Seasoned Whole Chicken

There's something wonderful about fall. The smells, the crispness in the air, the sound of crunching leaves under your feet.  I love it all. 

And I love the tastes of fall. Juicy crisp apples, pumpkin-flavored muffins, cookies, or breads, warm soups, and savory comfort foods. Here's a recipe that I love that just shouts "I'M A COMFORT FOOD" whenever I eat it. Melt-in-your-mouth tender, seasoned chicken that is perfect accompanied by squashy or potato-y side dishes. Of course (you may know this by now) I love this dish made in the pressure cooker. Talk about wonderful. Truly. But don't worry if you don't have one. You can make it in the crock pot and it is also amazing. I've included both recipes for your enjoyment and delight. 

I hope you're enjoying the season. Happy Harvest.

Seasoned Whole Chicken {Pressure Cooker Method}
Printable Recipe

*Serves 4-8, depending on the size

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole chicken (2-5 lbs.)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Seasonings of your choice: Use plain salt & pepper, Seasoning Salt, Lawry's Perfect Blend Chicken and Poultry Rub, or other seasoning of your choice
1-1/2 Cups water or chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:
Rinse raw whole chicken and remove as much outer skin as possible any giblets in the neck cavity. Pat dry. Then sprinkle chicken all around with your choice of seasonings. Heat oil in pressure cooker until hot. Then brown chicken on all sides in hot oil. It is kind of tricky to turn a large raw chicken in the pressure cooker, but do the best you can. When chicken is browned on the outside, remove it from pressure cooker and set it aside. Add rack to the bottom and 1-1/2 Cups water or chicken broth. Place browned chicken, breast side up, on rack. Place lid on pressure cooker, seal and cook on high pressure for 20-30 minutes (20-25 minutes for a 2 to 3 lb. chicken, 30 for a 4 to 5 lb. chicken). When time is up, naturally release the pressure. Naturally releasing the pressure for a whole chicken is important because it keeps the meat from bursting open and helps the juices stay within the meat, making it more tender and juicy.  If you're in a time crunch, you can always release it for part of the time using the quick release method, but you won't get quite as good of results. Once the pressure is down, open immediately and use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. A cooking thermometer placed in meaty part of the breast should read at least 165 F. If the chicken is not quite done, reheat to and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. Remove carefully from the pressure cooker (it probably will be so tender that it will want to fall off the bone) and serve with your choice of steamed vegetables and rice or mashed potatoes. This chicken also is great leftover in a sandwich or salad the next day.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Seasoned Whole Chicken {Crock Pot Method}
Printable Recipe

*Serves 4-8, depending on the size

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole chicken (2-5 lbs. Make sure you get a size that will fit in your crock pot)
Seasonings of your choice: Use plain salt & pepper, Seasoning Salt, Lawry's Perfect Blend Chicken and Poultry Rub, or other seasoning of your choice
5-6 foil balls or foil covered potatoes

DIRECTIONS:
Rinse raw whole chicken and remove as much outer skin as possible and any giblets in the neck cavity. Pat dry. Then sprinkle chicken all around with your choice of seasonings. Add foil balls or foil covered potatoes to the bottom of crock pot. Place browned chicken, breast side up, on foil balls. No added liquid is necessary for this recipe. Place lid on crock pot and cook on LOW for 4-8 hours or HIGH for 3-6 hours. Time depends on the size of your chicken and your crock pot. To test for doneness, use a meat thermometer placed in meaty part of the breast. It should read at least 165 F. Once chicken is done, remove carefully from the crock pot. To brown the chicken further, you can place it in a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Allow chicken to rest after removing it from the broiler for 5-10 minutes. Or skip the broiling and serve immediately. Serve with your choice of steamed vegetables and cooked potatoes. This chicken also is great leftover in a sandwich or salad the next day.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com