When my quest for local-style slow-cooker recipes launched in January, one of the first responders was Keith Okazaki, who sent in a couple of his success stories.

Hold that thought, as I am about to go off on a tangent. Okazaki and I later became baking buddies in the virtual world, through an email exchange aimed at creating a workable recipe for a Hilo Creme-type cracker. We both baked several batches, trading our findings. It was clear he knew what he was doing. And then, well into this process, Okazaki stated, almost as an afterthought, "I’m not sure if I mentioned, but I am actually blind."

As someone with two working eyes and a history of baking disasters, I was quite impressed (for details on how he does it, see Joleen Oshiro’s cover story).

So, that is the back story. The front story is Okazaki’s recipe for miso chicken made in the slow-cooker. It’s an easy, flavorful dish perfect for "Slow Ono," which is what I call my monthly series of Crock-Pot recipes.

I’ve adapted it to incorporate my experiences related to slow-cooking chicken. For best results, use bone-in chicken pieces, but remove the skin (this cuts oiliness). Thighs are best (white meat dries out). And don’t overcook. In most slow-cookers, chicken will be done in just over four hours, although it can go longer for added tenderness. Don’t let it cook too long, though, or you probably won’t like the texture.

Okazaki includes an option to add peanut butter for Thai flair. But if you want dominant miso flavor, skip the peanutty part. Leftovers are great recycled in sandwich wraps or served cold over a salad.

• Ingredients.

4 to 5 pounds bone-in chicken thighs (about 12 pieces), skin removed

• Sauce.

1 cup beer, any kind

1 cup miso

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter (optional)

2 cups chopped green onions

1-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon chili sauce, or to taste (sambal oelek or sriracha)

Combine sauce ingredients in 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, adding chili sauce last, a teaspoon at a time, tasting as you go to reach desired spiciness. Mix well. Add chicken, turning to coat. Cook on low 4 to 6 hours, until chicken is tender and cooked through. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving (based on 4 pounds chicken thighs and not including peanut butter): 500 calories, 15 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 115 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,800 mg sodium, 52 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 39 g sugar, 38 g protein

Note: If you have time, this dish tastes better the next day. Remove chicken from sauce, break meat into bite-size pieces and discard bones. Refrigerate chicken and sauce separately. The next day, skim fat from sauce and reheat, thickening with a mixture of water and tapioca starch or cornstarch. Add chicken and heat through.

Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.

Originally published August 3, 2011
By Request: Miso, spices, ginger liven up chicken for the slow-cooker