Maple Chicken- Feeding a Crowd

Every time I serve this meal to another family I'm asked for the recipe.  It's super easy AND forgiving, it also works well for people with allergies as it is dairy free, gluten free, soy free, egg free and nut free.  The best part?  Because it's on the sweet side nearly every little kid loves it!

Maple Chicken*
(This would serve 8 or so, adjust according to need)
12 or so Boneless/Skinless Chicken thighs- I buy the big frozen bag at Costco
1/3 cup Maple Syrup
2 Tbs Coconut Aminos (This is an alternative to Soy Sauce, you can use Soy Sauce or Bragg's)
2 Tbs minced garlic and/or 1/2 a chopped onion
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste
*This recipe is so forgiving.  The amounts given are approximate.  I don't think I've ever used the exact same amounts twice...I've even forgotten an ingredient.  It always turns out, though I do believe these amounts will get the best results.

Place the chicken in your crock-pot/slow cooker.  Turn it on HIGH while you are mixing the rest of your ingredients.  In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup mix together remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.  I like to leave the slow cooker on high for an hour or so to bring it up to temp quickly, then turn it down to LOW.  This cooks 6-8 hours on low.  BUT if you forget to start it earlier in the day OR it just works better (for you) to start it later; just leave it on high for 4 hours.  Make a gravy with all of the juices left behind in the pot after you remove the chicken.

I serve this chicken with mashed sweet potatoes...

Mashed Sweet Potatoes
(again, adjust amounts according to how many people you are serving and to taste)
5 peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
1/2 butter or coconut oil
1/2 to 1 can of full fat coconut milk
a dash of Cinnamon
Salt to taste

Boil the cubed sweet potatoes in water until tender.  Drain and put back in pot.  Add butter/oil, coconut milk, cinnamon and salt.  Mash (I like us use my hand mixer).   Babies and toddlers LOVE this too.  I like to make extra to freeze when I have a little one.

This is about the amount I make to serve my family, sometimes a bit more or less.  Serve it with some sort of veggie (broccoli works well) and/or salad.   Right now there are 11 of us.  The teen boys eat quite a bit, others not so much.  It all evens out to be just about right for us.