A chicken and stuffing dinner is one of the most comforting things you could ever make. Reminiscent of Thanksgiving dinner, but without nearly as much work, this dinner includes chicken, stuffing and even roasted potatoes. And it cooks away while you get on with the rest of your day.
You simply prep the stuffing and then stuff it in the chicken cavity. Throw down some potatoes and onions and lay the chicken on top, then enjoy your day while the chicken slowly cooks to perfection. If you prefer, you can substitute chicken breasts for the whole chicken and cut your cooking time in half.
Slow cooker chicken and stuffing dinnerPreparation time: 20 minutes
Total time: 8 hours, 20 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients1 4-pound whole chicken
4 to 6 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut in half
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, smashed (optional)
1 package (6 ounces) dry stuffing mix
1½ cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Optional: Put in broiler at end for extra crispy brown top.Directions1. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Rub the entire chicken with olive oil, then generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Place the dry stuffing mix in a bowl. Add the chicken stock. Stir to mix and combine well. Place the stuffing inside the chicken cavity.
3. Line the bottom of the slow cooker with the halved potatoes (arrange in one single layer of potatoes for even cooking) and the onion slices. If desired, add the crushed garlic for a deeper flavor. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on top of the potatoes and onions.
4. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the chicken is completely cooked through and the potatoes are fork-tender.
5. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker at the end of cooking time, cover with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before removing stuffing and placing in another bowl. Carve chicken as you normally would.
Pro tip: Don't want to cook a whole chicken? You don't have to! This same dinner can be made by placing chicken breasts on top of the potatoes and onions, and placing the stuffing on top of the chicken breasts. Reduce the cooking time by about half.
Pro tip: Placing the chicken upside down (breast-side down) on top of the potatoes causes many of the juices from the legs to run down into the breasts while the chicken is cooking. This is a French technique that I've tried in the oven, but it works so much better in the slow cooker!
