Gonna Roast Me a Chicken...or not!

oh, I do love a good oven roasted bird...and in the winter it's nice to have the oven on and the smells of cozy food floating about...
but sometimes you need to run an errand...
or you know that the chicken will need to go into the oven half way thru piano lessons/baseball games/doctor appointments all the way across town....

how, oh how, to have a nice Herb 'Roasted' Chicken on the table for dinner when you will be walking in the door just minutes before you plan to eat?

...maybe Herb-Crocked Chicken is better...
so many...maybe all...of our time honored roasting recipes can be easily turning into crock pot favorites....

this is any easy chicken and so nice on a cold winter day...
and also very doable for a roasting July day when the concept of turning of the oven is horrifying!

you can use dried or fresh herbs for this recipe...thinking I might plant a herb garden this year....

Herb-Crocked Chicken
1 3-3/12 lb whole chicken (you can also use breast or chicken pieces...)
2 Tbs butter-soften
2 cloves garlic-grated or minced
if using fresh herbs
1/2 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped sage
1/4 cup chopped thyme
1/4 cup rosemary-stripped off the stem
if using dried herbs
1 tsp basil-crushed
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
for both
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 tsp pepper or lemon pepper

veggies-optional...potatoes, carrots, celery

1.  Rinse inside of chicken and remove all the gross weird parts, and trim off any excess fatty skin or dangling things...Place breast side up into crock...Rub chicken with softened butter and then rub garlic over the top.
2.  In small bowl stir together herbs and seasonings, rub onto chicken and if using fresh herbs place 1/2 of mixture into the cavity of the bird.

found the package of 'Poultry Medley' herbs at the store and added some basil

you may want to pierce the chicken a few times so the flavors will get inside

3.  If using veggies place around the bird.  Cook/Roast/Crock (not sure of the terminology for the cooking in the crock) on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

sure does look cozy in the crock

If you would like to check bird for done-ness uncover and place a meat thermometer into center of thigh (not touching a bone) and cover crock back up with lid or foil while the thermometer reaches the temp of 180. blog note...I had trouble with the meat thermometer take an accurate reading inside the crock, once I took the bird out and covered it to rest it read the right temp...
4.  Remove from crock, cover with foil and let bird rest for 10 minutes before carving.

to make a gravy
melt 1/4 cup butter in pan
whisk in  1/4 cup+ flour, salt and pepper until you have a ball
then slowly add the broth from the crock (about 2 cups)
cooking and stirring over medium heat, until you get the consistency and amount that you desire
if needed season with more salt and pepper.

our self-imposed-sometimes-vegetarian-because-meat-has-weird-textures daughter gobbled this up AND had seconds...

serve with whatever you want...
mashed potatoes or the potatoes and veggies you roasted with the chicken...
or a nice spinach salad and some bread
steamed broccoli or asparagus
potato or pasta salad....
baked potatoes...

have you 'roasted' a chicken in the crock pot before...did you use a time honored recipe or a newbie?