Slow cooked Chicken Cacciatore

It’s funny how some recipes come about.

This one does not have a very spectacular story.

It was a very normal day. I was feeling a little rushed, a bit tired and not overly motivated to think about dinner… AGAIN.

Yep, I have those days.

I was cleaning out the bottom of the fridge, you know, where you find 1/2 a zucchini that had seen better days, some slightly floppy celery and other bits and pieces that we’re too good to throw away but didn’t seem enough to make a special meal on their own.

I threw those bits and pieces into the slow cooker with a whole chicken and hoped that come dinner time, there wouldn’t be too many complaints.

What turned out was a very simple and humble meal of moist chicken, softly cooked vegetables and a nice chicken broth that we used some crusty bread to soak up. I placed the dish with the whole chicken, veggies and broth in the middle of the table with some tongs, a loaf of warm crusty bread on a board and told the family to help themselves.

Whole chooks are such a good way to feed a family. They are not expensive, and often there is some meat left over for lunches the next day. Our family love a Roast Chicken dinner (which will end up on the blog some day) but I do often throw a whole chook in the slow cooker for an easy make-ahead meal.

I have a few other favourite recipes for slow cooked whole chickens that I will post soon.

Ingredients

1 whole raw chicken, excess skin removed from around the neck area. Give the inside of the chicken a good rinse.

1/2 a lemon

2 carrots, roughly chopped (don’t even bother peeling them)

1 spanish onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 sticks celery, roughly chopped

1 zucchini, roughly chopped

1 400gm can diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 bay leaves