Crockpot Complete Hen
Crockpot Complete Hen is tender, juicy, and filled with smoky, savory taste. Made with a easy spice rub impressed by Costco’s rotisserie hen, it’s good for Sunday supper or weekly meal prep.
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I’ve discovered the key to cooking a complete hen within the gradual cooker.
The difficult factor about cooking entire hen (and Thanksgiving Turkey) is that the chicken and the darkish meat end cooking at totally different occasions. Cook dinner the hen till the darkish meat is finished, then your chicken is over-cooked and dry.
Womp womp.
Properly, hat tip to America’s Take a look at Kitchen, as a result of they got here up with a hack for cooking crockpot entire hen with out drying out the chicken. You flip it so the hen breast is on the underside and the legs are on the highest.
Recreation changer!
The hen cooks low and gradual in its personal juices, turning extremely tender, whereas the spice rub creates that acquainted, barely smoky, just-sweet-enough taste (we’re speaking Costco rotisserie vibes right here).
And naturally, we’re ending it below the broiler for that golden, crispy pores and skin!
Elements and Substitutions
You’ll discover the complete record of components within the recipe card beneath, however listed below are some notes to remember.
- Complete Hen. A 4- to 5-pound fowl works greatest for even cooking (and for becoming into the crockpot).
- Olive Oil. Helps the spices stick and retains the pores and skin from drying out.
- Brown Sugar. Provides refined sweetness and helps the pores and skin caramelize. You should use mild or darkish.
- Chili Powder, Smoked Paprika, and Cumin. For heat, smoky taste.
- Garlic and Onion Powder. Construct savory depth with out the fuss of chopping and mincing.
- Dry Mustard. Provides just a little complexity.
- Salt and Pepper. When you select to make use of desk salt as an alternative of kosher salt, take into account that you’ll want to make use of much less as a result of the grains are finer.
Step-By-Step Directions
Prep the Hen. Pat the hen dry.
Make the Spice Rub (photograph 1). Whisk collectively the olive oil, brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, salt, and pepper till it kinds a paste.
Season the Hen (photograph 2). Gently loosen the pores and skin from the hen, beginning on the breast and dealing towards the thighs. Rub about half of the spice combination beneath the pores and skin so it’s instantly on the meat. Rub the remaining combination all around the outdoors of the hen.
Gradual Cook dinner (photograph 3). Place the hen within the gradual cooker breast-side down. Cowl and cook dinner on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, till the breast reaches a minimum of 160°F and the thighs attain 175°F. (No want so as to add liquid—the hen will launch loads of juices.)
Broil for Crispy Pores and skin (photograph 4). Rigorously switch the hen to a parchment-lined baking sheet, breast-side up. Broil for about 5 minutes, watching intently, till the pores and skin is golden and crisp.
Relaxation and Serve. Let the hen relaxation for 10 minutes. Slice or shred and serve. ENJOY!
What to Serve with Crockpot Complete Hen
- Roasted Greens. Like Good Roasted Asparagus and Smashed Brussels Sprouts.
- Rice, Quinoa, or Different Grains. To take in the juices. Farro, whereas typically over-looked as a facet, is so good with hen!
- Potatoes. These Garlic Roasted Potatoes could be perfection.
Methods to Use Leftovers
If in case you have leftovers, otherwise you’re making a complete hen to make use of in recipes all through the week, right here’s some inspiration.
- Hen Salad. For straightforward lunches, whip up my Avocado Hen Salad.
- Soups. Use the carcass to make Lemon Hen Orzo Soup.
- Salad. You’ll be able to add this hen to simply about any salad and it’ll work, however this Inexperienced Goddess Salad is very delish.
- Meal Bowls. Like my Greek Bowls.
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Crockpot Complete Hen
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Elements
- 1 (4- to 5-pound) entire hen, giblets discarded
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon floor cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon floor black pepper
Directions
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Pat the hen dry and place it in an oval gradual cooker.
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In a bowl, whisk collectively the oil, brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard, salt, and pepper. It ought to kind a paste.
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Working gently, use your hand to loosen the hen's pores and skin from the meat, beginning on the prime of the breast and dealing your method down and over the thighs (I put on a rubber glove). Rub half of the combination beneath the pores and skin so it's instantly touching the meat. Rub the remainder of it all around the outsides of the hen, each back and front.
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Flip the hen BREAST SIDE DOWN (this enables the flavorful drippings from the thighs to maintain the breast moist). Cowl and gradual cook dinner on LOW warmth till the breast registers a minimum of 160°F and the thighs register a minimum of 175°F, about 3 to 4 hours relying upon the dimensions of your hen and your gradual cooker mannequin (mine finishes in 3 hours, 20 minutes). You don’t want so as to add any liquid to the gradual cooker; the hen will launch loads of moisture.
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To brown the pores and skin: Utilizing two forks (watch out, the hen is sizzling!), rigorously take away the hen from the gradual cooker and place it breast-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place on the middle rack and broil for a couple of minutes, watching rigorously your complete time and rotating the baking sheet as wanted, till the pores and skin is as darkish as you want (I broil for about 5 minutes or so).
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Switch the hen to a reducing board. Let relaxation 10 minutes; it will likely be falling aside! Slice or pull and use as desired.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Heat gently within the microwave or oven.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze shredded hen for as much as 3 months.
- Breast facet down cooking methodology tailored from ATK; flavors impressed by Costco rotisserie hen
