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Rinse off your bird, making sure that you check the inside.
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Sometimes companies will put the giblets and other organs in there you dont want those.
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If you see them, discard them.
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Once youve got your bird rinsed off and nestled inside your slow cooker, you add a few items for flavor a few onions, a few carrots, a few celery sticks, a few sprigs of fresh parsley, about 2 teaspoons of salt, and 10-15 peppercorns.
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(Be sure to chop your onions, carrots, and celery into large chunks to make them easy to remove later on.)
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Why am I being so vague?
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Well, because you dont really need to be exact.
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These veggies and seasonings are for flavor, which means you just add what you have (and what you have room for) and dont worry about what doesnt go in.
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In fact, you could even add other herbs like fresh thyme or basil.
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Thats the fun of it.
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Arrange your extras over your bird and then pour water over everything until it covers the chicken.
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I managed to get about two quarts of water in my slow cooker (I did have a large chicken after all), but normally I add 3-4 quarts.
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The amount doesnt really matter, though.
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The more water, the more broth.
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The less water, the more concentrated the flavor.
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Either way its a good thing.
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Cover and cook on high for about 6 hours (your broth needs to be at a rolling simmer for about 2 hours to ensure that the chicken is cooked).
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When your chicken is done, first remove your chunks of vegetables with a slotted spoon.
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You can either save these to eat at dinner or just discard them.
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Then, still using the slotted spoon, remove your chicken and put it in a separate dish.
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The chicken should be so tender that it just falls apart.
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All that liquid thats left over...well, thats your chicken stock!
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Before you use it, youll want to do a couple of things.
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First, strain out the bits of peppercorn and chicken that may still be floating around.
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Then, refrigerate your broth for several hours (preferably overnight).
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When it cools, the fat will rise to the top, allowing you to skim it off later.
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After straining and skimming, your stock is ready for use.
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You should have quite a bit of it!
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I generally measure mine out into freezer bags and freeze for future use.
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This stock is perfect for anything soups, casseroles, etc.
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and youll find that your budget thanks you.
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Oh, what to do with all that chicken, you ask?
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Well, use it!
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Chicken that has been cooked this way makes the best chicken salad sandwiches, soups, enchiladas, casseroles, you name it!
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Its incredibly tender and tasty.
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Refrigerate your cooked chicken until its cooled off to the point that it wont burn your fingers.
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Dont refrigerate it so long that it gets cold...its harder to bone at that point.
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Once its cooled off, get out two bowls.
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And start picking away at the bird.
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Put the yummy stuff (the meat) in one bowl and the gross stuff (skin, bones, etc.)
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in another.
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Its as simple as that.
