Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken, one of my favorites

I thought it might be appropriate to share a chicken recipe with you all considering my recent chicken shenanigans.  If I'm going to kill them, I've got to be able to cook them! I also have been promising this recipe to a dear friend of mine; Sarah, this one is for you, . . .

This recipe has been adapted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker,  by Beth Hensperger, which is an awesome cookbook for those of you who are interested in crock pots.  I love mine, nothing better than throwing ingredients into a pot and having them ready to grub down on five hours later.  I've made this particular recipe so many times that I've landed on my own flavor preferences and recipe tweaks, which is what you will see below.  Be careful though, I've noticed that this dish can be easy to over salt depending on what type of soy sauce and bouillion you use, so it's good to be mindful of that.  For this, I use my 6 quart slow cooker, big enough to put the entire chicken in.  It is so easy to prepare and is one of my "go to" meals as most of the ingredients are always in my fridge or pantry. 

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken:

Ingredients:

4-5 large potatoes chopped into 1/8ths, skin on

1 Large onion chopped into long slivers

10-15 Mushrooms, whatever you like, chopped into large chunks, I use Cremini

1 lemon, juiced, keep the rinds available too

1 Boullion cube

2 Tbs of Soy Sauce

1 1/2 Tsp of Paprika

A dash of Sea Salt

A few twists of Black Pepper

To Prepare:

-Prepare and have available all ingredients.

-Put the chicken into the crock pot.

-Drizzle lemon juice over the chicken and stick the rinds into the chicken cavity.

-Add Soy Sauce.

-Break boullion cube in half, put one section inside the chicken, crumble the rest on top.

-Season with paprika, salt and pepper

-Add potatoes, onions and mushrooms to the crock pot, snug them around the chicken, you can even put some inside the chicken to give the juice more flavor!

Sometimes I cover the entire chicken, piling mushrooms, potatoes and onions on top, it just depends on how much I have to add.

-Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours (or till chicken is done!).

You will end up with a delicious stew that usually lasts (us) for two days!  Yummo!  Such a perfect re-heatable dish too.

Last but not least, . . . .

Make your stock!

This stock is so good, thick, dark and delicious.  See all the gelatin on the top, that's the good stuff!

-Keep the carcass inside the crock pot with any leftover juices.  

-Pick out lemon rinds and other large leftover pieces of meat and skin.  

-Add 1 Tbs of Apple Cider Vinegar.  

-Fill crock pot with water and turn on low.  

-After 24 hours I usually open it up and use a ladle to help break down the bones, all that marrow is so good for you and makes a yummy flavor in your stock.  

-Then you can let it sit bubbling away for another day!  (Sometimes  I even take some stock out to drink or use in another recipe only to add more water to the crock pot and let it cook even longer!

-Once my stock is finished, I strain it well and put it in a jar.  I take the bone mush and mash it up even more and give it to the dogs, . . . they LOVE it.  

Voila!  Now you've got the stock for the soup you're going to make tomorrow!  I always try to use the stock within the next 4-5 days, if you don't plan on using it, stick it in your freezer!

. . .