Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Lemon-Herb Slow-Cooked Chicken





From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Those of you who read One Perfect Bite on a regular basis know that I have mixed feelings about crock-pot cooking. Actually, I should say slow-cooker cooking. Crock-Pot is a trademarked name that should only be used to describe slow-cookers made by Rival. Whatever you call it, the appliance was a godsend for busy women when it first arrived in American kitchens. It then fell out of vogue and was relegated to a decade of basement storage. There was a resurgence in it's popularity about six years ago and it once again claims counter space in our kitchens. Some problems with it's use have been overcome, others haven't. I speak now for myself, so please understand there are others of a different mind. I, then and now, have a problem with the texture of meat left for overly long periods of time in a slow-cooker. I'd like to be kind but the word mush is what comes to my mind. Years ago, meals made in the slow-cooker all tended to taste the same. That's to be expected when everything is seasoned in the same way and left to cook for hours. At the end of an eight hour stew it was really difficult to identify the kind of meat you were eating. Today there's a wealth of wonderful recipes for the slow-cooker but you still have to be careful. I've had some success in developing recipes, but because I'm lazy by nature I've become even more adept at identifying outstanding recipes created by others. Today's recipe is a "found" creation. It comes from the 17th Winning Taste Recipe Contest, now sponsored by Pilgrim's Pride Chicken, and was developed by Leslie Pew for that competition. If you decide to try this, make sure you cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch slices and please, please, please don't overcook the chicken. I cook it on HIGH power for 4 hours. Let the chicken sit for ten minutes before you slice it. While it's resting, strain and degrease the liquid in the pot. It can be reduced or thickened with a little cornstarch or flour and it makes a wonderful sauce for the chicken. I really like this recipe. As you can see it's beautiful to look at. Save for the limp skin you'd never know that it was made in a slow-cooker. If you are a devotee of slow cooking, you'll love this recipe. It's outstanding for its kind.

Lemon-Herb Slow-Cooked Chicken
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Leslie Pew and Pilgrim's Pride Chicken

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, about 4 to 5 pounds, giblets removed
1 onion, diced
1 head garlic, peeled, trimmed, cloves left whole
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 medium lemon, juiced and zest removed
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (about 3/4-ounce)
1/2 cup chopped fresh rosemary
1 onion, quartered
1 bay leaf
4 potatoes, thickly sliced
1 lemon, quartered
Fresh basil, rosemary or lemon slices, garnish, optional

Directions:
1) Rinse chicken and place in large bowl. Set aside.
2) Place onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, basil and rosemary in bowl, stirring to combine. Pour half of basil-rosemary mixture over chicken, coating chicken inside and out. Place quartered onion and bay leaf inside chicken cavity. Tie legs together at end of drumsticks if desired and place in large slow cooker (crock pot), about six-quart size.
3) Toss potatoes and quartered lemon in remaining half of basil-rosemary mixture. Add to slow cooker with chicken. Cover and cook 4 to 6 hours on High or 6 to 8 hours on Low heat. Chicken is done when temperature reaches 180°F on meat thermometer. Remove chicken and vegetables to serving dish and garnish if desired with fresh basil, rosemary or lemon zest. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Cook's Note: If desired, gravy may be made from broth accumulated while cooking chicken. Per each generous cup of broth, combine 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons broth in saucepan. Cook, stirring until thick, then slowly add broth. Stir until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Variation: Chicken and vegetables may be roasted, uncovered in a 350 degree F oven if a browned, crispy skin is desired. For gravy, chicken broth, white wine, or water may need to be added to the liquid in the roasting pan. Thicken as directed above.

This is being linked to Recipes from Pilgrim's Kitchen and Crock Pot Wednesday at Dining with Debbie

33 comments :

Sharing with Sherri said...

Oh I love meals that I can throw in a pot early in the day because by dinner time I'm usually too pooped out to cook!!

Thanks or stopping by to visit me!
Have a wonderful week!

Sherri:)

My Little Space said...

Oh dear, Mary,you done it again! This is such a wonderful meal.

Deb in Hawaii said...

Such nice color on the chicken. It looks so lemony and good!

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

Your recipes look fabulous and you manage to stay thin with all the cooking~ I'm in awe! Thanks for joining my giveaway too. Cindy

NKP said...

That looks great! I had no idea the skin would turn out so nicely in a slow cooker.

chow and chatter said...

great recipe

Patsyk said...

I'm not a big fan of slow cookers. Like you, I find most of what comes out at the end to be mush. Your chicken looks perfect though, so there may be hope!

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

Your slow-cooker chicken looks delicious. I gave my Crock-Pot to Goodwill when I retired 10 years ago...wow, that long ago...and during the ensuing years, have thought about getting a new one. Then, I think, I am retired, I can grill year round, why would I want to do that. Possibly, this recipe would convince me.

Selba said...

What a wonderful chicken... I wish I could have a bite of it :)

Cathy said...

Slow cookers are great timesavers, especially for working moms. I don't use mine much any more, but every once in a while it saves the day. This recipe sounds delish, Mary, and I'll save it for one of those frantic days when dinner needs to be ready when I walk in the door at night. Thanks.

Creative Classroom Core said...

This sounds amazing! Yum!

Joy Tilton said...

I can taste the lemony goodness! This is a very good recipe that I'll use often, thanks Mary.
joy c.

pigpigscorner said...

Wonderful presentation and it sounds amazing, packed full of flavours.

Country Wings in Phoenix said...

Hi Mary!
Update on Amy! The doctors came in, they talked to Amy and were finally able to get the IV started. Ladies we start praying, it will be 2 more hours now, Amy is back in the procedure room. The Dr.s like to use the artery on the right side of the groin, but Amy had cancer there at the age of 10 and there is scar tissue there, so it may not be possible on the right side and they may have to go to the left. Debbie said that Amy was hesterical this morning, but after talking to the Dr. she had calmed down. The Dr. said they will occlude the corotid artery for 30 minutes, if she shows no sign of a stroke then she will be scheduled for surgery, if at any time in those 30 minutes if she shows a sign of stroke, then the surgery will not be possible. We have jumped the first hurdle with prayer, we move on to the second. Thank you so much for loving our family, Sherry

Pam said...

There is something so comforting about slow cooked chicken - looks great Mary.

Anonymous said...

This looks and sounds fresh and yummy.

Marta said...

I resort to slow-cookers only when desperate. I'm not crazy about the texture or flavour of the results. Like you, I want to say mush!
This looks great, though, a nice recipe to change up the boring old chili!

Anonymous said...

I just put beef in my slow cooker so that I can just rest this afternoon, and I agree in some cases it is the perfect solution. I throw my own seasoning concoction in with it that usually involves onion, garlic and beef stock. At dinner my husband thinks I am a genius, and I don't bother to tell him differently.

theUngourmet said...

Your chicken came out very nicely in the crock. I agree with your statement about the skin. I really enjoy the skin crispy and you just don't get that with a slow cooker.

I've never tried putting a whole fryer in my crock. I may just have to try it.

Gaby said...

oh wow... this looks so delicious! I love meals that are 1 pot wonders!

Olga said...

I've never ever cooked a whole chicken :)

Lyndas recipe box said...

I was surprised to find that this is a slow cooker reipe-it looks so gorgeous!You are right about the chicken skin being mush, but I'll have to try this dish anyway! Thanks for sharing this.

Jann said...

I need to pull out my pot and try this!

Katy ~ said...

I work at home full time so this would be a perfect meal to start on my lunch break to have for dinner later on. It looks so good!

Martha said...

I'm not a crock pot devotee either. Although I have one it is rarely used. I did work for Rival (pre crock pot days), however. They built their business on the can opener!

I did find that a frozen chicken is much better to crock pot than a thawed one . . .

Anonymous said...

oh my god, that looks absolutely flavorful and delicious! A meal fit to impress, yet pretty simple!

Donna-FFW said...

I love that this delicious meal is prepared in the crockpot.. The lemon flavor must be so wonderful in this!

Lisa said...

That is one good looking chicken for having come from a slow cooker. I don't mind a slow cooker but it is nice when the meal wasn't obviously done there.

veron said...

Looks and sounds delicious! I love the ingredients of balsamic, garlic, rosemary, basil and ofcourse the lemon!

Allie said...

Mary, your food is always so beautiful. Even when you cook things I don't normally like, I want to taste them! This one looks wonderful as well - it reminds me of a lovely chicken served at a Greek restaurant here in Houston. Except much less expensive and with minimal work involved!

Mary Bergfeld said...

Allie, I just wanted you to know that that is the nicest compliment I've had in weeks :-). You've made me a happy camper.

Anonymous said...

Oh boy does this chicken sound really good. I really need to give this a try.

CC said...

Either way, this chicken sounds wonderful. I like crispy skin better..so I may try the oven variety. Hope your week is a lovely one..

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Printfriendly