Slow Cooker Roast Chicken And Vegetables

Slow Cooker Roast Chicken And Vegetables – I love using my slow cooker year-round.  In the cold months, it works to keep us filled with hearty soups and stews, and in the warm months it keeps my kitchen cool.  This one pot slow cooker meal has been a lifesaver on more than one occasion for my family.   When slow cooking whole birds such as chicken or turkey there are a few things you need to know.  First of all, slow cookers provide a moist cooking environment but, won’t crisp the skin.  If you enjoy crispy skin, you’ll need to go one extra step and place the bird under the oven boiler for a few minutes at the end of cooking to brown and crisp the skin.  The color of the finished product will also depend on the seasoning rub used.  For this roast chicken, I used rotisserie chicken seasoning and I crisped the skin under the broiler for 4 minutes.  If you opt to use a seasoning that doesn’t have paprika or some sort of crushed red chili in it, the color of your chicken may appear different. Also, slow cookers just like ovens, can vary in intensity of heat, so adjust the cooking time based on how your equipment cooks.

The vegetables in this dish form a sort of tasty “rack” for the chicken to sit on and the juices and seasoning from the chicken lend a spectacular flavor to them while cooking.  Experiment with your favorite root vegetables and enjoy roast chicken with very little effort.

Ingredients you’ll need:
1 [5] lb whole chicken
5 medium potatoes, sliced 1-inch thick
2 cup sliced carrot or baby carrots
1 sweet onion, sliced into wedges
1 rib celery, sliced
4 whole clove garlic, peeled
4 Tbsp softened butter, divided
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 sprig fresh rosemary
black pepper to taste
Suggested seasoning choices: Rotisserie Chicken, BBQ dry rub, seasoned salt, lemon pepper, Herbs de Provence, Italian, or Mediterranean seasoning

Directions:
Spray the inside of a 6 quart oval slow cooker, or similar with cooking spray.  Arrange the sliced vegetables and garlic cloves on the bottom of the slow cooker.  Season lightly with the same seasoning used for the chicken and black pepper to your taste. Reserve one or two wedges of onion to stuff into the bird.

Rinse and pat dry the chicken.  Rub inside and out with 3 Tbsp softened butter or drizzle with olive oil, if preferred.  Season the chicken inside and out with the seasoning of choice, running your fingers under the skin to loosen and allow you to season under the skin of the breast and legs, too.  Place the reserved onion wedges and 2 sprigs of fresh thyme inside of the bird.  Center the bird on top of the vegetables.  Dot with the remaining 1 Tbsp butter.  Make sure the lid is secure.

Cook on high for 4 hours or until the juices run clear.  Using a meat thermometer 170°F inserted into the thigh. [Tip: Slow cookers can vary in intensity of heat. I recommend that you check at 4 hours, and increase the cooking time as needed, based on how your slow cooker cooks]

Optional:
To crisp the skin, carefully remove to an oven safe dish and place under the oven broiler for 3-5 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes, then carve and serve drizzled with the jus from the slow cooker  Yield: 8 servings

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Slow Cooker Roast Chicken And Vegetables

Servings 8 Servings

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

• 1 [5] lb whole chicken
• 5 medium potatoes sliced 1-inch thick
• 2 cup sliced carrot or baby carrots
• 1 sweet onion sliced into wedges
• 1 rib celery sliced
• 4 whole clove garlic peeled
• 4 Tbsp softened butter divided
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• black pepper to taste
• Suggested seasoning choices: Rotisserie Chicken BBQ dry rub, seasoned salt, lemon pepper, Herbs de Provence, Italian, or Mediterranean seasoning

Instructions

1. Spray the inside of a 6 quart oval slow cooker, or similar with cooking spray.
2. Arrange the sliced vegetables and garlic cloves on the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Season lightly with the same seasoning used for the chicken and black pepper to your taste. Reserve one or two wedges of onion to stuff into the bird.
4. Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Rub inside and out with 3 Tbsp softened butter or drizzle with olive oil, if preferred.
5. Season the chicken inside and out with the seasoning of choice, running your fingers under the skin to loosen and allow you to season under the skin of the breast and legs, too.
6. Place the reserved onion wedges and 2 sprigs of fresh thyme inside of the bird. Center the bird on top of the vegetables.
7. Dot with the remaining 1 Tbsp butter. Secure the lid.
8. Cook on high for 4 hours or until the juices run clear. Using a meat thermometer 170°F inserted into the thigh.
9. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.
10. Optional:
11. To crisp the skin, carefully remove to an oven safe dish and place under the oven broiler for 3-5 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes, then carve and serve drizzled with the jus from the slow cooker