Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

Slow cooker chicken recipes are the most popular of all slow cooker recipes because chicken is low in fat, not expensive to buy, and does not have such a strong flavour that it dominates the dish.

These slow cooker chicken recipes are also suitable for other poultry or wild game birds, but keep in mind that duck and goose have much more fat on them and will take more preparation to remove this.

The skin should be removed from poultry before slow cooking, (and kept for soup or stock), because, unlike in an oven, the skin will not come out brown and crisp.

Pre-prepared chicken breasts can be pricy, and it is not necessary to pay the extra money for these. Chicken thighs are much cheaper. It's very easy to pull the skin off, then trim the little fat remaining. In slow cooker recipes for chicken, chicken thighs get so tender that the meat falls off the bone.

For traditional ways of cooking chicken, have a look at Old Fashion Recipe.com

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Recipe

It is possible to roast a whole chicken in a slow cooker. The temperatures aren't as high as in an oven, but it will cook beautifully. There are two ways to approach this: leave the skin on and remove it afterwards, when it will come away easily, or take the skin off first.

For healthy eating, chicken is one of the lowest fat meats available, and to reduce fat further for slow cooking, I like to take the skin off first. You'll have noticed the amount of grease produced in an oven baking tray when roasting a chicken.

You can place the chicken on a metal trivet in the slow cooker, which will allow the juice to drain. Just add a small amount, (cup full), of water to the pot. Another method, which I prefer, is to lay a base of vegetables in the slow cooker and then place the chicken on those. The vegetables will cook in the chicken juice.

Whole Chicken Slow Cooker Recipes

Most of the fat from a chicken is removed by removing the skin, which doesn't cook well in a slow cooker in any case. The removed skin can be used for stock or gravy

Crockpot Lemon Chicken Recipe

This Crockpot Lemon Chicken Recipe immerses the chicken in its juices and uses them to flavour the risotto rice it's served with.

Slow Cooker Recipes for Chicken

The best value cuts of chicken for slow cooker chicken recipes are chicken thighs, which contain only one bone and are easy to skin. Chicken legs are slightly cheaper, but are harder to skin. The easiest of all, but more expensive, are prepared chicken breasts which have very little fat. Ideal for special occasions.

Crockpot Chicken And Dumplings

This crockpot chicken and dumplings slow cooker chicken recipe is very easy and versatile. I used parsnips, carrots and celery as a base. Any root vegetables can be used - cut chunky to keep the chicken above the gravy.

Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole

With bacon, celery and sweetcorn; served with broccoli and green beans. Rich and filling.

Slow Cooker Chicken Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

This tortilla soup slow cooker chicken recipe is mildly spicy and wonderfully fresh tasting. I like to take a little care with the presentation of chicken tortilla soup. Slow cooker recipes often benefit from the addition of fresh herbs and coriander complements the flavour of this soup.

Tips for Storing, Handling and Slow Cooking Chicken

Fresh chicken should be refrigerated at or below 40 degrees F. or 5 degrees C. as soon as possible. Use within two days. If freezing, do that straight away and the chicken will keep for up to two months.

Never cook chicken from frozen in slow cooker chicken recipes, the slow heat build up will encourage the growth of bacteria. Always defrost first.

Chicken can be de-frosted in the refrigerator, by microwave, or in cold water. If you want to defrost in a microwave, find tips on cooking with microwave the right way.

Don't start cooking chicken, (or browning), and then re-refrigerate to continue cooking at a later time. Warming it up without finishing the cooking process starts bacteria growing which will not be killed in the refrigerator.

Never add salt if you're using stock cubes for the stock. They are already salty. Taste before serving.

Slow Cooker Tips

Fill cooker to at least half full, but not more than two thirds

Almost cover the ingredients with liquid for good transfer of heat

Lifting the lid during cooking will lose heat, increasing cooking time, and causing moisture loss

If using sugary ingredients, either use a liner or non-stick spray to make cleaning easier

Defrost ingredients before cooking

Place ingredients that are slower to cook, such as root vegetables, at the bottom of the cooker

Cooking on 'high' takes half as long as cooking on 'low'

If you had a power cut, there is no way of knowing if food is cooked properly. Throw it out

Don't re-heat food in a slow cooker

Cheaper, tougher cuts of meat will be tenderised in a slow cooker

Soak dried beans for twelve hours and boil for ten minutes before adding to the cooker to remove toxins

Adding a little liquid and pre-heating the cooker gives food a fast start