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Slow-Cooker Chicken and Gravy

Slow-cookers are handy year-round, but they are never more useful or appreciated than on these cold, short winter days. Which is probably why January is national Slow-Cooker Month!

From baked beans to cheesecake, there are so many ways to use your slow-cooker. Here are five ways we love to use ours:

1) Dinner: Simmer a stew, soup or roast all day for a no-fuss dinner that lets you enjoy the last bit of daylight after work.

2) Breakfast: Run the cooker overnight to make a hot breakfast porridge that’s ready when you wake up.

3) Dinner Party: Keep foods warm during the meal or cook ahead and free up stovetop cooking space (think mashed potatoes); brew and serve mulled wine, cider or other hot beverage.

4) Stock Up: Even if you’re not cooking for a crowd, you can still use your slow cooker to make a soup or stew to eat today and then stock your freezer with leftovers that are ready to heat and eat later.

5) Home Processing: Slow-simmer your own sauces and fruit butters for canning.

Read on for a Slow-Cooker Chicken and Gravy recipe you can make at home!

NOTE: Other recipes may say to use boneless, skinless chicken, but you’ll get the most flavor – and the best price – from bone-in pieces. There are still a few spots left for you to join us in our Cutting up a Whole Chicken class, where you’ll learn how to cut up a whole chicken and make other chicken comfort food recipes!

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Gravy

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 whole chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 pounds
  • Kosher salt
  • Cracked white pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1/4 cup diced carrot
  • 1/4 cup diced celery
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 lemon, juiced

INSTRUCTIONS:

Quarter the chicken, saving the back for stock (Place in freezer ziplock, bag and freeze for up to six months to make stock). Season the chicken pieces liberally with salt and pepper. Place in a slow cooker. Scatter the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and lemon juice over top of the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and set the temperature to high. Cook for 6 hours, undisturbed.

Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, also remove the thyme. Transfer all of the vegetables and juices to a small saucepan and use an immersion blender to puree into a gravy. (If you do not have an immersion or stick blender, feel free to put the ingredients in a regular blender.) Season with salt and pepper, and cook 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat to thicken. Plate chicken and serve with the thickened pan juices ladled over the top.