What You Need:
Whole Chicken
Spices of your choosing; I use Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic, salt and pepper
What You Do:
Take the inner parts out of the chicken, they’re usually packaged in a wax paper bag or plastic. Fill the cavity with fresh spices and herbs and garlic – or whatever you choose.
For the bottom of the slow-cooker, you have two options – fill it with small potatoes, carrots, quartered onions, or other vegetables -or- crumple up aluminum foil and fill the bottom enough so that the chicken can sit on top of these aluminum foil balls.
I prefer the aluminum foil, I find that the vegetables get a little bit too soft for me to enjoy. But they do cook in the broth of the chicken and have a rich flavor.
Once you decide which lining of the slow-cooker you would prefer, place the chicken on top. Brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with spices that you had used on the inside. Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8.
If you are like me and prefer a crispy skin on your chicken, put under the broiler for 5-10 minutes to crisp it up. The meat will be tender and the whole chicken will likely fall apart when you remove it from the slow-cooker.
You can turn the broth that is left in the slow-cooker after cooking into a gravy for your chicken or you can turn it into a broth for future use. Just save all of the bones, skin, and fatty parts of the chicken that you wouldn’t eat – return those to the slow-cooker with the broth, throw in some vegetables that might be over ripening (garlic, onions, carrots, etc.), add water, and cook on high for 5-6 hours. Strain out all of the waste and store the broth in your fridge. This is great for soups or rice, great for adding to a sauce for pasta. You can freeze the broth as well and use at a later date and time.
Night Shades 