Am I missing something? whole chicken in the slow cooker

[meriad]

Well feedback as requested. The chicken itself was really soft and tender and literally fell off the bone. I had some this evening and now have enough left to make another three, if not four meals (it was a large chicken though). You won't get the crispy skin you get when roasting a chicken and I do think the flavour is a bit more subtle so you need to spice it a bit more, but I definitely will be doing this again. Esp as I tend to use a chicken for various dishes; the meat is so tender and easy to split from the bones.

The one thing I would do differently next time is not add any stock or if I add then a lot less. I put in one cup to start which, once the chicken was added, was about 2cm up the side of the slow cooker; by at the end, when I took the chicken out it was about 10cm (so 1/4" gone up to 2" - for those who prefer imperial ) which means most of the chicken boiled in water vs it's own juices and that I think is what may have reduced the flavour a bit.

[Workingman]

Well, not bad for a first attempt, Ria. I am so pleased that you liked it.

One of the reasons that I turn the chicken is because of the build up of juices in the original stock - it is amazing how much there is. It is not as though it is a disaster, just personal choice. I do not mind the backbone and the Parson's nose being in the fluid, but I prefer the meat I am going to eat - legs, thighs and breast - to cook in the moist atmosphere of the crock-pot.

I have to say that my coffee mug of starter stock only just wets the base of the pot, about 1cm, something to look at for next time - one of those things. BTW, was a lot of the fluid build up in the form of fat/oil?

[Weka]

Sorry, I can't read all the replies, but here's how I cook mine

Open chicken packet
Place in slow cooker
Turn onto low
Put kid on
Walk away

Come nighttime it's half full of liquid. I then use some of that to flavour a gravy.
Sometimes I make a stock out of the liquid after the chickens cooked by chopping up so e Veges and filling the slow cooker with water, then I leave it on all night and strain and freeze it the ex tray when I have a chance.


Sometimes I make a rub to put over the chicken for a bit of extra flavour, but then I have kids who like bland food, so that's not often.

[Kaz]

It does sound nice, but I'm like Debih and like my chicken roasted The cost of energy thing though when you are cooking for one has to be an issue - and slow cookers only use the same as a lightbulb! A lot cheaper than an oven........My MIL has a small slow cooker and uses it loads!

[Diflower]

You could always spatchcock it - turn upside down, cut each side of backbone, remove it, turn chicken over and push down on breastbone to flatten it. Or just cut the whole thing in half, and roast both or half at a time.
Then it takes about 40-50 mins