According to the calendar it certainly is spring, yet I continue to hear cries about lots of stubborn cold weather still hanging about! Well, I have the PERFECT dish for your family which bridges the gap beautifully between winter and spring dinners. How does a “rotisserie” chicken simmering away in your slow cooker sound to you? Warming and satisfying but not cloyingly heavy like many “stick-to-your ribs” winter meals…. Intrigued? Read on!
For Bunches More of Our Favorite Poultry Recipes, LOOK HERE!
It’s a given…a whole chicken cooked in the crockpot doesn’t have exactly the same appearance as one that has been roasted in an oven or rotisserie.
But just wait till you experience the INCREDIBLE TASTE!
Slow cooking a chicken in the crockpot does the most AMAZING job of sealing in the natural juices so that every bite is extremely succulent and tender.
And guess what? This dish makes the most terrific one-pot meal as all the veggies are cooked right along with the chicken!
So without further ado, check out this amazing recipe which by the way, happens to be one of the most popular recipes among MPM’s Facebook Fans!
Crockpot “Rotisserie” Chicken ‘n Vegetables
Yield: 4 to 6 servings (depending on size of chicken)
Click HERE for the full recipe, but in the nutshell, here is what you do:
Instructions
Dry Rub
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.
Chicken and Vegetables
According to the recipe, cut up all veggies, garlic and lemon.
Arrange celery, carrots, onions and sweet potatoes on bottom of crockpot.
Place chicken on top of vegetables. No need to add liquid…see Notes below.
Rub garlic cloves and lemon all over chicken, place both inside cavity.
Massage Dry Rub all over chicken. If any rub is remaining, massage inside cavity.
Cover; cook on High for 1 hour and Low for 4 to 5 hours. Or cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours until chicken is cooked through. (Chicken is cooked when internal temperature of the thigh reaches 170 degrees F. and juices run clear when pricked with a fork.) As crockpots vary, adjust cooking time as needed. Vegetables should also be fork-tender.
And just look at all that beautiful natural gravy that has formed without adding a drop of liquid to the crockpot! Sooooo was I right ????
Remove chicken to a cutting board. Separate wings, thighs and drumsticks; carve breast meat. The chicken will be so tender, it will practically fall off the bone!
You may ask…but what’s a perfectly roasted chicken without crispy skin? No worries! Just pop your cooked chicken (leaving out carved breast meat) under the broiler for a few minutes until your preferred level of crispiness is achieved. Rotate pan as needed. Watch carefully; do not allow skin to burn.
Arrange chicken and veggies on a serving platter or casserole dish. (If desired, remove celery.) Spoon juices over.
LOVE EVEN MORE VEGGIES? Then do consider serving this incredible “rotisserie” chicken with my Sheet Pan Roasted Root Veggies!
Crockpot “Rotisserie” Chicken ‘n Vegetables
Yield: 4 to 6 servings (depending on size of chicken)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 5 pound roasting chicken
- 4 cloves garlic crushed (or more if you like)
- 1 lemon cut into quarters
Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or more if you like
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 5 stalks celery sliced into fourths
- 1 pound carrots peeled (if desired), cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 large onion cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled, cut in half vertically and sliced
Instructions
- Coat the bottom and sides of crockpot with olive oil. (to prevent sticking)
Dry Rub
- In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.
Chicken and Vegetables
- Remove neck, giblets, etc. from chicken. (Save for another use if desired.) Pat chicken dry.
- Arrange celery, carrots, onions and sweet potatoes on bottom of crockpot.
- Place chicken on top of vegetables.
- Rub garlic cloves and lemon all over chicken, place both inside cavity.
- Massage Dry Rub all over chicken. If any rub is remaining, massage inside cavity.
- Note: no need to add liquid…see MPM Mini-Bites below
- Cover; cook on High for 1 hour and Low for 4 to 5 hours. Or cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours. Chicken is cooked when internal temperature of the thigh reaches 170 degrees F. and juices run clear when pricked with a fork. As crockpots vary, adjust cooking time as needed.
- Remove chicken to a cutting board. Separate wings, thighs and drumsticks; carve breast meat. The chicken will be so tender, it will practically fall apart!
- You may ask…but what’s a roasted chicken without crispy skin? No worries! Just pop your cooked chicken (leaving out carved breast meat) under the broiler for a few minutes until your preferred level of crispiness is achieved. Rotate pan as needed. Watch carefully; do not allow skin to burn.
- Arrange chicken and veggies on a serving platter or in a casserole dish. (If desired, remove celery.) Spoon juices over.
Notes
Notes
Size matters: this recipe was made using a 6-quart crockpot and a 5 pound chicken. Even with all the veggies, there was still plenty of room. Use your judgment; avoid purchasing a chicken that is larger than will fit into crockpot along with the veggies. (leaving some room to spare) If your crockpot is too crowded, there won’t be enough room to properly cook the chicken and veggies.
But what about adding liquid? It seems hard to believe, but the chicken and veggies will provide enough natural juices on their own during cooking without the need for additional liquid! However, if preferred, you can add a 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the bottom of the crockpot before adding the veggies.
Like a thicker gravy? Using an immersion blender (or a regular blender) puree about 1/3 of the natural juices and vegetables; combine with remaining juices and vegetables in crockpot. (Be careful not to puree too many vegetables as you want to be able to serve them with the chicken .)
Use your crockpot as a veggie steamer! During the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking try adding a layer of thin green beans (like haricot vert) or sliced zucchini and yellow squash around the chicken. When you are ready to eat, your veggies will be perfectly steamed!
Got leftovers? Extra cut-up chicken is wonderful in all kinds of salads as well as great to have for quickie dinners such as Build Your Own Chicken Tostadas.
Our Fans’ Favorite Crockpot Chicken Dishes
Coming to the Blog: Jeweled Israeli Couscous for Spring
Hungry for More?
I invite you to visit my Recipe Collections where lots of goodies such as goodies such as Edible Gifts, Favorite Crockpot Dishes, Winter Dishes, Favorite Poultry Dishes, Pack ‘n Go Lunch Favorites, Pudge-Busting Dishes, Dinners in a Flash, Freezer-Friendly Meals, and Healthier Indulgences are awaiting your discovery!
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Linda Shapiro, Meal Planning Maven
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