Crockpot Tuesday - Sticky Chicken

This didn't start out as a crockpot recipe, but it is one of, if not THE best, roasted chicken recipes ever! I love to share it!  It is supposed to replicate storebought rotisserie chicken, but I just think it's delicious.

I have had this recipe for a long time. Versions of it are available all over the internet but I want to be sure to credit the original authors.

According to the printout in my recipe box, written by Diane S., "this recipe was originally created by Mimi Hiller of Mimi's Cyber Kitchen, http://www.cyber-kitchen.com/ and this version was actually an adaptation written by Lynn Nelson of Busy Cooks,
http://busycooks.about.com/.  It is a very popular recipe, and has been floating around the internet for a long time without the proper credits to either of these fine ladies. If you have saved this recipe to your private recipe collections, please note the original authors on your copies, and be certain to pass this information along each time you share your copy (and believe me, this recipe is
fantastic, and you will be asked for it each and every time you prepare it
for someone ;-)."

Roast Sticky Chicken

1 large chicken -- (roasting)

1 cup onion -- chopped

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I use less than this)

2 teaspoons paprika

4 teaspoons salt


In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices. Remove giblets from chicken, clean the cavity well and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. Place in a re-sealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.


When ready to roast chicken, stuff cavity with onions, and place in a shallow baking pan (I prefer breast side down). Roast, uncovered, at 250 degrees F for 5 hours. (yes, 5 hours!) After the first hour, baste chicken occasionally (every half hour or so) with pan juices. (It may take awhile to have pan juices) The pan juices will start to caramelize on the bottom of pan and the chicken will turn golden brown.


If the chicken contains a pop-up thermometer, ignore it. Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before carving.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


NOTES : This recipe is a great way to roast a large chicken for planned leftovers, and it is very easy to make. This freezes well.

To prepare in the crockpot, select a chicken you are sure will fit in your crock.  Follow recipe as above but do not add any liquid.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  There will be a lot of juices in the bottom of the crock which are especially delicious the next day after they have cooled and the chicken fat can be skimmed from the top.  Once your family has devoured the delicious chicken, freeze the carcass and any remaining broth for make soup (I'll provide that recipe in another post).

Crockpot Cooking

Here at NeatnessCounts we are pleased to bring you Crockpot Tuesdays. These posts will focus on meal planning, and more often than not, the value of a crockpot, or slow cooker, in simplifying your life.

There is a WEALTH of information on crockpot cooking in the library and on the internet. Crockpots are relatively inexpensive but they do require a bit of knowledge for success. Crockpot recipes are generally more successful if the crock is full, so consider this when purchasing. You might have to experiment with cooking times, ingredients, and liquid amounts (very little is needed) before you find your staple recipes.

My first crockpot when I was single (almost 20 years ago!) was probably a 1 1/2 quart model and cost me about $10. A similar model now sells on Amazon for under $14. I now have a 5 quart Rival model with a removable crock and high and low settings. I definitely recommend a removable crock. You can assemble your dish the night before and place it into the warming unit in the morning without fear of the crock cracking. You can also store your leftovers afterwards.

If I were buying one today, I would also opt for a built in, programmable timer. This will allow you more versatility in cooking which some slow cooker recipes require. Of course, if you don't have a built in timer you can always get a separate timer which you plug the appliance into and then plug into the wall. Depending on the type of timer, this can be tricky though - I will never forget the time I tried to use the first timer I bought - a contraption which needed to be set by pegs or something, and I came home to a beautiful pot of chicken cacciatore, as ice cold as I had left it that morning! I had mis-set the timer and it didn't go off. My first clue was when I hit the front door and didn't smell anything cooking! So if you decide to use a separate timer, I recommend a digital model and practice setting it over the weekend before you leave the house with your intended dinner in the crockpot!

In honor of my timer gaffe, here's my recipe to get you started!

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 lbs chicken, cut up in pieces
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
1 can sliced tomatoes, drained
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons oregano (or to taste)
1 teaspoon dried basil (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

(You may also substitute a jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce for the tomato sauce and tomatoes - keep the tomato paste for thickness)

Directions
Place onions and peppers in bottom of crock pot.
Add chicken pieces.
Stir all the other ingredients together.
Pour over chicken.
Cook on low heat 7 to 9 hours or high heat for about 3 to 4 hours.
Serve over pasta or rice.

Enjoy!