Whole Chicken in the Crockpot

Here's a wonderful midweek recipe... and its affordable too!

Whole Chicken in the Crockpot

Recipe originally from here, but tweaked by me :)

1 whole chicken.  Innards removed and chicken washed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 onion peeled and quarter

I totally do this the night before, because it is an Olympic event in the morning with how fast I get ready for work!  I have no time to be massaging chicken!  And I checked, because I worry, you can make this ahead of time in the crock and put it in the fridge and then put that in the cooker part the next morning.  The temperature difference will not hurt it at all.  You can read it on Crock-Pot's Website.

Combine all dried spices in a small bowl.  Rub this mixture all over the chicken, inside and out.  Place the bird in the crockpot breast side down.  This keeps the breast meat nice and moist.  That's right, there is no liquid in this recipe.  The chicken juice makes a lovely broth.  Cook on low 8 hours.  The longer you cook it the more tender the meat.  I cooked mine 8 hours on low and then it sat another 4 on warm.  It was so good, very moist, not dry at all!

Now what about all that broth in the crockpot?  We are going to use it!  Waste not, want not!  Now, if you are like me you do not dig crockpot cooked chicken skin, so you probably have the skin leftover, oh and those bones, no one eats those.  So we are going to make homemade stock with them, thanks for the Happy Housewife!  Pick your jaw up off the floor and lets go!

Pick the leftover chicken off the bone.  Put in a freezer bag and freeze.  This makes a great shortcut for soup, chicken pot pie, chicken salad, or homemade fried rice.

Oh the possibilities!

Now take what's left (bones and skin) and put in the crockpot with the leftover chicken juices.  Add 5 cups of water and cook all night on low.

Here's what it will look like, gross right now, great later!

In the morning, strain out the skin and bones and you are left with homemade chicken broth!  Put this in a container and place in the fridge.  After the broth cools it will have a layer of fat on the top, scrap that off and BAM delicious broth from things you were going to throw away!

Stay tuned, I will post that yummy carrot recipe too :)