Slowcooker Poulet Francais Food

SLOW-COOKER ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the slow cooker if necessary. Put the onion and carrot in the base of the stock pot to form a protective layer to sit the chicken on, and add 100ml boiling water. Gently ease the chicken skin away from the breast. Stir some salt and pepper into the butter and push the butter under the skin. Put the bay leaf in the cavity of the chicken and sit on top of the onion and carrot.
• Cook on low for 5 hrs, then check that the chicken is cooked by wiggling the wing - it should feel very loose. Tip the chicken up so any liquid inside flows out, then cook on high for 30 mins. If the chicken isn't cooked through after the initial time, cook for another hour, then turn the heat up. If you want the skin to be browned, grill it for a couple of minutes (make sure your slow cooker insert is flameproof if you keep it in the pot, or transfer it to a roasting tin).
• There will be some gravy in the base of the dish with the veg, tip everything through a sieve and press the veg gently to make sure you get every last drop. Serve the veg on the side, if you like.

POULET DE PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Mix 2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and garlic in a bowl and stir chicken breast halves into the mixture to coat. Transfer chicken with marinade into the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink inside, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm.
• Pour 1/3 cup chicken stock into skillet and stir to dissolve browned bits of food from the skillet. Cook and stir shallot and mushrooms until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup chicken stock, herbes de Provence, and 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are deep brown in color, about 2 minutes.
• Return chicken breasts to pan and top each with 1/2 slice of provolone cheese. Cover skillet and let cheese melt; serve with mushrooms.

EASY AND DELICIOUS SLOW COOKER CASSOULET

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp and brown, turning often, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels; crumble when cool. Set bacon aside.
• Cook and stir onion in the same skillet until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken, sausage, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and black pepper; cook until chicken pieces are browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.
• Transfer chicken mixture to a slow cooker and stir in crumbled turkey bacon, great Northern beans, and diced tomatoes. Cover the cooker, set on Low, and cook until cassoulet is thickened and the chicken is very tender, 4 to 5 hours. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

ONE-POT CHICKEN CHASSEUR

Steps:

• Heat 1 tsp olive oil and half of the 25g butter in a large lidded casserole.
• Season 4 chicken legs, then fry for about 5 mins on each side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add 1 chopped onion, then fry for about 5 mins until soft.
• Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, cook for about 1 min, add 200g small button or chestnut mushrooms, cook for 2 mins, then add 225ml red wine.
• Stir in 2 tbsp tomato purée, let the liquid bubble and reduce for about 5 mins, then stir in 2 thyme sprigs and pour over 500ml chicken stock.
• Slip the chicken legs back into the pan, then cover and simmer on a low heat for about 1 hr until the chicken is very tender.
• Remove the chicken legs from the pan and keep warm. Rapidly boil down the sauce for 10 mins or so until it is syrupy and the flavour has concentrated.
• Put the chicken legs back into the sauce and serve.