Can You Cook Frozen Chicken In The Crock Pot
Can you? According to the Crock-Pot company– yes. Should you? According to the USDA — No. It’s always best to thaw chicken before adding it to any cooking vessel, as stated in their “Slow Cookers and Food Safety” write-up.
Point of the story? Safely thaw your chicken legs before adding them to the slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Hurry Chicken
You may have guessed it but this dish gets its name from the speed and ease with which it is made, or a kid screaming at his parents to serve the ready dish at lightning speed, and if it tastes this good it is no wonder why.
Finding easy chicken leg slow cooker recipes that can be made at the last minute and still taste amazing is a keeper in my house.
Sometimes we forget to marinate the meat overnight or stop by the shop to pick up vegetables and then worry that we need to cook the meat, keep it from burning, and somehow do it all with two hands. Thankfully, the trusted and much-loved crockpot is a fail-proof slow cooking method that delivers every time.
Now you can quickly put all the legs into the slow cooker, pop the lid on and leave it to work its magic while you rush to the shops, to collect the kids from school, and the other one hundred errands a parent has to fulfill daily.
Come home to a ready meal that you need to serve with some salad, great for summer outdoor dining, and put your feet up with a well-deserved glass of wine.
Get recipe: bellyfull.net
Storing And Reheating Left Over Crock Pot Chicken Drumsticks
Leftovers should be stored in the sauce in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. They will keep in the refrigerator for four to five days. As with all leftovers, use your best discretion.
To reheat these chicken legs, add them and their sauce to an oven-safe baking dish. Cover and bake for thirty to forty minutes.
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Making A Slurry For Slow Cooker Sauces
It is very easy for sauces to be too thin in the slow cooker. The reason for this, as Im sure you can imagine, is that very little liquid can escape and evaporate during the cooking process.
There are two methods I like to fall back on for thickening crockpot sauces. The first method is to add a roux to the sauce. This is the method I use in my Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup. Its foolproof and works amazing, but does add hands-on time to a crockpot meal. The second method, which adds far less time, is to make a slurry.
A slurry is the combination of warm water and either cornstarch or flour. I love using cornstarch because it keeps meals like this gluten-free and I think it works a tiny bit better than flour.
Best Way To Cook Chicken Legs In The Crockpot:
Smothered Chicken Legs has become one of our favorite ways for making crockpot chicken drumsticks. Its super easy to make and since drumsticks go on sale quite often, its budget friendly. My kids loved and and didnt even ask to add barbecue sauce to their drumsticks like they almost always do.
This smothered chicken crock pot recipe can be prepped first thing in the morning, or you can save time by measuring and mixing the seasonings the night before. The seasoning can be stored in gallon sized zip-lock bag, that way you can easy add the chicken legs or quarters into the bag to coat.
Toss all the ingredients into the crock pot and set the cook time for 7 hours. Come home to a warm cooked meal and have more time to spend with family instead of making dinner.
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Crock Pot Old Bay Chicken Legs
If richness and full-flavored are what you are after then these healthy crockpot chicken leg recipes are calling your name.
The butter melts and envelopes the dish and brings the flavor profile of the meal to another level.
You simply add the Old Bay seasoning right into the crock-pot with the rest of the ingredients and leave it to do its own thing.
Now, the weekends can be less hectic and frantic trying to make everything happen seamlessly but often failing, and at least dinner is one less thing to have on your to-do list for the day. If we all had great dishes or meals like these in our culinary arsenal, think about how easier life would be.
A one-pot sensation that has a full meal all in one place, ready for the end of the day or mid-afternoon , and needs no supervision once you turn it on. Yes please, these are just the life-saving recipes we could all use on hand.
Get recipe: recipesthatcrock.com
Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks
We make a lot of simple chicken recipes in our house. Legs and thighs are quite inexpensive, packed with protein, and my kids love it too.
It can be kinda boring to cook each one the same time over and over again, so I love trying something new. This is our latest creation.
Lets talk a little bit about slow cooking shall we?? First off I have a few different varieties and I love them all. Each one has an occasion to be used like.
Let me give you a peek of my pretty thang I bought recently. It goes with my kitchen so I can just leave it out on the countertop all the time.
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How To Make The Best Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
First off, lets talk about what happens to skin-on chicken thighs when they are cooked in a slow cooker. Many crock pot chicken recipes call for adding extra liquid into the pot, but you dont need to do that.
To make the best chicken thighs in a slow cooker, all you need to do is place chicken thighs directly into the cooker, season with salt, and cover with a lid. As the slow cooker heats up, the fat from the skin renders and falls down over the chicken. The chicken literally cooks in its own juices and fat.
Now, let me back up. You can just place the chicken thighs into the cooker, but for an even better result, I prefer to add some extra flavor with herbs and lemon zest, and then brown the skin in a skillet. This adds a bit of color to the chicken, which looks much better in the end. Then since Ive dirtied the skillet, I use it to make a delicious lemony gravy to serve with the chicken when they are done cooking.
In the photo below, Im showing how the chicken looks after 5 hours of cooking. See all that liquid in the bottom? Thats pure gold. Its a rich chicken broth thats absolutely delicious stirred into our lemon gravy or simply spooned over the chicken. Just skim most of the fat from the top and you are all set.
Im not sure I can even convey how tender the chicken turns out. Its making my mouth water just looking at that photo.
How To Make Honey Garlic Chicken
For this recipe youll need the following ingredients:
- dark meat chicken Chicken Drumsticks/Legs
- salt and pepper
- optional: sesame seeds and green onion
To Make: Add some water to a crock pot and then place the chicken in, adding salt and pepper if desired. Add the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until combined. Pour over the chicken and cook.
After cooking, if you want to thicken the sauce, add in the cornstarch slurry, whisk, and then cook for an additional 30 minutes with the lid off.
What do you serve with Honey Garlic Chicken?
I love white rice as a side with this meal, it completes that asian taste. I love basmati rice, though you could use instant, brown rice or Jasmine or even cauliflower rice if youd like. To get more vegetables in there, I like a crisp green salad or steamed vegetables such as green beans. Choose whatever side dishes youd like to accompany this meal, even if its Red Potatoes.
How do you thicken the sauce?
In my recipe card, youll see ingredients and instructions on thickening the honey garlic sauce. Completely optional, yet most would prefer a sticky thick sauce. Its a simple step to take 30 minutes before eating. Just remove the chicken, set the slow cooker to high, add in the corn starch slurry, add back in the chicken and allow it to simmer until its thickened.
Can I use chicken thighs for this recipe?
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How To Make Slow Cooker Drumsticks
- In a small bowl combine the paprika, cumin, and garlic salt. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle over the drum sticks and rub all over chicken skin.
- Place chicken drumsticks in slow cooker.
- Pour 1 cup of barbeque sauce over the chicken drumsticks.
- Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours until the chicken is tender.
- When finished place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with foil and cooking spray.
- Brush half of the BBQ sauce on the drum sticks. Broil for 1-5 minutes until it begins to brown.
- Remove from oven, flip the drumsticks, and brush with the remaining BBQ sauce.
- Broil another 1-5 minutes until brown.
Serve hot. Enjoy!
Want More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes To Try
- Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore with a Kick from Chicken.ca
Disclosure: I am participating in the Chicken Farmers of Canada campaign managed by SJ Consulting. I received compensation in exchange for my participation in this campaign. The opinions on this blog are my own.
While its optional to use chicken legs/drumsticks or thighs for this crockpot honey garlic chicken recipe, theres one particular kind that you should be reaching for when at the grocer.
Always look for that Raised By a Chicken Farmer Logo, and know that youre choosing a healthy choice that is grain-fed and free of added hormones and steroids. If you cant find chicken with this logo, make sure to ask your grocer.
What does this logo tell you? That its raised right here in Canada according to nationally-set, high food safety and animal care standards.
Its your way of knowing that youre supporting local farmers, and feeding your family with quality you can trust. Taking it one step farther, Chicken Farmers of Canada consistently work to help those most in need. Every year they make regular donations of food and money to local food banks too.
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How To Make Crock Pot Chicken Drumsticks
This is a brief overview of how to make these crock pot chicken drumsticks. For the full list of measurements and more detailed instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Chicken Leg And Thigh Recipes
We have a bunch that we make on a regular basis. Depending on what small kitchen appliances you have at home, try a few and see which you love best like:
- Air fryer chicken thighs are simple with a sweet dry rub
- This Crockpot chicken casserole has diced breasts and veggies thrown together.
- You can make baked chicken legs with a sticky teriyaki sauce on top
Our newest creation has the two combined. You can find these super cheap at the store. Often overlooked, youve gotta try these air fryer chicken leg quarters and let us know what you think.
I dont know why these cost next to nothing, but I guess most people want a whole chicken cut into pieces for them.
You really get the best of both worlds though this way. Give both of these a whirl for sure.
Want to see a few of my favorite things that I am totally obsessed with or visit my Etsy shop?? Take a peek and see how many you might already havetwinsies!
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Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Legs
Its a sad fact that the more frugal and flavorful cuts of chicken, such as legs and thighs are often overlooked by the ever popular breast. Im here to say, however that you should be giving these cuts a try! Not only do they save you money, but theyre also full of flavor. Plus, you can use the bones to make your own rich and nutrient dense chicken broth, saving you even more money.
If youre one to reach for chicken breasts time after time, then I would encourage you to give legs a chance! I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Plus, you can stock up when they are on sale for really cheap and freeze them for later. Its really a win/win.
I know youre going to love this simple and frugal recipe for Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Legs. If you dont have legs on hand you can definitely substitute any cut of chicken that you might have. For the most flavor, I normally pull the meat from the bone before serving and pour several tablespoons of the flavorful juices on top.
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How Long Will The Chicken Keep
You can store these Crock Pot Chicken Legs for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you’d like for them to keep any longer than that, freeze them!
To freeze cooked drumsticks, allow them to cool to room temperature, then, wrap each chicken leg in wax paper and transfer it to a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze.
To dethaw, place in the refrigerator overnight. Consume within 3 months for best results.
Make It A Freezer Meal:
Turn this easy smothered chicken into a freezer meal for a stress free weeknight dinner. Simply season the chicken drumsticks with the flour mixture and place all of the ingredients into two gallon sized freezer bags.
Add the chicken in one, and the potatoes, onions, and carrots in another. Remove the air, zip close, and place in the freezer. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and empty the contents into the crockpot. Cook according to directions.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Recipe
Some of my favorite recipes are crock pot recipes, and specifically a slow cooker chicken recipe. A couple of examples are our Slow Cooker Butter Chicken and Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken and Potatoes.
I have so many of these in our recipe box, because its an easy meal that the whole family enjoys. Yes, even that picky eater.
While I choose skinless boneless chicken so often, I love this recipe for being the best slow cooker drumsticks recipe. They are so good, that whenever I pass by this area of the grocer, I think of these crock pot chicken legs, and I start craving that delicious honey garlic sauce.
Slow Cooker Honey Soy Chicken
Who doesnt love a dish that you can eat with your hands, that has a slice of meat smothered in a sweet and sticky sauce teeming with flavor, and is a breeze to make.
There is almost nothing to this dish.
I make a double batch of this recipe, triple if we have any visiting friends staying over, and pop them in a big bowl with a pile of napkins on the side for the kids to dig into for a quick, mid-afternoon snack.
They sit around the table outside on the deck, I make a big canister of a fruity flavored mocktail for them to help themselves to, and as the lounge music fills the air, they chat away without a care in the world.
Oh, how we used to enjoy those carefree days where the troubles of the world were non-existent to us and we could embrace life for all that it is worth.
Indeed, good food neednt be complicated, but rather made with love, and which brings people together no matter where you are from or your background.
Food for the soul as they like to say.
Get recipe: slowcookingperfected.com
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Browning Meat Before Slow Cooking
There are a few reasons to brown meat before you slow cook it. The primary reason to brown meat first is because it adds a significant amount of flavor to caramelize the meat.
In this particular case, the reason to brown the chicken before slow cooking is to crisp up the skin that is still on the chicken. Alternatively, or in addition to browning it, you can put it under a broiler for a few minutes at the end of the cook time, much in the same way we do with my Slow Cooker Chicken Wings.