December 12, 2011: Crock Pot Chicken and Potatoes Recipe

Here’s another easy way to cook the ever popular chicken in the crock pot. Especially during these hectic weeks around Christmas and New Year’s, it’s a real blessing to be able to put dinner in the crock pot in the morning and come home at night to a fully cooked meal.

All the ingredients in the crock pot, ready to cook all day on low.

Crock Pot Chicken and Potatoes

1 T. olive oil

6 – 8 garlic cloves, peeled

1 medium-sized yellow or white onion, cut into big chunks

2 large white potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

2 t. fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped

2 large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

2 T. butter

1 t. dried sage

½ t. paprika

½ t. garlic salt

¼ t. cumin

1 t. Montreal Chicken Seasoning (McCormick Grill Mates)

Set your crock pot heat to high. Add the olive oil, garlic cloves, onions, potatoes and fresh rosemary. Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on top of the vegetables. Melt the butter and add the seasonings. Pour over the top of the chicken; sprinkle with Montreal Chicken Seasoning. Cover the crock pot and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 5 – 6 hours (or 7 – 8 hours on low).

Optional: Just before serving, heat a skillet to medium high. Add the chicken breasts, skin side down. Cook for a minute or so, just until skin crisps up.

Variation: For something a bit different, use yams in place of white potatoes and a Vidalia (sweet) onion in place of yellow or white onion.

Serve chicken over vegetable mixture and add a green vegetable, such as peas or green beans, for a complete meal.

Serves 4

September 13, 2011: Garlic Chicken and Potatoes Recipe

What do you get when you take loads of garlic, chicken and canned potatoes? Besides the fact that these are all some of my favorite ingredients, when you put them together you get a yummy, hearty dinner perfect for any night of the week. After just a few minutes of preparation, the pan goes into the oven and you can walk away for an hour while it bakes to perfection.

Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

1 T. olive oil

4 pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken (your choice of breast or dark meat)

20 cloves garlic

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 pint canned white potatoes (or 1 can)

1 t. kosher salt

1 T. Montreal Chicken Seasoning

In a large ovenproof skillet, add the olive oil and heat to medium. Add the pieces of chicken, cooking for a couple minutes per side, until lightly browned. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the garlic, shallots and drained potatoes to the pan. Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables and sprinkle with salt and seasoning blend.

I cooked this dish in a cast iron skillet, using a really big thigh quarter and breast.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pan of chicken and vegetables, uncovered, for 50 – 60 minutes, until juices are no longer pink and the skin is crispy.

Serves 4.

Tip: If you don’t have or can’t find Montreal Chicken Seasoning, substitute a combination of freshly ground black pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, and red pepper.