One of My Favorite Recipes

One of my favorite recipes is quickly becoming the whole chicken in a crockpot.  This is SUPER easy and we all know we can NEVER have too many easy recipes.  So in case you don't already have this SUPER easy recipe..here you go.......

First you need a whole chicken (I know kind of a given).  I usually buy one and put it in my deep freezer so I have it when I need it.  I feel that the chicken cooks better if it is completely thawed out.  For me, if it has been in my freezer, it is most likely frozen solid.  I put it in my fridge for 2 days (yes, this is the part where it takes some planning), after the 2 days it is pretty well thawed.

The next step would be to spray your crockpot with a non-stick cooking spray (Not sure if it really needs to be done, but I do this...better safe than sorry).  Put the chicken in the crockpot and season with your favorite seasonings.  Then cook on high for 1 hour, and then on low for 8 to 10 hours....then it's done!!   Now wasn't that easy. :)

Sorry, I do not have a picture of my chicken....maybe next time I will remember to take a picture for you :)

I have experimented with a few seasonings with my chicken now.  I am a BIG fan of tastefully simple's garlic garlic seasoning.  I use this all the time in numerous recipes.  So it was only fitting to use this in my chicken.  I sprinkle some on top and also some in the cavity of the chicken.  I also use paprika.  Last night, I added some rosemary.  It was still pretty tasty.

I have also noticed that the recipes I have seen actually say to wade up foil (usually 4 balls of foil) under the chicken....I have not done this.  Maybe I will try that the next time too and see how it turns out.  Usually when the chicken is done cooking, it is doing the normal thing that all crockpot's do to food...it is falling apart (this makes it very easy when you are carving it).

We do have left overs (only to be expected when there is only 2 of us eating a whole chicken).  I usually take the meat and make another chicken dish.  I have made Chicken & dumplings, Chicken casserole, BBQ chicken sandwiches, chicken tacos, ect...you have cooked chicken, you can do a lot with cooked chicken.  (If I went on some more I'd be sounding like Bubba from Forest Gump).

So even though I have made the whole chicken in a crockpot a few times now, I have yet to make the chicken broth.  Until now......today, I have decided to make the broth (in a crockpot).  It too was very easy, but since it is still cooking, I don't know how it is going to turn out.  So just because the chicken is gone, be sure to put the bones back in with the juices so you can turn it into broth (then you don't have to buy some broth for a while).  The recipe that I used is to add 6 cups of water, 2 celery stalks, 1 carrot, and some basil.  However, something tells me that I may have added too much water and probably would have been fine with maybe 4 cups of water...but we will see what happens, the flavor might be a little diluted.  Don't forget to cook it in your slow cooker for 8-10 hours on low.  After the cooking is done, strain juice from the crockpot and store as in the fridge (at least that is what I am doing).  Veggies and chicken from the bones could be used in soup as well....I have not made homemade chicken soup yet...I'll let you know when I venture into that territory.

One thing I do have to tell you is to beware on your chicken dinners (unless your family REALLY loves chicken).  My hubby get chickened out after 3 chicken meals in a row...then I have to give chicken a break for about a week for him.  I could eat chicken all the time.

If you try this..I hope you enjoy it!!

(Sorry, no pictures today)