Herb Garden Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe
Crocktober is coming to an end.
It's been a lot of fun. Exhausting, but fun. I'm not quite sure how I handled cooking and posting everyday in 2008, but it certainly was much easier in that I didn't have a crawling infant in the house.
Cooking every day for a year in a crockpot? Super easy compared to daily baby wrangling.
I'm a pooped mama.
We're having a houseful of people over today for Uncle John's 37th birthday. The crockpots will be all lined up, and guests can help themselves. I love entertaining with the crocks, I really do. Grandpa hates chicken? Cousin Sophia doesn't eat red meat?
no problem.
Most of us will be eating ropa vieja today, but I've got a chicken ready to go for the poultry people.
easy-peasy.
The Ingredients.
serves 4 adults and probably an extra 2 kids. save the carcass for broth!
1 (5-pound) whole chicken, skinned (you can read about my skin issues here)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup powdered Parmesan cheese (or grated. whatever.)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
The Directions.
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Using poultry shears, skin the bird the best you can, and remove the neck and gizzards (oh ick) from the body cavity. In a small mixing bowl, combine all of the spices with the Parmesan cheese and set aside. Rub the olive oil all over the bird, inside and out, and place it into an empty slow cooker.
Sprinkle on the cheese and herb mixture, and rub it into all sides of the bird, shoving a bunch inside. Do not add water.
Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5. Check the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer to ensure doneness. The meat will be quite tender and fall from the bone easily.
The Verdict.
This is a great whole roasted chicken recipe, and a nice change of pace from the peppery flavor of rotisserie chicken (still a family favorite!). I prefer to cook my sides separately, but if you'd like, you can throw in some potatoes, carrots, and celery for an all-in-one-pot meal.
Or, after removing the chicken from the pot, you can cook rice as a side in the pan drippings (this makes amazing rice).
Happy Day 30 of Crocktober!
I *love* your rotisserie chicken recipe, and I'm eager to try this one for something a little different.
ReplyDeleteIf I decide to add potatoes, do I need to add water?
Yuum, I've never done a whole chicken in the crock pot, but I need to try one.
ReplyDeleteHi Julie, no--they'll cook just fine. If you add water or broth, you'll end up with soup! :-)
ReplyDeleteI often do a whole chicken with just lemon juice. It comes out fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThis seasoning combo sounds yummy!
Yum! Can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your "roast" chicken recipe too. I got my non-cooking diabtic mom with salt issues to make herself homemade chickens and skip lunch meat with teaching her that recipe!
ReplyDeleteI bought 10 "old-fashioned" farm chickens two weeks ago and the lady told me she pops a frozen bird in the crock pot with a cup of water and cooks on high for 5 hrs- I did about 10 hrs on low. Since these chickens are naturally flavorful I didn't add any spices. It was so soft the meat is sliding off the bones & I came out with about a quart drippings/stock. (not a gelatin broth tho)
Now the skin didn't brown of crisp at all- so I discarted it, but I lifeted out meat/bone, and strained/picked the chicken that fell off the bone in the broth.
Word to the wise- if you're going to try this- be sure your bird will fit in the crock! My chixs butt was too chubby and legs stuck up too much. I suggest you tie the legs down, like you get from the store, and trim it's lil' cheeks off it's hiney. :p
While we had chinese take-out last night, Speaking of GOTTA try the Thai beef next week!- Supper tonight will be roast chicken, baked acorn squash, and creamed spinach.
Thanks Stephanie!!
you said it, momma! i use my crockpot now so that i have time to wrangle a crawling infant (hey, at least it's exercise, right?). i've really enjoyed Crocktober! i'll give this recipe a shot next week.
ReplyDeleteLove the name and love chicken any time, Steph. This recipe looks like it could become a new, simple family favorite--thank you! Hope the birthday party goes well! :-)
ReplyDeletexo,
Shirley
I can't wait to try this, but instead of throwing the skin away, I'll roast it in the oven until its really well-rendered and crisp...it will be delicious.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'll miss Crocktober! Can't we consider an extension?????
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this post. i will building this weeks menu and planned to roast a chicken but then i realized that I will not be home to put it in the oven..This is perfect!
ReplyDeleteQuestion for Stephanie or anyone else:
ReplyDeleteI have an HD Designs (with corningware insert) electric slow cooker and have lost the manual. I don't know what the "Auto" setting does? I've tried looking online but I don't think they make these anymore. Any ideas?
Thanks so much!
Laura
I loved Crocktober and will miss it much. Thanks for all your work!
ReplyDeleteHi Laura,
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with that type of slow cooker. You might want to pose the question on the forums---maybe someone else knows. I'm sorry to not be of help!
hi! new here & from the UK!
ReplyDeletethis seems great for the first use of my 6.5 litre slow cooker (i have a 1.5litre that i have only done pulled pork in!) but being a novice need some help with adding potatoes. do i need to do anything to them? chop/season? do they go under the chicken & are they cooked for the same amount of time?
thanks in advance!
My friend made this last night for dinner, and it was amazing. It was some of the best chicken I've ever had. I usually can't eat chicken by itself (without sauce, in enchiladas, etc...) not even a rotisserie,but we ate this chicken just the way it came out of the crockpot. We had homemade soup on the side, bread and wine. It made for a wonderful meal. I can't wait to try this myself, and now that I know about the site, I'll be back for more delicious recipes.
ReplyDeleteThis was just really great. I am loving your blog for all of the new ideas on slow cooking (more than just pot roast and soup). I had a slightly smaller chicken and did add in my potatos and carrots. It all turned out great. Mine cooked for almost ten hours all together, which means it was falling apart, but it was still moist. There were alot of drippings, so I made a chicken gravy also. Very good.
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea! what type of rice should i use and how long does it take to make?
ReplyDeleteI love your recipes. I especially love cooking the whole chicken in the crockpot, so easy and tasty.
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried this variation yet, but its in the cooker for dinner tonight!
Can I put the chicken in frozen?
ReplyDeleteHi Tonya, I'd recommend having it pretty thawed. You want to make sure the neck and gizzards are out, and if the bird is still frozen solid you won't be able to get that stuff out, and there is a bunch of ice crystals built up inside.
ReplyDeleteI worry when it's still frozen solid that the meat won't get into the "food safety zone" fast enough.
check doneness with a meat thermometer!
oxox steph