2 In 1: Balsamic Braised Tofu AND Chicken!

About author / Christine Gable

Culinary enthusiast; kids cuisine and slow cooking; magazine recipe developer; professional writer. Her simple recipes are great for family dinners.

Balsamic vinegar is one of the best flavors on the planet. Combine it with tomatoes in a long, slow simmer and it’s especially magical. Now that’s a combo I haven’t had in the slow cooker before—just what I could use to get over the mid-week hump.

Balsamic vinegar comes to us from Italy. No surprise, really—from the country that has given so many divine culinary delights. It’s made in the areas of Modena and Reggio Emilia and is produced from white Trebbiano grapes. Here’s how: They take the must (that’s the freshly pressed grape juice), cooked and concentrated until it’s dark and rich. It is then aged in barrels of various sizes made of fine wood (think chestnut, juniper and mulberry). It is aged for a period of 3 to 5 years (that’s young), or 6 to 12 years (middle-aged) to the fine and much-respected oldies that can range from 12 to over 100 years (wow!). Law states that a vinegar labeled aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena has had to be aged for at least 12 years. If you see stravecchio on the label, that’s a guarantee that it’s at least 25 years old.

Now that’s serious balsamic vinegar.

The other thing that’s caught my eye lately is the lack of vegetarian variety in slow cooker fare. It seems that the meat-eaters have a distinct advantage. I have yet to find many slow cooker cookbooks that use a main vegetarian protein other than beans. Chili beans, white beans, pinto beans, black beans. Sure, they’re easy to cook in the crockpot and baked beans are the classic crockpot dish—but who wants to eat them every day? Or even every week?

Since we have vegetarians in our family, I’m always on the lookout for fast and easy ways to incorporate both meat-eater and vegetarian options. Depending upon the dish, that’s not always a piece of cake. Oh sure, there’s Boca Burgers, Yves burgers and Morningstar Farms, but when you’re looking for some homecooked, homestyle options, who wants to eat those night after night?

Help! There’s got to be better options.

Well, it really IS possible to serve up both carnivore and vegetarian options at the same table—even better yet: with the same seasonings. One caveat before you read further: Because I sometimes cook the meat and veggie options in the same pan or crockpot , it might not be considered acceptable for some purists. However, I usually don’t mix the proteins (and they don’t usually fight, if they each stay on their respective side of the pan!). The only part that’s a-mingling is the sauce (think broth and/or simmering sauce). But please know that if you have purists, you’ll want to prepare this dish in separate crockpots—or go with just the chicken or just the tofu for one meal.

That said, this is an awesome way to prepare an all-in-one meal that can keep everyone happy. And when the whole family sits down to a meal that they like, that’s even better. Now why can’t every night’s dinner be this good?!

Slow Cooker Balsamic Braised Chicken and Tofu

Made with onions, garlic, crushed tomatoes, tofu, water, dried thyme, salt, black olives, balsamic vinegar, black pepper

Serves/Makes: 6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 3 onions, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 package (14-16 ounce size) tofu, sliced (optional)
• 1 can (28 ounce size) crushed tomatoes
• 14 ounces water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 10 pitted black olives (Greek Calamata ones are awesome)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons capers (optional)

Pour oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, onion slices and garlic. After about 2 minutes (one side of the chicken should be seared and golden brown), flip the chicken to other side, stirring the onion and garlic around briefly. Cook for about 2 more minutes, then place the chicken and sauteed onions in the bottom of the crockpot.

If using the tofu, place the chicken on one half of the crockpot and the slices of tofu on the other side (share some of the sauteed onions and garlic too, if you like). Pour the can of tomatoes on top, along with the water. Add the remaining ingredients: salt, thyme, vinegar, black olives, black pepper and capers.

Cover with lid and cook for 6 hours (on low, if you have a high-powered pot) or 6 hours on high, if you have an older pot (with lower, slower heat).

Cook's Notes: This recipe was inspired by the book 175 Essential Slow Cooker Classics by Judith Finlayson. Not only does this dish make the whole house smell wonderful, it is a snap to prepare. There's nothing I like better than having the afternoon open, confident that dinner is bubbling away all by itself. This dish is divine served over rice, although bread (French, sourdough or Italian) would do just fine too.

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