Pomegranate Chicken Salad (Slow Cooker)

From The Perfect Pantry blog. Author Lydia Walshin lives in a log cabin in Rhode Island and relies upon pantry staples. I hope to make this soon, as pomegranate molasses is an ingredient I really like.

• Ready In: 3 hrs
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 3⁄4-2  lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1  small onion, sliced
• 2  tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  grated  fresh gingerroot
• 2  garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1  lemon, juice of
• 1  tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
• 1⁄4 cup pine nuts
• 2  romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup  unsweetened dried cherries or 1⁄4 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. In a 3-quart slow cooker, combine the chicken, onion, pomegranate molasses, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir everything to distribute the ingredients.
2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2.5 hours, or on LOW for 5 hours. (If you use a larger slow cooker, it will cook much more quickly, so keep a close watch. Overcooked chicken is dry chicken).
3. Remove the chicken to a platter and set aside to cool. The liquid in the cooker should be a nice consistency to dress the salad, but if it's too thin, set the cooker to HIGH and cook, uncovered, until the sauce reduces slightly. If the liquid is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water.
4. While the chicken is cooling to room temperature, set a dry nonstick frying pan on the stovetop. Over medium heat, toast the pine nuts for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until the nuts are lightly browned. Remove from heat.
5. To assemble the salad, arrange the lettuce on a platter or in individual serving bowls. Top with a few pieces of chicken, and a sprinkling of nuts and dried cherries or cranberries. Pour some of the sauce over each portion, and serve.