Secrets to juicier crock-pot chicken

It's America's favorite meat in America's favorite appliance: Chicken in a slow cooker. But instead of just throwing a bunch of ingredients in the crock pot, flipping the switch and walking away, take a look at these "who knew" tips to get the juiciest bird yet.

RECIPES TO TRY

CHICKEN "POT ROAST" WITH SASSY SALSA

Here's the slow-cooker version of roasted chicken. Place the chicken on a bed of potatoes and carrots, allowing it to steam in the vegetable juices. The result: a supermoist bird! A bright-tasting green salsa made with tomatillos is a flavorful partner.

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NO-PEEKING PEKING CHICKEN

Bone-in chicken thighs turn meltingly tender when slow-cooked in this sauce, which is reminiscent of peking duck. You can serve the chicken and sauce over rice, or give it the full-on peking duck treatment: Pull the chicken off the bone and serve in soft flour tortillas with hoisin sauce and strips of crunchy cucumber and scallions.

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COBBLE IT UP! CHICKEN-AND-CORN SOUP

In this hearty chicken stoup, sturdy yellow-fleshed potatoes and corn both hold up well to long cooking, while the sweet potatoes- which fall apart faster-help thicken the extra-rich chicken broth. Toppings of cubed avocados, sour cream and cilantro add fresh flavors to this satisfying bowlful.

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MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH TARRAGON CHICKEN

After the chicken gently cooks in a mustard-tarragon broth, you'll blend the resulting pan juices with a small amount of heavy cream and cornstarch to form a velvety sauce. It's all a marriage made in heaven when you serve it with buttered noodles and asparagus or peas.

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PRAISE-THE-BRAISE CHICKEN WITH FETA AND TOMATO

Garlic, oregano and tomato infuse chicken breasts, thighs and drumsticks as they braise in a small amount of broth. (In spite of the long cooking time, the tomatoes actually hold their shape, adding to the visual appeal of the finished dish.) Serve the chicken on a bed of orzo tossed with the pan juices and a leafy green vegetable.

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4 MORE JUICY CHICKEN SECRETS

1. Keep the skin.
Unless the recipe calls for skinless, leave it on while you're cooking. The skin holds the chicken's shape and protects delicate white meat from drying out. If you do use skinless parts, have plenty of liquid in the cooker or a sauce to serve with the dish.

2. Bone-in is best.
Chicken on the bone produces more succulent results than boneless. Plus, it's more economical.

3. Thaw out.
Defrost your chicken completely before cooking. Frozen chicken takes too long to reach a safe cooking temperature in a slow cooker; plus, the longer the chicken cooks, the dryer it can get.

4. Take the temp.
For moist chicken, don't overcook. Use an instant-read thermometer to check it toward the end of cooking; turn off the machine when the chicken hits an internal temperature of 165 degrees.


By Michele Scicolone | Photography by Kana Okada


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