It’s funny how some recipes come about.
This one does not have a very spectacular story.
It was a very normal day. I was feeling a little rushed, a bit tired and not overly motivated to think about dinner… AGAIN.
Yep, I have those days.
I was cleaning out the bottom of the fridge, you know, where you find 1/2 a zucchini that had seen better days, some slightly floppy celery and other bits and pieces that we’re too good to throw away but didn’t seem enough to make a special meal on their own.
I threw those bits and pieces into the slow cooker with a whole chicken and hoped that come dinner time, there wouldn’t be too many complaints.
What turned out was a very simple and humble meal of moist chicken, softly cooked vegetables and a nice chicken broth that we used some crusty bread to soak up. I placed the dish with the whole chicken, veggies and broth in the middle of the table with some tongs, a loaf of warm crusty bread on a board and told the family to help themselves.
Whole chooks are such a good way to feed a family. They are not expensive, and often there is some meat left over for lunches the next day. Our family love a Roast Chicken dinner (which will end up on the blog some day) but I do often throw a whole chook in the slow cooker for an easy make-ahead meal.
I have a few other favourite recipes for slow cooked whole chickens that I will post soon.
Ingredients
1 whole raw chicken, excess skin removed from around the neck area. Give the inside of the chicken a good rinse.
1/2 a lemon
2 carrots, roughly chopped (don’t even bother peeling them)
1 spanish onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
1 zucchini, roughly chopped
1 400gm can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
a handful of fresh oregano leaves (or a few teaspoons of dried)
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
Flat leaf parsley to serve
Method
Place the lemon half inside the cavity of the chicken.
Throw all of the other above ingredients in the slow cooker and cook for approximately 4 hours. (Low for 6 hours or High for 3-4)
Serve in a big dish, garnished with chopped parsley, straight to the table with some warm crusty bread to soak up all the juices.
