Whole Chicken In Slow Cooker

Whole Chicken In Slow Cooker. A simple and tender slow cooker whole chicken recipe, perfect for a hearty meal with minimal effort.

Servings: 4-6 

Ingredients

• 1 entire chicken (3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds) giblets removed and patted dry.

• Use 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, or use 1½ teaspoons of regular table salt instead.

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder (or 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped)

Whole Chicken In Slow Cooker : Directions

1. Get the chicken ready: Take out the giblets in the cavity in case they are still there. You can wet the chicken with cool water, or not, wipe it with paper towels, both inside and out, thoroughly. Even a dry bird roasts more within the slow cooker.

2. Season liberally: Combine the salt, pepper and the powdered garlic in a small bowl. Pat this stuff over the chicken–on the breast, legs, thighs and as much part of the underside as you can access. Sprinkle also within the cavity a little.

3. Optional trussing: You can also have the legs bound together with kitchen twine, and the wing tips slipped under the body. This only assists the chicken to cook evenly and appear a bit more presentable, whereas it is not a necessity.

4. Prepare in the slow cooker: Put the chicken in the slow cooker with the breast-side facing upwards. There is no need of liquid; the chicken will also give its own juices as it cooks.

5. Bake low and slow: Bake with cover and on LOW 6-7 hours, or until the chicken is extremely tender and the juices have no cloudy part. You can cook on HIGH between 3 1/2-4 hours if you want. When an instant-read thermometer is inserted in the deepest section of the thigh (not touching the bone) it should register at least 165-degF.

6. Roast the chicken: Take the chicken out of the slow cooker with great care, it will be very tender and place it on a cutting board or platter. Allow to stand approximately 10 minutes to settle the juices then cut.

7. Optional crisping: In case you prefer a firmer skin, turn your broiler on as the chicken rests. Put the chicken in a pan and put it under the broilers in 3-5 minutes keeping a keen eye on it until the skin gets tawny and slightly crisped.

8. Serve: Cut the chicken into the breasts, thighs, drumsticks and wings. When serving, spoon some of the cooking juices in the slow cooker over the meat, or save the juices to make gravy or soup.

Variations & Tips

• Assuming you have spent your childhood with a good spice cupboard in your house, this recipe is a tabula rasa of all the familiar tastes. Add some dried herbs to the salt, pepper and garlic, like 1-2 teaspoons of thyme, rosemary or a certain mixture of poultry spices–make it a more traditional Sunday-dinner.

• To make a farmhouse-style vegetable bed, lay thick-cut carrots, onion wedges and celery stalks at the bottom of the slow cooker and place chicken on top, they will absorb the drippings and make a beautiful side or a foundation of a country gravy.

• In case you prefer a bit of lightness, stuff half a lemon or quartered onion in the cavity before cooking.

• Viewers of sodium can save the slightest amount of salt and rely more on the tastes of garlic and herbs.

• In case of leftovers, it is a bonus: chop the remaining meat into chicken sandwiches, pot pie, or a large pot of chicken and noodles, and make use of the cooking juices to get a simple broth going.

• It is the type of recipe that fits itself to your kitchen and your memories and every time it undergoes a slight modification, it always reminds you of home.

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