Thursday, September 12, 2013

Slow Cooker Roasted Chicken

We have some fancy newfangled oven with a touch button operating system. Something happened to the control panel and it is no longer working. So... we have no oven. That really sucks when you want some good old fashioned roasted chicken. So I pulled up the trusty pinterest to see what i could find... I looked at a few different recipes and then created my own. It is moist, delicious, and with the leftovers you can make so many different things... wraps, chicken salad, tacos, nachos, pot pie, and on and on.
I would like to give some love to these blogs for my recipe inspiration:

http://marisaskitchentalk.wordpress.com/2011/09/10/slow-cooker-rotisserie-chicken/

http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2013/03/13/slow-cooker-chicken/



So I think it only fair to explain to you my ingredients and method. Since we try to eat healthier, I use an organic free range chicken. I then remove the bag of innards and cut off the neck. Remove the skin and pat the chicken dry. Why??? Washing it removes flavor and spreads salmonella in little water molecules all over the place. Yes, trying to wash off the germs creates a biohazard in your kitchen. Gross. I remove the skin because it doesn't crisp up in the slow cooker and currently I have no broiler to crisp it under.

Roll up some foil balls and place in bottom of crock pot. Why? To cook the chicken evenly on all sides and keep it from being soggy.  The seasonings are simple... sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, thyme, paprika, and fajita seasoning. Season liberally with all inside and out of bird. Place bird in cooker, then head to the sink. Soap up your hands before you turn on the water... prevents the spread of bacteria!!! Wash wash wash. Now you can put the lid on and turn on the cooker. I personally cook it on high for 4-5 hours. You can cook it on low if you have to go to work or have a million other things to do.

Some people say add water to the cooker. I do not. I baste the chicken whenever I remember with the juices that start collecting in the bottom. More flavor! Flavor is good! Plus after the chicken is done you can make this amazing gravy to put on mashed potatoes, and gravy is a good thing.

Cook the chicken until the internal temperature is 165F. Nobody likes raw chicken!

Really, you dont need much to get lots of flavor :)

Foil balls!  These are fun.  Throw them at your husband after the chicken cooks ;) 

 Don't dance the chicken around in the sink like I did... just season up the inside!

 And the outside... place on the foil balls.  Our paprika doesn't have a sprinkle setting... just a dump one.

Baste the chicken with the yummy juices.  I obviously need a new brush. 

 Mmm... drippings.  THAT is so going to be gravy soon!


Ding!  Chicken is done!  Now what???

 The secret to mashed potatoes... garlic.  No, seriously.  Plus, it fights off vampires and mosquitoes.

 My handsome kitchen helper, Boogie.  He was telling me how much he likes gravy.

 We buy organic potatoes... they are part of the 'dirty dozen.' No thank you, pesticides!

 Throw that minced garlic in with the potatoes, cover with COLD water and boil until taters are fork tender.


 These fine ingredients, plus the drippings from your chicken make fabulous gravy.  I almost drank ours...

 Melt about 2 Tablespoons of butter

 Whisk in 2 Tablespoons of flour and keep whisking until it is the color of peanut butter (medium heat, folks... it's not a race!)

 Whisk in the juice drippings and about 1-2 cups of the chicken broth (stock is better).  Cook until it boils one minute or reduces down and thickens to gravy like stuff.

To mash the taters, drain off the water, add about 3 Tablespoons of butter, and 1/4-1/2 cup of whole milk.  Mash with a tater masher, and season with salt and pepper.  I guess I can share these...

No comments:

Post a Comment