Whole “Roast” Chicken with Lemon-Herb Jus

Serves 4 • Cooking Time 4 to 5 hours on Low • Slow Cooker Size 4 to 7 Quarts

Slug Icon WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Making a perfectly cooked whole chicken with a satisfyingly flavorful jus in a slow cooker is actually much easier than it sounds. Placing the chicken in the slow cooker upside down is the key: As the juices and fat render from the meat, they travel over and through the breast (which can be notoriously dry), helping to maintain moistness. Additionally, as the juices pool in the bottom of the cooker, they submerge the breast, which then retains more moisture. To boost the flavor of our jus, we pulled out the skillet to brown the aromatics, which we deglazed with a bit of broth. This gave deep color and complex flavor to the juices released from the chicken during cooking. Check the chicken’s temperature after 4 hours of cooking and continue to monitor until the breast registers 160 degrees and the thighs register 175 degrees. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. Serve with mashed potatoes. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

1

teaspoon canola oil

2

onions, chopped

6

garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled

5

sprigs fresh thyme

2

tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼

cup chicken broth

1

teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

1

(4-pound) whole chicken, glblets discarded

Salt and pepper

1

tablespoon lemon juice

1½

teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

1. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme sprigs and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place breast side down in slow cooker. Cover and cook until breast registers 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 4 to 5 hours on low.

3. Transfer chicken to carving board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. Strain sauce into fat separator and let sit for 5 minutes; discard solids. Combine defatted sauce, lemon juice, and tarragon in now-empty slow cooker and season with salt and pepper to taste. Carve chicken and discard skin. Serve.

Per serving:
Cal 310
Fat 8g
Sat Fat 2g
Chol 150mg
Carb 11g
Protein 48g
Fiber 2g
Sodium 390mg