Mindfulness and self-soothing are on my mind these days. We’ve been caught up in a flurry of life cycles that all seem untimely. Births, deaths and marriages, a few on the same day. I seem to be consistently learning the lesson that life is unpredictable and that every day is not a guarantee. It’s a painful and exhausting lesson to learn when it pierces through the veil of denial we wear and the sense of order we all need to function. It takes time to bring these things back intact. You can’t accelerate the process, you can’t abbreviate it. The pace is slow and hesitant, there are no shortcuts. As people shine or fade around you it’s important to remember to nourish yourself.
I’ve spoken before about how roasted chicken is my ultimate comfort food. It’s a battle against hardship, a testament to perseverance, growing roots, expanding broken branches of love, loss, remembrance, gathering and nourishment. It’s no coincidence that most cultures believe that chicken soup cures everything. This week the impulse to cook chicken called to me strongly. I approached it in a way where the flavors would act as a weather-worn cloak with familiar frayed seams, witness to old beautiful memories. That’s just what this recipe is. Infused with garlic and herbs and built atop sturdy vegetables, the chicken cooks slowly, deliberately and falls gently off the bone.
I visited my parents last weekend and when I woke up, this is what was in the air. My mother was making this exact recipe. Cooked in this manner, the chicken is extremely moist and produces a flavorful stock that can be used as a broth for soup or a gravy. The skin doesn’t brown since the chicken is essentially braised with the moisture produced from the chicken and vegetables, so I used a combination of paprika and just a touch of soy sauce to help it along. If you want a deeply golden crust, simply transfer the cooked chicken to a baking sheet or roasting pan and place under the broiler for 5 minutes or until desired color.
The best part about this chicken is that the actual prep time is minimal. Who doesn’t love when something cooks itself, but tastes like you’ve slaved for days over an open flame? I don’t typically use the slow cooker because I like the processes involved with being present, but walking into the apartment redolent with smells of home after a full day of witness interviews and an hour at the gym really feels like winning.
SLOW ROASTED CHICKEN
- 1 4-5 pound chicken, giblets removed
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces baby carrots or whole peeled carrots chopped into 2-inch pieces
- 4 small sweet potatoes, halved
- 1 parsnip, roughly chopped
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 6-8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- Handful of cilantro
- 3-4 tablespoons soy sauce
DIRECTIONS:
Rinse the chicken well and pat dry. Mix the kosher salt and paprika together and season the chicken generously with the kosher salt mixture and freshly ground black pepper. Rub with soy sauce.
Scatter the vegetables in the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker then place the seasoned chicken on top of the vegetables so they act as a shelf for the chicken.
Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-9 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F and the juices run clear.
Remove the chicken from the stock and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes. If serving immediately, cut the chicken into pieces. You can serve the vegetables with the chicken or strain the vegetables from the broth and save the broth for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months.
Or if you want shredded chicken, allow the chicken to cool for about 15 minutes then shred with two forks and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
I agree slow cooking chicken is definitely the best method. The meat stays juicy and tender. Your dinner looks delicious.
Thank you, Jovina. I didn’t realize it was that easy. I’m definitely going to do this for Thanksgiving!
Life, for all of its randomness, does seem to flow in cycles. Sounds like your due for a calm spell, Amanda.
This recipe has my name — or my slow-cooker’s — all over it. I’ve been contemplating cooking a chicken this way but never tried. I will now, though, If a recipe comes from Mom, especially a good cook’s Mom, it’s got to be good. Thanks to the both of you! 🙂
Thanks, John. You’re right. I was actually telling my friends the other night that usually before a really good period there’s a dark period or a dark period follows a really really good period. It’s cyclical, which is a strange comfort. As for this recipe you should definitely try it! I was a resistant user of a slow cooker, because I like the process of cooking, but you really can’t beat this. My mom has taken to using this for Thanksgiving. Up until my sister bought us both slow cookers last year my mom and I had no idea. Now we’ve been experimenting and I can’t believe I resisted. My mom makes a mean lasagna in this thing! It sounds like blasphemy until you try it! Be well, John.
This sounds quite delicious, Amanda. I don’t own a slow-cooker, but I bet one can adapt this to a cast iron pot. I can imagine all those herbs and ingredients cooking for hours and hours making your flat smell totally amazing; the smell alone must have been comforting. I know how food and cooking can be soothing, and I am not surprised you went for a recipe from your mom’s at such a time as this one. I hope a really, really good period follows this dark one!!!
Thanks so much, Darya. Chicken really does wonders for some reason. I can feel good things right around the corner. And life is such that you have to take the good with the bad and the untimely, which is what makes it exciting and helps you appreciate all the good and unexpected as well. A slow cooker is basically a cast iron pot at very low heat so you could approximate an all day chicken this way. It does make the place smell soooo good! xo
Yes to this chicken. the weather has been so influx that this very dish brings comfort.
i hope that all is well in your corner of the world.
Thanks, Lan. It’s been a tough week, but I’m definitely being more mindful and appreciating the joys that life brings too. The weather is seriously still so darn cold!! I’m thinking of going back to that won ton soup!
It’s so true though, when you say “I seem to be consistently learning the lesson that life is unpredictable and that every day is not a guarantee”. You can never hear it enough coming from other people until you go through it yourself. And still, it seems to be a lesson that keeps coming back like you forgot all about it. Strange how that works.
Thanks for such a thoughtful comment, Fernando. It really is true. I think we have to forget the lesson or no one would do anything ever. But it’s nice to be able to lose yourself in a good recipe or have passion for things in life because for me passion is the opposite of death.
My thoughts are with you, Amanda. Your writing is so lovely, as always. It is so true that we cannot rush the process of dealing with the effects of life and death. You are so right that there are no shortcuts. But good comfort food does do wonders. This chicken sounds like the perfect comfort, especially if it is coming from your mother’s kitchen. 🙂 Take care. xoxox
Thank you so much, Jenny. I always appreciate your kind words. Comfort food serves as a reminder to me that life has so much meaning. It’s reason alone to to keep on trucking. Be well. xo
Thinking about you, Amanda. As it is so hard to find the right words, I think a comforting dish like roast (or slow-cooked) chicken speaks volumes and embraces with warm hugs when needed.
Nicole xx
Thank you for always being so kind, Nicole. I know what you mean. It’s funny, people give birth and people pass every day and yet it’s the most striking thing. I think because there’s something other-wordly about it. I hope you’re doing well. xo
Doing well and hoping you are keeping up as well. If not, I’ll send you hugs. N xx
That looks delicious and perfect if it’s still cold in New York. I feel a bit guilty, as there’s lots of sunshine here and it’s about 20º C…
Sounds lovely, MD. Next week is supposed to be nicer. There’s still a chill in the air. But spring is coming!
Wow! Chicken! I like it! I love this food!
Thanks, Janet. Total comfort food.
I love your take on how when life happens around us, sometimes in a daunting way, we have to remember to nourish ourselves. I will remember your words Amanda. What a gorgeous chicken. I do like making a roast chicken on Sundays sometimes though I must admit I still haven’t make a slow cooker one yet. That is on my to do list! Wishing you a lovely week xx
Thank you, Sofia! It’s a true lesson and easy to forget self care when things around you feel crazy. As for chicken… It tastes like home.