Crock Pot Chicken
By way of the internet and one of my little sisters.
Ingredients:
A chicken that will fit into your crock pot
Some vegetables
A little liquid
A little fat
More information on ingredients:
Chicken - We've been doing small whole chickens, but bone in pieces most likely would work fine, or other small whole birds.
Vegetables - Today I did the dark green parts of some leeks and the ribs from some chard, plus half a lemon and some garlic; a mirpox mix of carrots, celery, and onion works well too. I imagine other vegetable mixes will also do well. You basically want to make a short bed of vegetables on the bottom of the crock pot. They'll improve flavor as well as helping in the cooking process.
Liquid - Water is fine. Beer might work, I haven't tried it yet. Broth of any sort would also be okay. Anything you wouldn't mind the chicken tasting of should work really. Just don't use anything too strong. For example, don't use straight lemon juice or soy sauce, but either of those would be fine watered down. You'll want about a cup, but maybe more.
Fat - We've been using butter, but other solid meltable fats should also be find, as should olive oil. You'll only need two or three tablespoons.
Process:
Wash the vegetables, peel them if you want them peeled when you eat them, and cut anything large into four inch chunks or so. Layer them onto the bottom of the crock pot.
Pour in the liquid. You want to be able to see it, but you don't want to cover the vegetables. Everything will be giving off more liquid as it cooks so eventually some of the chicken will be cooking in some of the liquid, but you want the bird to start out above the liquid.
Remove the chicken from it's packaging, reserve or discard the package of bits from inside (you don't need it for this recipe), and put it into the crock pot on top of the vegetables.
Salt, pepper, and spice the bird as you like. Then add a few small pats of butter or a layer of olive oil to the top.
Cook on high until done, 4 to 6 hours or so.
Additional notes:
Adding spices to the vegetables or the top of the bird tastes good. Garlic, thyme, rosemary, etc.
Stuffing the bird a little might taste good too. I put half a lemon inside today. I'd suggest a bunch of greens, actually, maybe with some of the cooked up giblets. M did something with chicken liver and spinach one time that was lovely.
We've been cooking them for six hours, long past the point where the bird is technically done. They're falling apart by then, but still flavorful and moist. Chick temperature will a thermometer periodically after about four hours if you like your chicken less well done.
Eat with:
Today we ate this will couscous made with some of the liquid from around the bird. Rice is good. So are potatoes. The vegetables from around the chicken are nice, but additional vegetables are also always welcome.
Ingredients:
A chicken that will fit into your crock pot
Some vegetables
A little liquid
A little fat
More information on ingredients:
Chicken - We've been doing small whole chickens, but bone in pieces most likely would work fine, or other small whole birds.
Vegetables - Today I did the dark green parts of some leeks and the ribs from some chard, plus half a lemon and some garlic; a mirpox mix of carrots, celery, and onion works well too. I imagine other vegetable mixes will also do well. You basically want to make a short bed of vegetables on the bottom of the crock pot. They'll improve flavor as well as helping in the cooking process.
Liquid - Water is fine. Beer might work, I haven't tried it yet. Broth of any sort would also be okay. Anything you wouldn't mind the chicken tasting of should work really. Just don't use anything too strong. For example, don't use straight lemon juice or soy sauce, but either of those would be fine watered down. You'll want about a cup, but maybe more.
Fat - We've been using butter, but other solid meltable fats should also be find, as should olive oil. You'll only need two or three tablespoons.
Process:
Wash the vegetables, peel them if you want them peeled when you eat them, and cut anything large into four inch chunks or so. Layer them onto the bottom of the crock pot.
Pour in the liquid. You want to be able to see it, but you don't want to cover the vegetables. Everything will be giving off more liquid as it cooks so eventually some of the chicken will be cooking in some of the liquid, but you want the bird to start out above the liquid.
Remove the chicken from it's packaging, reserve or discard the package of bits from inside (you don't need it for this recipe), and put it into the crock pot on top of the vegetables.
Salt, pepper, and spice the bird as you like. Then add a few small pats of butter or a layer of olive oil to the top.
Cook on high until done, 4 to 6 hours or so.
Additional notes:
Adding spices to the vegetables or the top of the bird tastes good. Garlic, thyme, rosemary, etc.
Stuffing the bird a little might taste good too. I put half a lemon inside today. I'd suggest a bunch of greens, actually, maybe with some of the cooked up giblets. M did something with chicken liver and spinach one time that was lovely.
We've been cooking them for six hours, long past the point where the bird is technically done. They're falling apart by then, but still flavorful and moist. Chick temperature will a thermometer periodically after about four hours if you like your chicken less well done.
Eat with:
Today we ate this will couscous made with some of the liquid from around the bird. Rice is good. So are potatoes. The vegetables from around the chicken are nice, but additional vegetables are also always welcome.