I bought two whole chickens, and Carol, I remember you posting that you cook them in the slow cooker and end up with chicken stock along with the cooked chicken. Do you add water and/or aromatics when you cook the chicken?

Georgia, when I cook them that way, I usually add some chicken stock, onions, celery & carrots...
The leftover liquid makes a great base for soups or an excellent gravy...
I use the "outboard motor" to puree everything together for either...
and the chicken comes out "fall off the bone" done!
I do lightly coat chicken with flour first, then brown before putting in the crockpot...
If I don't brown the chicken first, it comes out like what my grandmother used to call "cademphed chicken(sp?, can't find any referance to it on GOOGLE)"...
Leave out the mire poix (celrey, onions and carrots) and just season with white pepper & salt...
It makes a very white chicken that produces a very white gravy (thicken the broth with a lightly cooked roux)...
excellent if you have the flu or a cold!
I always loved that as a kid! It's quite tasty! Pure chicken flavor...

Bottom line, I use cannned chicken stock (or homemade, if I have it) when I do a chicken in the crockpot...

when I get chickens or wings I always clip off the wing tips... and put them in the freezer... when I have enough m(like a full ziplock), I make my own stock (with canned chicken broth), and freeze...
The wing tips have the most collagen... so the stock comes out really silky...
when it cools in the fridge, it should be just like JELL-O...

Bri, I do what you do but use chicken broth instead of stock. When I used stock I found it too salty/concentrated. The chicken/veggies & broth make a fabulous stock! JMHO <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />
Good Luck! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />


<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> Contessa

I usually just add water, salt and pepper, sometimes onion. I don't taste a difference in the result with water or chicken broth, when doing a whole chicken. I made a chicken noodle soup on Sunday, I did use chicken broth in that. However, I just had two whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, so not much fat at all, with no skin or dark meat, cooked them on high in the broth for a couple hours, then shredded them and put in a large diced onion, celery, carrots, and then egg noodles and corn at the end. Made a very satisfying soup.

I just call it stock... yep, usually use broth...
I like Swansons low-salt, but the BEST is Campbell's Concentrated Chicken Broth...
Unless it's my homemade chicken wingtip stock! That makes the best soup! I don't add any salt to my homemade stock...

I add salt to nothing, unless it's needed to draw out moisture in a recipe...
Salt, for taste, can always be added at serving time, by each individual...

Thanks everyone.

Carol's answer was what I was really looking for, as I just want to end up with cooked chicken meat and chicken stock to use in various other meals. I think I'll just throw the contents of my freezer bag of veggie trimmings in the crock pot with the chicken and go from there.

Carol, how much water? I'm guessing a couple of cups.

Depends on how much stock you want to end up with! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" /> I generally put in 3 or 4 cups, and that gives me quite a bit of stock, which I usually freeze.

Sounds good to me! I just didn't want the stock to be too watery, but now that I think about it I usually use at least a quart of water when I'm just making stock with an old carcass. Thanks for the help!

Especially with two whole chickens, I'd think you could put in a couple quarts of water without any problem.

Oh, my slow cooker's not that big...I'm only doing one in there.

I've never had a slow cooker-What brand & size would you recommend? It's for 2 of us
Thanks
Mary

this is the slowcooker i have and i love the flexibility it offers, not to mention the price is reasonable.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q...IwAw#ps-sellers

poached chicken is great in the slow cooker and freezing the broth is a plus. goodluck, georgia.

I have three. Two of them are so old that I don't think you could buy them any more, but they're by West Bend, and have a burner that the metal pot sits on. The nice thing about that is that you can brown the meat (or whatever) right in the pot rather than dirtying something else. They're oblong shaped, and even somewhat decorative (if you still like avacado green and harvest gold <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />. They are very basic. The one I use most is the Crock Pot brand, and has a removeable stoneware crock. It's also oblong shaped (which really works best for large hunks of meat. This one is programmable and switches to "warm" after the cooking is done. I used it most when I was working so the food wouldn't overcook before I got home.

As far as only cooking for two, I'd still use a larger one because the leftovers are easily frozen, which is what I do now that we're empty nesters.

I'd suggest you go to Amazon.com and do a search. They have everything, and each item has tons of reviews by real consumers. That will help you to decide which is right for you.

Good luck!

I agree with you Georgia,
If we were to only have one, I'd go with the large oblong ones...
Can even cook a medium sized leg of lamb in ours or two chicken fryers... or six cornish game hens...
We have three...
A 1 qt. (very small, round, great for apps. or making oatmeal <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />)... about $10 for the CrockPot Brand...
a 2 qt. round which we don't use too much, except for stews and soups, as the round shape doesn't fit a lot of meats...
and our large oblong one...
whatever one you get, make sure it has at least the three settings... high, low & warm...
and has a removable bowl (I think that's pretty standard now)...

we just recently gave away all the other really old (avacado/harvest gold colored, 20+ years old) slow cookers to outreach...
They still worked fine, but not nearly as good as the new ones...
and you don't have to spend a lot for a new one... they are fairly cheap...
This is the large 4 qt. oblong one we have (CorningWare):
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/190...gt_adv_XSP10001


BUT I did just see this one... which would be great for when all the family visits...
Really nice!
http://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-84905-5-...4618&sr=1-1

Thanks Georgia & Brian
The oblong size seems to offer more choices, so I think I'll go with that
Mary

I have had a 4 quart round model for 30 years. It still works, and actually to me is about the best size for 2 people, if you don't want leftovers, but looking in stores, I don't really see that size much any more. It is great for soups and smaller meals. I just recently bought a 6 1/2 quart model which is better for large roasts, etc. One option I did NOT worry about was the ones that have 3 temps, high, low and warm. I always thought 'warm' was 'low'. I also didn't worry about the automatic timer. I don't really think they sell any these days without the removable liner, which is a must!