Slow Cooker Archives - Page 5 of 8

Garlic Thyme Chicken {Slow Cooker Recipe}

It’s hard to believe that in a few short weeks, it’s back-to-school season! With the hustle-bustle of that time of year, I always make sure to schedule as many quick-n-easy dinners as possible on my meal plans those first few weeks.

Lately, I’ve been perfecting a few new slow cooker recipes – cause nothing could be easier than tossing in a bunch of fresh ingredients and coming home to a delicious home cooked meal!

This Slow Cooker Garlic Thyme Chicken is a newfound favorite – it’s truly a garlic lovers dream! My inspiration for this recipe came from the wonderful cookbook “Make it Fast, Cook it Slow.” Author Stephanie O’Dea has so many delicious gluten-free crockpot recipes that are wonderful as is, or can easily be tweaked to suit your personal taste preferences, or dietary lifestyle.

So it is with this recipe … I modified it by changing out the seasonings and I chose to use chicken thighs instead, since they cook so beautifully in the crockpot. I also prefer to use skinless chicken in the crockpot, as the skin can become quite rubbery. A tip to overcome that issue is to follow the slow cooking process with a quick broil in the oven to crisp the skin, as I often do when making Slow Cooker Roasted Chicken. However, for the sake of ease, we’ll forgo the crispy skin, because this recipe is delicious without that extra step.

By the way, if you love slow cooking as much as we do, be sure to check out my SLOW COOKER RECIPES section – it’s a quick way to reference some of my family’s favorite easy, healthy slow cooker recipes.

P.S. If you’re not quite sure about using 20 cloves of garlic, then you can always reduce the amount a bit to suit your taste. But personally, the buttery melt-in-your-mouth texture of slow cooked garlic, combined with its mellow garlic taste, is what makes this recipe one of my personal favorites!

Garlic Thyme Chicken {Slow Cooker Recipe}

Yield: 5-6 servings

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
1 tbsp olive oil
20 garlic cloves (about 2 large heads of garlic)
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp fresh-ground black pepper

Instructions

In the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, evenly distribute the sliced onion along the bottom.
Smash and peel the garlic cloves, making sure to gather 15-20 large cloves. (See note below on "how to smash garlic," if you're unfamiliar with this method.)
Place the chicken thighs into a large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add the smashed garlic cloves and toss to combine.
Sprinkle the seasonings across the top of the chicken-garlic mixture and toss until chicken is well coated with seasonings.
Transfer the chicken-garlic mixture to the slow cooker and cover.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours. Serve with a side of your favorite veggies.

Notes

How to Smash Garlic Cloves: Smashed whole garlic cloves provide a much mellower flavor than minced garlic which is why this method is used in many oven roasted and slow cooker recipes. To smash garlic, simply separate the garlic cloves and smash each whole clove with the flat side of a knife. To do this, carefully place the flat side of a large chef's knife on the garlic clove, then strike the knife with your palm to flatten the clove. Of course, it goes without saying you need to be careful! (I always make sure to position the blade of the knife against the cutting board to ensure it doesn't come into contact with my hand.) Once you've smashed the garlic clove, peel the skin off of the clove and add it to your dish.

https://thenourishinghome.com/2014/08/slow-cooker-garlic-thyme-chicken/

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post include affiliate links, providing The Nourishing Home a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make a purchase, but if you do, it helps to support this site and ministry. Thank you!

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Slow Cooker Roasted Chicken (GF)

By Kelly · 38 Comments

Growing up in the South, Sunday Dinner was a weekly family tradition – a special time when the whole family gathered around the table to share a home-cooked meal, and even more important our lives! It was such a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with each other, and often get to know others too, as many a guest graced our table.

Of course, now that I have a family of my own, it’s one of the cherished memories that my husband and I have committed to passing down to our children too. And although we gather around the table as a whole family nearly every night of the week, there is still something extra special about Sunday Dinner together.

Perhaps it’s because it’s the one uninterrupted family day we have together – no work, no school, no bustling here-n-there to sports and activities. Just a day to enjoy intentional time together as a family.

Roasting a whole chicken is super easy in a crockpot. Just toss in the ingredients and go about your day. A delicious, juicy, tender bird will be waiting for you!

So in order to spend more time with my family (and less time in the kitchen), I try to keep our Sunday Dinner menu as simple and easy to prepare as possible. That’s why this delicious slow cooker roasted chicken is one of my favorites. It’s especially easy to prepare if you chop the veggies and make the seasoning ahead of time.

Bonus! A whole roasted chicken results in more than one meal!

Lots of Leftovers = Easy Meals on Busy Weeknights!
Another thing I love about this recipe is that there’s always plenty of leftover chicken meat that I can use to create other healthy meals later in the week when our schedules are crazy busy, such as easy Zoodle Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry, Creamy Chicken Soup and Chicken & Mango Lettuce Wraps, for example.

And if that’s not enough, once I’ve stripped the chicken bones of all the meat, I put the bones back into my crockpot along with some fresh chopped veggies to create a nutritious bone broth that can be used as a base for my family’s favorite soups and stews.

Slow Cooker Roasted Whole Chicken (GF)

Yield: One 5lb. whole chicken yields about 6 cups of shredded chicken meat

Ingredients

1 4-5 lb. whole organic chicken
1 large onion
1 medium carrot
1 stalk of celery
1 small lemon
1 head garlic
1 bunch fresh thyme

Savory Seasoning Mix

2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

Lightly coat the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker with olive oil or coconut oil.
In a small bowl, combine all of the Seasoning Mix ingredients; set aside.
Cut the onion in half. Then cut each half into quarters. Cut the carrot and celery into 2 inch pieces. Cut the lemon into 4-5 thick slices. Smash and peel all of the cloves in one head of garlic.
Place half of the onion into the bottom of the crockpot. Then add all of the chopped carrot and celery, along with 1/3 of the garlic cloves.
Next, remove the giblets and neck from inside the chicken and reserve for making stock. Thoroughly rinse the bird in cool running water, trim away any excess skin. (If you are not planning to crisp the skin in the oven, I recommend removing the skin altogether as it will become rubbery in the crockpot). Once you’ve finished cleaning the bird, pat it dry with paper towels.
Rub the seasoning mixture all over the chicken. Then stuff with the remaining onion and 1/3 of the garlic cloves, along with a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Place the bird breast side up in crockpot and top with the sliced lemon, remaining garlic cloves and a few sprigs of fresh thyme.
Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Chicken is finished when an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees.
To crisp the skin (if you’ve left it intact), carefully transfer the bird to a broiler pan. Set oven to broil and position the bird about 10-12 inches from the heat source. Broil for approximately 4-5 minutes, just until skin browns and crisps. Delicious and easy! (Remember to save the chicken bones to make easy and healthy homemade slow cooker bone broth!)

Notes

Recipe Variation: For a more traditional garlic-infused bird, omit the lemon and add 6-8 crushed garlic cloves to the top of the bird instead. Super flavorful and makes a wonderful gravy, as noted below.

How to Make Gravy: If you’d like to make gravy using the accumulated juices from the crockpot, remove any large pieces from the liquid. Place a fine mesh strainer over a heatproof 2-cup measuring cup, and carefully pour the liquids into it. Skim off the fat from the top, then transfer the liquid to a small saucepan. Dissolve one tablespoon of arrowroot powder in a small bowl with two tablespoons of water. Whisk thoroughly to form a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the juices while bringing the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn heat down to medium and continue to whisk until gravy thickens (about 4-5 minutes). Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Place gravy into serving dish and serve alongside the roasted chicken.

https://thenourishinghome.com/2014/02/slow-cooker-roasted-chicken-gf/

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post include affiliate links, providing The Nourishing Home a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make a purchase, but if you do, it helps to support this site and ministry. Thank you!

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How to Make Slow Cooker Bone Broth

By Kelly · 46 Comments

I love finding frugal ways to make use of all of our food. So rather than tossing out those leftover bones from a roasted chicken (or turkey), I use them to create a delicious and nutritious bone broth.

It’s especially easy to make bone broth in the slow cooker since it allows you to simmer the bones for an extended period of time without having to look after it. A long, low simmer is one of the best ways to extract more of the beneficial minerals and rich gelatin, which helps to heal the gut.

In fact, there are so many benefits to homemade bone broth, including
• Full of protein, amino acids and essential minerals
• Acts as a digestive aid and promotes healing and support for the gastrointestinal track
• Provides a rich source of gelatin and collagen
• Supports healthy joints and a healthy immune system

So I encourage you to make use of every single bit of those leftover chicken bones (or turkey bones) and put on a crockpot of bone broth. Your body (especially your gut) will thank you!

(P.S. If you don’t have any chicken bones on hand, you can still cook up a batch of delicious and nutritious chicken meat stock by following my simple stovetop method utilizing a whole uncooked bird.)

How to Make Slow Cooker Bone Broth
{step-by-step instructions}

Step One:
Be sure to remove all of the meat from your roasted chicken (or turkey). As shown below, the carcass should look like it was attacked by a pack of hungry piranhas – seems a bit graphic, but the point is, you want to retrieve as much of the meat as possible for making future meals.

Step Two:
Place the bones, giblets (if you have some), and some fresh chopped veggies and herbs into a six-quart slow cooker. It’s important to note that if you want to achieve a great gel, using extra jointy-bones is key. This excellent article from my friend Kristen, really helps clarify how to achieve bone broth with a great gel.

There is no exact recipe, so use what you like. But as a baseline, I like to include with the chicken bones:
• 4-5 small carrots with tops, chopped
• 3-4 stalks of celery with leaves, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• A handful of fresh parsley and thyme

Then add about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (the acidity helps to draw out more of the beneficial minerals and gelatin). Next, add fresh filtered water, making sure to not overfill (see this article on the proper ratio of water to bones for the best gel). Cover the slow cooker and cook on low 12-18 hours.

Step Three:
You have two choices, you can either carefully ladle off as much broth as you need and replace with fresh water to create a perpetual stock (see Jenny’s idea here), or you can remove the large chunks of food and bones from the crockpot and carefully pour the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl.

Storing Stock:
Homemade stock can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for several months. Once stock has cooled, I like to place it into 2-cup portions in BPA-free plastic containers and store in the freezer for easy access when I need to use it in recipes. If you’ll be using the stock within a week, a good option is to simply store it in mason jars (or clean recycled glass jars) and place in the refrigerator.

Note: It’s completely normal for your stock to develop a nice thick solid jell across the top when refrigerated. In fact, it’s not only “normal,” it’s the true sign of a good stock. Do not skim this off, this thick layer of rich fat and gelatin is loaded with healthy nutrients!

Using Stock in Your Favorite Recipes:
Homemade bone broth is far superior in taste to any stock sold in cans or boxes. And most important, it’s far superior in nutritional value as well. It’s perfect for making your favorite soups and stews, as well for drinking daily as part of a gut-health-improvement regime.

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How to Make Slow Cooker Bone Broth {step-by-step instructions}

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How to Make Slow Cooker Bone Broth
{step-by-step instructions}