When it starts to get cool, I always felt it was time to dust my trusted slow cooker off. I should have used it more often in the Summer because it sure would have been better than turning on the stove! And I did occasionally use it for ribs. Mmmmmmm-mmmmmm!

I think that I just think “comfort food” when it comes to my slow cooker and that SCREAMS Fall/Winter to me! Soooo, time to dust of your slow cookers people – I’m talking to you too Cousin Kim! lol

Now, this recipe is something I made often but always turned out differently because when I cooked, I tended to use whatever I had on hand. Of course, my pantry was always well stocked and I ran out of something, I simply used something else. For example, I usually had fresh herbs growing in my kitchen window but if not I had the dried ones.

I have to say that this recipe is an estimate of what I used. My measuring tools were my palms. A small palm full of this or a large palm full of that. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your tastes.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 3 Tbsp. of herb butter, see notes below
• 2 onions, 1 chopped into bite sized pieces 1 halved
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 – 4 potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 celery stalks, cut into bite sized pieces
• carrots, okay sometimes I was lazy and used baby carrots BUT large carrots are more flavourful so use 3 and peel and cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup of water or broth
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Make herb butter. Place 3 Tbsp. of butter into a small bowl. Choose your herbs. I like a combination of 2 tsp. of dried rosemary, 1 tsp. of dried basil, 1 tsp. of dried thyme and sea salt and pepper. If you’re using fresh herbs you can use more, dried herbs are more potent. Adjust to your tastes.
2. Wash and pat dry chicken. Pull up skin and rub chicken with herb butter, inside and out. Place onion halves into the cavity of the chicken. Place chicken into your slow cooker.
3. Add carrots, celery, potatoes, garlic, remaining onions, bay leaves and water or stock. Season with salt and pepper.
4.  Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Note: When it is done cooking you can brown your chicken in the oven. I never did. I just cut the meat off the bone, well – it kind of just falls off.

You can save the liquid as stock or use some for gravy. I hope you enjoy my recipe and look forward to hearing about your adventures!

Happy cooking!