Shake It On- Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken

This is a recipe that isn't really a recipe because I don't measure any of it.  The first time that I made this I had a bulb of garlic that needed to be used so I just went with it from there.  I had seen a few different recipes for 30 or even 40 cloves of garlic and a whole chicken.  But I was seriously scared to try that much so I started out small.  This was not my first time making a whole chicken in the slow cooker, as a matter of fact I cook it that way often.  8 Spice Lemon Chicken, Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken, and BBQ Rubbed Slow Cooker Chicken are a few of my family's favorites.  All of these recipes are incredibly easy and they are sure to please even the pickiest eaters!

Ingredients:

• 15 Garlic Cloves (or 1 bulb)
• 1/2 of an Onion
• Salt
• Pepper
• Paprika
• Rosemary
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 6 lb Whole Chicken
• White Wine

Serves 6-8

This fed my family of  TWICE!!!

Rinse and pat dry the chicken.  Peel garlic, slice onion, and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Sprinkle all sides of the chicken with the spices.  Place chicken in slow cooker breast side up.  

 Place a couple tablespoons of butter under the skin of the chicken.  Place about a half a cup of white wine in the bottom of the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Chicken will be so moist and delicious!  It will fall apart!

Follow the Magical Moms on Facebook and Pinterest for weekly menu ideas, crafts, and Disney Magic.  

30 Minute Chicken- Magical Mom Style

So last week both Tracy and I had Pampered Chef parties. One of the items we both got with our free product was the Deep Covered Baker. We quickly found out this baker has a multitude of uses, one of them being you can cook a whole chicken in the microwave in 30 minutes!! Pampered Chef does have a recipe on their website for a chicken, but you know I can't just copy a recipe, I have to make it my own!

Anyway, I used our old standby recipe for herb butter and smoothed it all underneath the skin of the chicken. Yes, underneath. The skin is water tight, so if you put the butter on the outside it doesn't really soak into the meat. Trust me, under the skin is the way to go.

Don't worry, if you don't have the baker, you can cook this in a large corningware, or just cook in your oven or crockpot (but it will take a heck of a lot longer). It will still taste delicious!

Herb butter:

• 1/2 stick real butter
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary and thyme
• 1/2 tsp. lemon zest

Bring butter to room temp and mix in the herbs.

Chicken spices:

• 1 Tbsp. paprika
• Dashes garlic powder, thyme, black pepper and salt

Make sure to clean out the chicken's insides. cut any extra fat and rinse the chicken. As I mentioned above, rub the herb butter under the chicken skin. Sprinkle the spices on top. Mist the baker with olive oil and place chicken inside. Cook in microwave for 30 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees. Remove from microwave, cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Yummy!!

BBQ Rub for Slow Cooker Chicken

 

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 3/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Mustard
• A Couple Dashes of Cayenne Pepper
• 4-5 lb Whole Chicken

Combine all ingredients, except chicken, in a small bowl.  Mix spices together to make it easier to evenly distribute them.  Clean and rinse inside of chicken.  Pat dry with a paper towel.  Cover with spice mixture and you can even put some inside the chicken.  Place chicken in slow cooker.  Add about a cup of water to the bottom of the slow cooker.

Cook on HIGH for about 4 hours or low for about 6 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

I served with Fried Noodles and Steamed Broccoli.

I can get two meals out of this chicken, I will use the leftovers to make BBQ Chicken Wraps

Slow Cooker 8 Spice Lemon Chicken

This is by far one of my favorite chicken recipes.  I think it is because of the ease of making it, the flavor and juiciness of the chicken, and the fact that my whole family LOVES it!  I am sure I will be making this again soon.  

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon White Pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
• Lemon
• about 2 Tablespoons of Butter
• 1 5-7 pound Whole Chicken  (I usually cook one and freeze one)

 Clean and rinse chicken.  Pat dry with paper towel, you want the chicken to be dry so the spices will stick to it.  Combine all 8 spices in a bowl to form a rub for the chicken.  Cover chicken with rub and place in slow cooker.  Next, pour 1/2 cup of chicken broth in bottom of the slow cooker.  Sprinkle a little lemon zest on chicken and then squeeze the juice of  the lemon on the chicken.  Place a couple of pats of butter on top.  Cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Remove chicken from slow cooker and let rest for about 5 minutes before you serve.  

Enjoy!  If you have any leftovers, this chicken is great for shredding and using in the Perfect Picnic Chicken Salad.

This recipe was featured in Two Magical Moms March Menu Madness and our Appetizing April Menu.  Check out the menus and try out some of our other YUMMY recipes!

***When preparing for Freezer, rub chicken with spice mixture and place in freezer bag.  Place in refrigerator on the day before cooking to allow time for thawing.  Then cook in slow cooker as stated above.