Using a recipe from Stephanie O'Dea's Make It Fast, Cook It Slow as a guide, I made a rotisserie chicken in my Crock-Pot last night. She said it would be good (and not as salt-laden as store-bought rotisserie chickens), and she didn't lie.
Her recipe (which is easy) involves mixing together some salt and herbs, rubbing on the chicken, adding some garlic and onion and slow cooking it for 4-5 hours.
I did basically that, except I used a rosemary salt that I got in Italy instead of her salt-herb mixture and I omitted the garlic and onions. Now, before you go, "Whoa, wait I minute. I don't have that. I can't make this."—relax. You can make your own (google it) or purchase some from places like this. Or you can just use Stephanie's recipe and I'm sure it will be just as delish.
One caveat, though, if you are making your own rosemary salt. I think fresh rosemary is best added to a dish towards the end of cooking time so its flavor stays fresh and bright, otherwise it can get bitter. If you are going to make your own rosemary salt, this is one time I think that dried rosemary is okay, especially if you are going to combine it with rock salt in your food processor and blend it together. Or maybe use not the freshest leaves of your purchased sprigs of rosemary. Then you get the rosemary flavor (albeit more subtle) without the bitterness that can occur when you toss fresh rosemary into the pot or pan to cook with your chicken or lamb for hours and hours. This is a personal preference of mine. You do what you wish.
The chicken doesn't quite taste like a roasted chicken (and doesn't have any yummy, crispy skin), but it also doesn't take a stewed chicken, which is what I was worried about. It tastes like a baked chicken—it's very moist and flavorful.
CROCK-POT ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
- one whole chicken
- rosemary salt
- a pound of potatoes
I washed and dried an organic, whole, pastured chicken then rubbed it inside and out with rosemary salt (about 1-1/2 tbsps) and cracked pepper. Put it breast-side down in your Crock-Pot (don't add any liquid) and dump in a pound of scrubbed fingerling potatoes. Set it to cook for about 5 hours on LOW if you have a Crock-Pot that heats the sides or 4-5 high if you don't. (Check at 4ish hours to make sure it's not overcooking.) Carefully remove to a plate and carve. Arrange potatoes around the chicken.
