Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner(s)

Two fabulous recipes - one main ingredient - a whole chicken.  

We tend to hit up our local farmer's market on Saturday mornings where I can snag a 4-6 pound chicken for $5-7 - cage free, no hormones or antibiotics added on the cheap (which is a requirement for meat being purchased from our pocketbook).

If there's one thing I love more than recycling part of a meal, it's beginning that process in my crock pot.  These dishes have both covered.  Add a few ingredients & this chicken will last two solid meals for us (although it should probably be said that B doesn't eat meat).

Delicious Whole Slow Cooker Chicken 

(in all fairness this recipe was named for Kathy, but as I have no idea who Kathy is, I thought better to drop it)

1 (3 pound, although I use larger) whole chicken, skin removed (I don't remove it, actually)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsps balsamic vinegar (I've used red wine vinegar both times instead)
2 tsps sesame oil
2 tbls minced garlic

1. remove skin from chicken (again, I don't do this) & empty inner cavity of contents within.  pat chicken dry with a paper towel & place inside the slow cooker.

2. in a bowl, stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, olive oil, honey, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, sesame oil, & minced garlic.  pour mixture over chicken & cover.

3. cook chicken on low setting for 8 hours or high setting for 4 hours.

I typically serve this with rice, quinoa or cous cous & a green veggie.  After we're finished making our selection, M is in charge of removing the remaining chicken & shredding it.  Later in the week, I'll use the chicken in the following recipe.

Chicken Croissants

2 tbls butter

3 oz cream cheese

2 cups cooked chicken (this would be the 'recycled' shredded chicken)

salt & pepper to taste

2 tbls milk

1 tbls onions or chives, chopped

1 - 8 oz can refrigerated crescent rolls*

melted butter

seasoned crushed croutons

Cream butter & cream cheese until smooth. Add chicken.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.  Stir in milk & onions.  Place 1/2 cup of filling into each full square* of crescent dough.  Pull all 4 corners of dough to center & seal the sides.  Brush the stuffed croissants with melted butter & sprinkle generously with crushed croutons.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

*note - a full-square of crescent dough is more of a rectangle, so you can roll it out a little with flour & a rolling pin to make it more square.  this means, you do not pull it apart into triangles. 

I also serve this with rice & a steamed veggie or two.