Aimee’s Slow-Cooker Chicken in Milk
These days my cooking routine has to fit into two categories: cold-weather cooking and busy school night-friendly. The temperature continues to drop every night which means I want something hot and nourishing on the dinner table. However, my days are spent shuttling my daughter to and from school and running around the house after a little boy on a Y bike. (He loves that thing and can ride like the wind!) So, other than naptime, I don’t have a lot of time to cook. When I saw Aimee’s slow-cooker chicken recipe last month I knew it would be on my recipe list in short order. It is ideal for cold winter days filled with school runs and active toddlers.
The beauty of Aimee’s recipe is that it requires simple ingredients and barely any preparation. You brown the chicken quickly, cook the aromatics for a few minutes, pile everything in the slow-cooker and you are good to go. It is as simple as that. I do this during naptime, of course, but you could easily squeeze it in before breakfast or while you are making lunch.
While milk may seem like an unusual main ingredient it actually produces a moist, silky meat without any lingering dairy flavor whatsoever. I used 2% milk because that is what we have, but whole milk would work fine, too. If you are interested in making this but want to play with the flavors try lemon zest and pepper for a little change. Or, add a few cloves and pinch of nutmeg for a more rounded holiday-style spice. You pretty much can’t go wrong. Whatever you do, enjoy this awesome, easy chicken for dinner this week and stay warm until those spring breezes get here.
adapted from Aimee at Simple Bites
Ingredients
- 1 4 to 5 pound roaster chicken
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Zest of two large oranges
Instructions
- Season the chicken all over with the salt and pepper. Melt the butter and oil in a heavy bottomed pan and brown the chicken on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the browned chicken to a slow-cooker, breast side down.
- Pour off all but 2 teaspoons of oil from the pan and add the garlic and cinnamon. Cook it for about 2 minutes, then transfer to the slow-cooker.
- Pour the milk, thyme, and orange zest into the slow cooker and use a spatula to mix well and make sure the chicken is well coated. Cover the slow cooker and cook on High for 4 hours, or Low for 6 hours.
I love the chicken and mind if I try this one? I’m a private chef in austin and I like your recipe. Thanks and God Bless!
OF course not, enjoy!
Hi,
Just wanted to urge those trying the recipe to make sure they don’t have a hot running crock pot and check the chicken a few times before the designated times. I ruined it by not checking it early enough. I won’t fault the recipe just my crock pot!
[…] I’ve written about my friend Aimée before as she is the editor of Simple Bites, one of my favorite food blogs. Her recipes and tips are timeless and she is one of my most constant sources of inspiration. I should also mention that her incredibly organized refrigerator makes me weep with envy! Today I am writing about Aimée for the best reason – she wrote her first cookbook! Brown Eggs and Jam Jars: Family Recipes from The Kitchen of Simple Bites is a triumph of family food, gardening tips, and the warmth of Aimée’s hearth. I can’t say enough about it. Here is my little interview with Aimée and your chance to win your very own copy! […]
This recipe actually belongs to Jamie Oliver…
If you click the link you’ll see it’s a crock pot recipe based on his recipe. Not the same.