprigs fresh Jamaican thyme 
• 1-2 potatoes
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1-3 green chilies (or opt for scotch bonnet if you want some real heat)
• 1 inch ginger
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 white onion
• 1 tomato
• salt/pepper to taste 
• small bunch cilantro

Let’s Get Cooking

1. Cook your potatoes (boil/steam/microwave) however you normally do. 

2. In your slow-cooker, add all chicken, spice powders and yogurt and mix well until thoroughly combined. 

3. Turn on your slow cooker- 3-3.5 hours if cooking on high heat, 5-6 hours if cooking on low heat. 

4. Start the next step about half an hour before your chicken should be done.

6. Preheat oven to broil. 

7. Chop all vegetables. 

8. Heat oil in a pot and add curry leaves, mustard seeds and cumin seeds and wait til you hear sputtering sound.

9. Add chopped onions and green chilies and cook until slightly transparent. 

10. Add ginger and garlic and cook about 30 sec-1 minute until raw smell disappears. 

11. Add tomatoes and let cook until tomatoes break down and get soft and mushy.

12. While tomatoes are cooking, turn off your slow cooker.

13. Add a bit of oil to a baking pan, transfer chicken to pan and place in oven to broil for 7-10 minutes until skin is crispy. Check on it so it doesn’t burn.

14. Take all the gravy that is left in your slow cooker and transfer it to your pot and stir. Add salt and pepper as needed.

15. Add cooked potatoes to pot and stir.

16. Remove chicken from the oven and add to your pot and let cook for 7-10 minutes until gravy thickens. 

17. Add chopped cilantro.

18. Serve with rice,roti or whatever choice of side and enjoy! 

SHARING IS CARING!