Crockpot "Rotisserie" Chicken

This is sooooo easy to make and it's perfect for throwing together in the morning so you can come home to dinner already done. The recipe is truly only limited by your tastes and imagination. I've included the basic recipe here plus some variations that I've made. I have a crockpot that has a removeable insert, so I've put this together and refrigerated it the night before, then just put the insert back into the heating element before leaving for work.

Before assembling this, make four or five balls of aluminum foil about the size of your fist. Place those in the bottom of the crockpot. They will elevate the chicken so that the juices drain down and it "roasts" instead of boiling.

• 1 3-4 pound whole chicken
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 head of garlic, sliced in half across
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 tablespoon softened butter
  

Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat from the tail or cavity areas if needed. Lift the skin over the breast and rub the meat under it with the butter. Sprinkle the top of the chicken with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the garlic and lemon; if it doesn't all fit, just put the rest into the crockpot. Set the chicken on top of the foil and cook over high heat for 4-6 hours or low heat for 8-10. When done, be very careful trying to remove the chicken from the crockpot - I've had them get so tender that the top comes completely off.

Also try these variations:

Cajun
Mix 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning with the butter before rubbing it into the breast meat. Sprinkle the chicken with additional Cajun seasoning if desired. Keep the garlic, but skip the lemon.

Italian Salmoriglio
Instead of butter, rub the chicken with 1/4 cup olive oil combined with 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest and 2 teaspoons dried oregano, under and over the skin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff with lemon and garlic as in the basic recipe.

Southwestern
Combine 1/4 cup olive oil with 2 tablespoons of your favorite taco or fajita seasoning mix. Rub the chicken above and under the skin with that mixture. Stuff the cavity with a few cloves smashed garlic, 1/4 yellow onion and a small handful of fresh cilantro. If you like it spicy, add a coarsely chopped fresh jalapeno pepper!