Braised Chicken
This comforting fall recipe is perfect when you have a whole chicken and aren’t quite sure what to do with it!It’s a nice change from a traditional roasted chicken. I find it's a new way to prepare a whole chicken without complicating things!The chicken falls off the bone thanks to the slow cooking in the crockpot. It’s a simple recipe that doesn’t require much attention. I serve the chicken drizzled with the sauce and a side of creamy mashed potatoes!This recipe serves 4.Personally, I leave the chicken whole when I make this, but you can also cut it into 4 pieces if you prefer.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 leeks, washed and thinly sliced
- 225 g white mushrooms, trimmed
- ½ cup apple juice + 1 tablespoon apple juice to thicken the sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp fresh thyme
- 2 red apples, diced
- 2 tsp cornstarch to thicken the sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a large pot, heat the butter and olive oil and brown the chicken on all sides. Then remove the chicken.
- Sauté the chopped bacon for 5 minutes until it starts to brown. Set the bacon aside but leave the fat in the pot.
- Cook the leeks and mushrooms in the same pot until they start to soften. Then add the apple juice, chicken broth, honey, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the chicken, bacon, and leek-mushroom mixture into the slow cooker. Add the diced apples.
- Cook on high for 4 hours.
- Collect the cooking liquid and stir in a bit of cornstarch diluted in one tablespoon of apple juice to slightly thicken the sauce (optional).
- Tip: You can thicken the sauce directly in the slow cooker or in a small saucepan.
- Serve the chicken drizzled with sauce and alongside mashed potatoes.
Video
Notes
Looking for another slow cooker recipe? Try my beef daube made in the slow cooker.
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