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Crock Pot Italian Garlic Chicken - Super moist, flavorful, tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken the whole family will enjoy!
The evenings around here have been cooling down as of late and it's got me thinking about my slow cooker. My crock pot. What do you call it in your family? I usually resort to crock pot, so if you're a slow cooker kind of family, I apologize. One of my favorite things to make in my crock pot, is chicken. I don't know about you, but I think fall-off-the-bone meat is just about the best thing ever.
I had some chicken legs I needed to use up so I decided it was a perfect opportunity to make this Crock Pot Italian Garlic Chicken. I'm not going to lie. . .I had a little extra inspiration from my blogging bud, Samantha over at Five Heart Home. She's releasing her first cookbook in October that's FILLED with 80 slow cooker (she's a slow cooker kind of gal 😉 ) dinner recipes and I'm super excited to help her spread the news about her new book and an amazing giveaway! All of the details can be found at the end of this post, but let's get to this chicken first!
I may be one of the only bloggers that is brave enough to post ugly raw chicken photos. . .but I did it. . .for you. I get comments from my readers all the time about how helpful step-by-step photos are, so I try to take them for most of my posts. Today is no exception.
I always use slow cooker liners for easy clean-up. As a disclaimer, I've never had a problem with them at all. No melting, no issues, no horror stories on this end. They've just been a timesaver for me. Completely awesome.
The way I season the chicken, is right in a ziploc bag. As I mentioned before, I used chicken legs, but you could also use thighs if you would like for this recipe. If you're not a big Italian seasoning fan, you can actually omit it and replace it with a seasoning that better suits your tastes. If I'm making this chicken for the kids, I often omit the red pepper flakes as well.
I'm a firm believer of removing the skin from chicken legs before putting them in the crock pot (especially if you don't plan to crisp up the skin in the oven later).
After you're done with the seasoning, you place the legs in the slow cooker (gasp - I said "slow cooker" - are you paying attention? 😉 ) and just sprinkle the cloves of garlic around the chicken. Whew, ok, we're done with the ugly raw chicken pics. Is everyone okay? I promise it gets better from here on out.
These crock pot Italian garlic chicken legs brown up quite nicely in the slow cooker (I did it again) without having to use the oven at all.
Just look at that seasoning! It sticks to the chicken quite well, don't you think?!
So, go ahead, grab one of these chicken legs and take a big bite! Don't be alarmed if the meat just falls off the bone, because chances are. . .it will.
Have I inspired you to dig out your crock pot from the cupboard? I hope so! Don't forget to check out my friend, Samantha's, new cookbook below and make sure to enter her amazing giveaway! I can't wait to share a recipe from her new cookbook with you all. That, my friends, is coming soon!
Real Food Slow Cooker Suppers will be released on October 11, 2016, but it's available for pre-order now! The cookbook features:
♥ 80 new DINNER recipes made in the slow cooker, prepped when it's convenient for you and cooked while you go on with your day
♥ recipes utilizing real, fresh ingredients instead of processed or packaged ingredients
♥ a variety of recipes, from classics to comfort foods to soups & stews to sandwiches & tacos to holiday main courses, and
♥ a full-color photo with every recipe!
To thank those of you who have already pre-ordered or are planning to pre-order, we're hosting a big giveaway! It's easy to enter and the prize pack includes a generous Amazon gift card, a fancy new slow cooker, and some additional kitchen accessories that will come in handy when using the cookbook! 🙂
To pre-order Real Food Slow Cooker Suppers, click one of the links below:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
or wherever books are sold!
And to enter the giveaway, simply fill out this form and submit!
GOOD LUCK!!!
Crock Pot Italian Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 chicken legs (skin off)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 20-25 cloves garlic (peeled)
- ⅓ cup vegetable broth
Instructions
- In a plastic ziplock bag, add chicken legs, oil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Turn bag until chicken is well-coated.
- Place chicken in crock pot and surround with garlic cloves.
- Pour vegetable broth over chicken.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Notes
- Marinate for Enhanced Flavor: For even more flavor infusion, marinate the chicken legs in the seasoning mixture for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. This allows the chicken to absorb the flavors of the herbs and spices, resulting in a more flavorful and tender dish.
- Adjust Spices to Taste: Taste the seasoning mixture before adding it to the chicken to ensure it meets your flavor preferences. Adjust the amount of Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes according to your taste. If you prefer a spicier dish, increase the amount of red pepper flakes, or omit them entirely for a milder flavor profile.
- Monitor Cooking Time: While the recipe suggests cooking the chicken on low for 6-8 hours, it's essential to monitor the cooking progress to prevent overcooking. Depending on the size and thickness of the chicken legs and the specific characteristics of your slow cooker, the cooking time may vary. Check the internal temperature of the chicken using a meat thermometer. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C). Adjust the cooking time accordingly to avoid dry and overcooked chicken.
Heather
My family and I really enjoy this recipe! We leave the skin on and broil it for a few minutes to crisp it up after it cooks in the crockpot. Thank you for sharing it!
Chanel
Could you put this on high for a certain amount of hours? I started making this late and it won’t be ready by dinner (face palm🤦🏽♀️)
Nancy
Can I use bone in chicken breast?
Sara
Sure. You just need to make sure the chicken is fully cooked and to the correct temperature.
Nancy
Can I use crushed garlic instead of whole?
Sara
Sure!
Michelle
Question: I need to use 22 Chicken Drums. What size crockpot would you use and would you x3 all the other ingredients?
Anonymous
Do you need to use a liner? I was just going to put it in the slow cooker without liner.
Sara
I like to use liners for easy clean up! Liners aren't necessary. You may just need to soak the cooking pot a bit longer!
Corrie-Lee
Do I use a regular ziploc bag right in the slow cooker or do I need slow cooker liners?
Sara
Use a liner specifically made for a slow cooker. A ziploc bag will melt.
Emily
What's the difference between 6-8 hours? Will it get more tender the longer you cook?
Sara
The chicken will become more "fall off the bone" the longer it cooks.
Jennifer Mar
Can I use garlic salt to substitute fresh garlic and eliminate the need for plain salt?
Sara
You could try that, Jennifer. Let us know if it works out well for you!
Susan
Could I use chicken broth? Is there a reason to use vegetable broth?
Sara
Chicken should be fine.
Bliss
I would rather leave the skin on. Have you ever made this with the skin on & do you think it would taste just as good if I do it that way?
Sara
The skin will just be soggy right out of the crock pot. You could always place the baked chicken under the broiler for a couple minutes though when it's done in the crock pot to crisp up the skin a bit!
Nikki
I think I might make this later in the week. Do you think I could put bone in chicken thighs and drumsticks in at the same time? How would you alter the cooking time (if at all)? Thanks in advance. It looks delish.
Sara
Yes, I think you could put both drumsticks and thighs in at the same time. You shouldn't have to alter the cooking time. Hope you enjoy it!
Nora @ OfRecipes
This sounds mighty delicious! I can't wait to give it a try!
Sara
I hope you do! Thanks for stopping by, Nora!