Adventures in crockpot cooking (or Clairelaine, please help!)

Okay... I'm new to owning a crockpot, as some of you know. Reading the recent thread on cooking a chicken in the crockpot, I decided to do just that!

I'll spare you the details of what happened with the kitten and the chicken. Suffice it to say the knife missed the kitten and my tall child came to the rescue and managed to get everything except the chicken and the kitten back on the counter for me (as I was holding the chicken, and the kitten was banished). I have a whole new appreciation for my polite, does-not-jump-on-the-counters, three-legged middle-aged cat.

Anyway, following the instructions for an easy easy way to cook chicken in the crockpot -- rub chicken with stuff, refrigerate overnight (okay, for me, this was a couple of hours...), stuff an onion in the chicken, drop chicken in crockpot, cook on low for A Long Time-- I discovered that I couldn't drop the chicken in the crockpot because the chicken is either too big or the crockpot too small!

With some brute force manipulation, I finally got the chicken in the crockpot. Barely, but it's in there.

Is this okay? Or should I slam it into the oven instead?

Feeling very blonde silly,

Athene

Everything is going to be just fine!  That must be one heck of a big chicken, but it will cook ok.  You may have to do it for 10 hours instead of 8 on low.  I think the action is, the spices and salt draw out the juices, then the juices steam the chicken.  Let me know how it turns out.

It took me a while to type this because I had to get control of myself after picturing what was going on with the kitten.

Clairelaine, thank you!

The kitten was unharmed (perhaps because my hands were holding the chicken....). I'd obviously forgotten what havoc can be wreaked when a feline, a counter, a cutting board, knives, and a chicken are all within the same room. I had to wash part of the kitchen floor (not of blood, I hasten to add!) before continuing with chicken prep.

The chicken is just starting to send out ooooooh, soooooo gooooood an aroma! I'll leave it in the pot and the kitten outside. Thanks!!

Oh, I forgot to say that the chicken is almost the exact same size as a 4-quart crockpot....

the chicken is almost the exact same size as a 4-quart crockpot....

Oh, I would have done a smaller chicken in a 4-qt one.  I think mine is 5- or 6 quarts.  But I guess you have figured that out the hard way.  I am by no way a master of the Crockpot.  I've had things cook faster than expected and some take much longer than expected.  I presume the difference in results has to do with the size or the Crockpot used.  I have made note of any adjustments I had to do in my Crockpot recipes on this site.

I have found one nasty thing about Crockpot cooking: the smell.  Though pleasing, it makes me really, really hungry smelling it cook.  Even when sleeping with my bedroom door closed, right off the kitchen, I would awaken absolutely ravenous.  I now only Crockpot on moderate days and when I can be away for the bulk of the cooking.  I can then crack a window.  A hazard of apartment living, I guess.

I did want a smaller chicken, but the regular chickens are now sold in two-packs at my local grocery store, and I didn't want two of them. So I bought an oven-stuffer roaster (and yes, I took out the little pop-up button thingie); that was the only way I could get just one chicken. The store has been making a lot of changes lately; I used to be able to buy just one regular ol' chicken.

So this thing is crammed in there, flesh pressing up against the lid, making me think every time I see it of me in the middle seat on an airplane with two people my size on either side of me..... oof!!!

I know you will like the chicken in the crock pot.  Since it is just my husband and I we ate chicken lots of ways for the next week!  I love my crock pot and I am excited that I finally figured out how to put a recipe into this web site successfully.  Yea for me!

cookiemaas, it smells soooooo gooooooooood!!!! I can't wait for it to be done!!

Lots of juices in the pot now; I was afraid for a bit that it might even overflow! I've poked and moved the chicken a few times, and that has helped settle the liquid. Should I be saving this liquid for soup? (There's a storm forecast for Tuesday-Wednesday; soup might be just the thing if I have to stay in because of ice! :-) )

The chicken is really tender; it was falling apart when I poked and moved it. I think we'll be eating within the hour. Mmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry I have nothing productive to add here, but I just had to say that I'm laughing my head off trying to picture what happened!  I'm glad that everyone is okay and no harm was done. :)

I have read, though, that crockpots cook the *most* efficiently when they are at least 3/4 full...so that big chicken will probably cook much more evenly than would a smaller one that had plenty of room to spare.

justlaura, I forgot to mention the down (feathers) and their appearance in the kitchen/chicken/kitten incident. Just finished the final cleanup of the evening and came upon some I'd missed this morning...! And yes, all evenly cooked! Thanks!

clairelaine, you were right; it turned out just fine! Actually, it was a little too good; tall child and I both had seconds! :-) (I'm stuffed!!) Thank you!

And yes, all evenly cooked!

Wow, so you did get a 6 lb or so chicken in a 4-qt pot and it worked!  I was half-picturing a leg sticking out or something.

christinavt, I crammed the legs in and pushed the lid down until it stayed put when I took off my hand!!

The liquid makes wonderful sauce!  Pour it off and let the fat rise, skim it off and use the juice in gravy, or simply thicken it with some cornstarch.

How did the chicken turn out?  Was it good?

claire, the liquid all jello-ified as it sat. I'd skimmed off some fat, got distracted, went back later, and it was all gelatinized. Aspic, I suppose? Or all fat? Thickening, it did not need!

The chicken was delicious! I make chicken sandwiches today; tall child's will probably survive until lunchtime, but mine... did not! :-D

I must admit your descriptive has me holding in my sides from laughter! 

Maybe next time you may want to just use chicken parts???? 

The gelling is from the protein in the chicken bones.  It's the same stuff as gelatin and the fat will separate out.  It's easier to skim the fat if you warm the juices and put them into a container, then cool and refrigerate.  The fat will solidify and you'll be able to remove it all.

I'm glad it was yummy.