Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken

I found this recipe on one of those facebook posts, you know the ones that circulate through all of your friends, well this post actually caught my eye.  The picture of the chicken looked great.  The facebook page is Holly's Fitness & Healthy Living (I like to give credit where credit is due).  I made this recipe yesterday but due to a crazy schedule I couldn't post it last night, so here it is tonight, which really isn't so bad since we had leftovers.

The recipe is super simple.  The only thing I did not add was black pepper which is due to my allergy.  I also used a whole chicken that I cut up into pieces (reserving the backbone and neck to make broth for soup).

Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (make sure that you have pure balsamic vinegar, a lot have other ingredients in them  - so check the label)
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 24 ounces) or breasts (again I used the whole cut up chicken)

Combine the first five dry spices in a small bowl and spread over chicken on both sides.  Set aside.  Pour olive oil and garlic on the bottom of the crock pot.  Place chicken on top.   Pour balsamic vinegar over the chicken.  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.  Serve.

To go along with the chicken I fixed steamed fresh green beans and heirloom potatoes.

Potatoes
1 large bag of mixed heirloom potatoes, diced (these potatoes were of the purple, pink, gold variety.  All had a purple or pink/red skin)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
sea salt
In a large cast iron skillet that has a lid.  Heat olive oil and garlic in pan over medium high heat.  Add cut potatoes.   Stir.  Continue to flip/stir potatoes so that they won't stick.  Add about 1/4 cup water and cover skillet with lid.  Cook for about 5 minutes and stir.  Check doneness of potatoes.  If still a little too crunchy add a little bit more water, cover and cook some more.  When they are almost done, remove lid, add a little salt to taste, stirring to continue to cook until all water is gone.  Serve.