Easiest Chicken Ever

Some of my family members and I started a crock pot cooking club. Each Thursday someone picks a recipe to share. This week my mom shared her's friend's recipe for a crock pot chicken and stock. I simplified the recipe a little. I've cooked whole chickens on the rotisserie on the grill and in the oven, but I've never made one in the crock pot before. I can't believe it's taken me this long to try it! 

I used to pick up a cooked rotisserie at the grocery store on a semi-regular basis, but I don't know what they use for seasoning so I'm hesitant to give those to Tommy. Cooking the whole chicken in the crock pot was just as easy as picking one up at the store and it was much more moist. Plus, the crock pot was already dirty, so it was really easy to make stock from the chicken bones.

Now I have a bunch of leftover cooked chicken and homemade chicken stock with ingredients I know Tommy can eat! I'm already looking forward to chicken pot pie tomorrow and using the stock in turkey tetrazzini tonight.

I served the chicken with Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage and Panzanella. It was a beautiful night so we ate outside on the deck. It sure felt like fall with my kitchen filled with delicious smells and the crisp clear air outside. 

Easy Crock Pot Whole Chicken

2 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dry basil

1 tsp dry rosemary
1 large roasting chicken
1 chopped onion

1. Remove giblets from chicken and clean chicken.
2. Place chicken in crock pot. Top with remaining ingredients.

3. Cook on low 4-8 hours.

Easy Crock Pot Chicken Stock

2 carrots, peel and cut into large chunks

2 stalks celery, chopped

Pan drippings and bones from Easy Crock Pot Whole Chicken

Water

1. Add bones back to crock pot.
2. Add carrots and celery.
3. Fill crock pot with water. Leave on low overnight.
4. In the morning, strain and refrigerate or freeze the rich broth.