Summer Lemon Chicken
Even before buying our slow cooker, I found myself baking this chicken every time I had extra zucchinis. Since the entire meal cooks in one pot it’s convenient and quick to prepare.
Zucchinis grow really well in Southern Ontario gardens and my doting parents always give us some of their crop — this year was no exception. To avoid turning our oven on in the summer heat I tweaked my recipe for the slow cooker.
The chicken came out tender and juicy with a hint of lemon flavour, and the potatoes cooked through without being mushy. The lemon brightened the zucchini’s flavour, so they tasted great even though their colour faded during cooking. (If you take a few minutes to brown the sliced the zucchini before placing them in the slow cooker, the colour and more of the vitamins will stay locked in.)
If you’re lucky enough to receive zucchinis, or if you have an abundance of them in your garden, toss them into your slow cooker and enjoy!
You may also enjoy creamy raspberry chicken and slow cooker rhubarb chicken.
Summer Lemon Chicken
Prep:
15 minutes
Cook:
6 hours (low) or 3 hours (high)
Yield: 6-8 servings (prepared in a 6.5 quart slow cooker)
- 2 lbs small, whole potatoes
- 1 cup sliced red onion
- 3 tsp salt
- 1⁄2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp lemon pepper
- 5 lb whole chicken
- 3 cups sliced, (¼-inch thick) zucchini
- 2 cups whole grape tomatoes
- 2 tsp lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme
Place potatoes and sliced onions in the slow cooker insert and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of lemon pepper and rub the mixture all over the chicken. Place into the slow cooker, on top of the potatoes.
In a medium bowl, combine the sliced zucchini, whole grape tomatoes, lemon zest, olive oil and thyme. Toss and pour over the chicken.
Cook on low for 6 hours (or high for 3 hours).
Remove the sprigs of thyme. Garnish with some fresh thyme leaves if desired and serve with a lemon wedge.
