Do you have a crockpot?
Here is the easiest chicken recipe ever:
1. Slice an onion and lay the slices on the bottom of the crockpot.
2. Lay a whole chicken (breast side down) on top of the onions
3. Cook for 4 hours (high setting).
4. Pair with a side salad (with carrots and roasted sweet peppers – and 3/4 cup of carbs of your choice for a dinner serving).
That’s it. No need to add liquid. I found this recipe and it makes the juiciest chicken you’ve ever had (it falls off the bone it’s so tender). It’s one of my family’s favorite go-to’s during the busy fall and winter season. Whatever meat we have left, we use for our son’s school lunches. His favorite is Chicken & Apple Salad.
THEN use the bones to make homemade, preservative-free broth. For CHICKEN BROTH sauté onions, celery, and carrots for a few minutes, add 8-10 cups of water and the bones and simmer for 1-2 hours. Strain the liquid then season with a little sea salt and pepper. I like to pour it into a gallon sized pitcher and refrigerate overnight. In the morning scoop off all the fat from the top and now it’s easy to pour your low-fat broth into ice cube trays and snack sized ziplock baggies. Then freeze for future meals.
*The world’s top chefs use raw bones for making broth. My feeling is that you started with raw bones when you put your chicken into the crock pot 4 hours ago – you are simply extending the time it cooks when you make broth immediately. And I love that you are using everything from 1 whole chicken – for multiple meals.
Kirin Christianson
