The Perfect Crock-Pot Chicken

I feel like this week snuck up on me like Pennywise in a storm sewer. Why am I hanging out in a storm sewer? Good question. And if Pennywise was there, I definitely wouldn't be. I actually haven't even seen "IT." I'm too much of a chicken to see scary movies. Speaking of chicken... I'll get to the point of this post! 

This week I couldn't seem to get my meal prep together like I normally do. It's times like these when I love crock-pot cooking the most! It's such a great way to make delicious meals while saving you time. I have been making this crock-pot chicken recipe forever. It's an ideal way to cook a pasture-raised or stewing chicken due to their tougher meat. For the longest time I felt like the recipe was a little too simple to share on the blog but then I realized that so many of you probably find yourselves in a time crunch, just like me. So if you're busy or just not sure what to make for the week, this recipe is for you! The chicken comes out perfectly tender yet not too soggy (which can be a problem with crock-pot cooking). The best part, it's super flavorful! You can pair it with different side dishes or use it as the main protein in different recipes for some variety throughout the week. 

I hope you all have a great week and enjoy the recipe! Also... if you've seen "IT," comment below to tell me what you thought of it!  

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (I used a pasture-raised fryer)
• 1 whole onion, without the skin
• 1 clove of garlic 
• Paprika
• Garlic powder  
• Salt 
• Pepper 
• foil or an aluminum pan 

Directions

1. Rinse chicken under cool water, remove and discard gizzards, pat dry with a paper towel. 
2. Generously season both the inside and outside of the chicken with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. 
3. Place the onion and garlic clover inside the cavity.
4. Tie the legs together if you have cooking twine or cut slits in the excess skin around the cavity, cross the legs and them into the slits.
5. Place 3-4 balls of foil (1/2-1 inch tall)  on the bottom of the crock-pot. Alternatively, you may cut three sections of an aluminum pan and curl them so the chicken is raised about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the crock-pot. 
6. Place the chicken on top of the foil or aluminum pan pieces. Cover and cook on an 8-hour cycle.  
7. When the cooking cycle is done, remove chicken. Make sure to reserve the cooking liquid to serve as gravy! 

Nutrition Content: 

4oz of dark meat with skin 

Calories: 235cal

• Protein: 31g
• Fat: 11g
• Carb: 0g
  • Fiber: 0g  

4oz of white meat with skin

Calories: 195cal 

• Protein: 29g
• Fat: 8g
• Carb: 0g
  • Fiber: 0g

*Please note the above information is an estimate