Slow-Roasted Rosemary-and-Garlic Chicken

Hey gang! Sorry I wasn't back last night as promised! I had forgotten we had plans to go to my grandma's for my mom's birthday dinner. And was it ever good...fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. No one makes gravy like my grandma, and if someone thinks they can, I'd be more than happy to taste test. :)

Anyway, my good friend and former roommate Dustee is coming in to town tonight on her way to a college reunion. I wanted something easy so I could enjoy my time with her instead of having to be cooking the whole time, so I'm doing a chicken in the crockpot. Plus then we can have the leftover chicken in a casserole tomorrow night and then as leftovers on Saturday night. This is one I've posted before, and it has always turned out well when I've made it.

Slow-Roasted Rosemary-and-Garlic Chicken
10 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 (5- to 6-pound) roasting chicken
5 garlic cloves
4 (3-inch) rosemary sprigs
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Combine minced garlic and chopped rosemary. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.

Rub garlic mixture under loosened skin over breast and drumsticks. Place 5 garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs into the body cavity. Place chicken, breast side down, in an electric slow cooker. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 1 hour. Reduce heat setting to low; cook 7 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker, reserving drippings. Discard skin from chicken.

Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a small saucepan, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Add orange juice and vinegar to saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.

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Now, I skip the whole sauce/gravy step at the end there. I tried it once, it was a lot of work, and the resulting sauce wasn't worth the effort. However, it's a way cool method to get rid of the fat and save the drippings!

So with our chicken we're having roasted potatoes and honey glazed carrots. BTW, for the carrots, I use baby carrots instead of cutting up regular ones.

Should be a yummy meal. The chicken sure does smell good! I have to admit I'm a crockpot-peeker. I can't help lifting the lid every now and then and looking inside. I read somewhere that each peek supposedly adds 20 minutes to the cook time, but as I've found that the times on crockpot recipes are ALWAYS too long, I figure it's not a big deal, and I'm actually helping by peeking. :)