Crock-Pot Roasted Herb Chicken
Recipe by Lizzie West, inspired through research on Pinterest
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time: 8-9 Hours
Servings: 5-6
I discovered I could save myself a lot of hassle and worry by using a Crockpot to roast a chicken for dinner. The time it takes to prep the chicken is only about 10 minutes. Then I can set it and essentially go about my day and trust that it will be a perfect and delicious main course for my family’s dinner. I love that I don’t have to watch it like a hawk in the oven and I can spend quality time with my family, knowing I’m making something enjoyable for them that will be ready right on time. It may seem like a lot of steps but it is just explained thoroughly.
Ingredients:
-A whole chicken (that will fit in your crockpot)
-Herbes de Provence (or your favorite combination of aromatic herbs – Ex. Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Terragon, etc)
-Salt
-White Pepper
-1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) (you can substitute a favorite oil here, but personal opinion, butter tastes better)
-1-2 TBSP Minced Garlic (pre-minced in a jar works just fine)
-Kitchen Twine and Toothpicks
-Aluminum Foil
-A CrockPot
-Lemon (optional)
Directions:
1. Tear two pieces of foil about 12×18 inches. Make the foil into an 18-inch long rope, this is easiest by rolling it. Working from the outside in, use these to create a coil at the bottom of the Crockpot to place your chicken on.
2. Remove the whole chicken from its packaging. Remove anything from inside the cavities. Remove the neck with a large chicken knife if necessary. You can choose to save these things for flavoring a stock later on. Wash your chicken inside and out. Using paper towels, thoroughly dry your chicken. It is important that it is as dry as possible so the skin will get somewhat crispy.
3. Using the twine, tie the ends of the drumsticks together and use the toothpicks to tack the skin at the top of the wings to the sides of the body. Then place your chicken in the Crockpot.
4. Melt the stick of butter and coat as much of the chicken as you can with it, also trying to get some into the cavity. Add minced garlic at this point as well. Try to spread it all over the top and also put some inside the cavity to really infuse it with flavor.
5. Season with salt, and herbs liberally. Season with pepper to your liking. (this is also when you would add the optional lemon slices, which can go on top of the chicken and inside the cavity. Though, putting them on top will cause those areas NOT to brown as well.
6. Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Try your best not to open the crockpot. (If you get a late start, you can cook it for 5-6 hours on high until it reaches a safe temperature (165F with a meat thermometer in the thigh but NOT touching the bone – this depends on your Crockpot). It can stay on the warm setting after this point until you choose to serve it.
7. Remove from the Crockpot and remove the twine and toothpicks. Let it rest for about 5-10 minutes. Use kitchen shears to separate the whole chicken into parts for serving. It may fall apart on its own for you, that was my experience.
8. At this point, you can remove the aluminum coils (carefully with tongs, they are still very hot) and use a ladle to add some of the juices over the chicken when serving. It’s a great mixture of the butter and the natural moisture from the chicken itself. You can also squeeze fresh lemon juice to add a little acidity and balance the flavors a bit more.
9. Serve with your desired sides and ENJOY!