Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot with Parsley, Garlic and Cilantro

 

It has been in the 90s around here and if you know me, you know that I hate to fire up my oven when it is so hot outside. I bought a whole chicken at the grocery store and today was the last day before expiration. For the first time, I decided to attempt to slow cook an entire bird. I have cooked just about everything in a crock pot, but not a whole chicken. It takes about 7 hours total to cook, so I threw everything together before we left for church this morning. The chicken was so moist and tender and fell right off the bone and the potatoes absorbed all of that wonderful garlic and onion flavor. It was just out of this world good! I have a good 3/4 lb of leftovers, too! Now that I know it is possible to slow cook a whole chicken, I will be doing this on a regular basis, especially on hot, busy days.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken
• 4 potatoes, peeled and cut bite-size
  
• 4 carrots, Peeled and cut bite-size
• 1/2 onion, cut into rings; divided
  
• 12 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
  
• 1 tbsp dried cilantro
• 1/2 tsp paprika
  
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 c chicken broth
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Place the potatoes and carrots in the bottom of the crock pot. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  
• Pour chicken broth on top of the vegetables.
  
• Remove the gizzards from the chicken
• Rinse the chicken thoroughly and pat it dry with paper towels.
• Place the garlic cloves and half of the onion inside the cavity of the chicken.
  
• Rub olive oil over the entire chicken.
  
• Place the chicken breast side up in the crock pot on top of the vegetables.
• Season generously with salt, pepper, parsley, cilantro, paprika and garlic powder.
  
• Place the other half of the onion on top of the chicken.

• Cover and cook on low for 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours.
• Enjoy!