WFMW: Chicken in the Crock-Pot

I love my Crock-Pot.

I love chicken.

I love saving time and money.

When I first heard people talking about cooking a whole chicken in a Crock-Pot, I was skeptical. As much as I love my slow-cooker, I couldn't imagine that a whole chicken would turn out right. Whenever I roasted a whole chicken in the oven, it was a hassle and the meat was a little dry, so it wasn't worth it. Wouldn't doing it in the Crock-Pot just make a long process longer?

Boy, was I wrong!

I gave it a try and was immediately hooked. It's easy! Cheap! And best of all, it's yummy and moist.

Here's what I do:

1. Buy a whole chicken.
2. Early the next morning, rinse the chicken & put it in the Crock-Pot, breast side down.
3. Top with whatever seasonings tickle your fancy. I've used garlic salt + Italian seasoning, Lawry's seasoned salt, oregano + lemon peel...it all turns out good!
4. Put the lid on, and turn the Crock-Pot on low.
5. Ignore it for 8-10 hours.

That's it! That's all there is to it. Rinse chicken, sprinkle w/ seasoning, turn on Crock-Pot. When the chicken is done, I pull it out & let it cool before removing the meat from the bones. Then I take all of the skin, bones, fat, etc. and return it to the cooking juices in the Crock-Pot. I add about 4 cups of water, put the lid on, and cook it on low overnight. In the morning, I've got the most beautiful chicken broth just waiting to be strained & put in the freezer!

An additional tip: I have this big oval Crock-Pot, which is a pretty common model. I usually get a two-pack of whole chickens at Sam's Club, and I can cook them at the same time, side by side. It doesn't take any more effort, but it doubles the result - and I can always use more cooked chicken & broth in the freezer!

Saving money & time...yummy & moist chicken...works for me!

For more great tips, visit Works-For-Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family!