I’m pretty sure everyone winds up in a cooking slump every now and then. Like…you’re making the same meals over and over again and you kind of dread dinnertime. And, chances are if you have kids that you’re already (consciously or subconsciously) gearing your meal-planning at least somewhat around them. And they still complain about dinner 5 out of 7 nights a week. And if you’re trying to eat healthy, that knocks out a whole category of fun cooking.
I have a little secret for you, and I hope you won’t love me less (or hate me more) if I tell you: sometimes I burn out in the kitchen, too. Sometimes all I want are peanut butter sandwiches and cold cereal and yogurt and apples and sugar snap peas and hummus (uh, hummus from the grocery store, because a burnt-out food blogger does not make her own hummus.) It doesn’t mean I don’t love you guys or this crazycoolfunweird experience, but, like any other thing that consumes a good portion of time and energy and resources, sometimes I need a break.
So in August, I busted my butt and made a Hello Kitty chore chart for myself and knocked out 6 weeks worth of posts. And then…I made peanut butter sandwiches and ordered pizza and we basically ate like hobos. I helped out at my kids’ school and binge-watched a certain TV show that rhymes with “shaking Vlad” and got caught up on my laundry. And it was wonderful. After about a month, I was itching to get back in the kitchen, to get behind my camera, to start developing recipes and get excited about others’ recipes.
This idea had been percolating in my brain for awhile and after my break, it was ready. I took our fauxtisserie chicken method and gave it a little Southwestern twist.
You’re going to need a whole 3-4 pound chicken (by the way, did you see this news about washing chicken? I’m feeling a little lost, I’m not gonna lie. Old habits die hard. Also remembering that time that I didn’t rinse it and was super sorry I didn’t.), 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of minced cilantro, 1 tablespoon of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chilies, 1/2 heaping teaspoon of kosher salt, and the zest of a lime.
Loosen chicken skin by sliding your hand between the skin and the breast and wiggling it around (yeah, I know…) Combine butter, garlic, cilantro, adobo (see the sauce in there? Just stick your measuring spoon in and get what you need),
salt, and lime zest
and rub it under the skin of the chicken. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the chicken rub except for the lime juice.
Massage it all over the chicken. Stuff inside of chicken with whole cloves of garlic, the spent limes, and a handful of cilantro.
If desired, sprinkle the whole chicken with very coarse salt and black pepper.
Place 3 pieces of balled up aluminum foil in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the chicken on it, breast side up.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serves 4-6.
If you want to know what to do with the leftovers, sit tight–that one’s coming soon!
Garlic Lime Chipotle Roasted Chicken
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Ingredients:
1 3-4-lb. whole chicken
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely minced
1 tablespoon adobo from chipotle chilies
1/2 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
zest of 1 lime
Sweet and Spicy Wet Rub
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
Enough freshly squeezed lime juice to make a slightly runny paste
Instructions
Loosen chicken skin by sliding your hand between the skin and the breast and wiggling it around. Combine butter, garlic, cilantro, adobo, salt, and lime zest and rub it under the skin of the chicken. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the chicken rub. Massage it all over the chicken. Stuff inside of chicken with whole cloves of garlic, the spent limes, and a handful of cilantro. If desired, sprinkle the whole chicken with very coarse salt and black pepper.
Place 3 pieces of balled up aluminum foil in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the chicken on it, breast side up. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serves 4-6.
Questions & Reviews
I made this last night with boneless skinless chicken breasts and it was amazing! I used EVOO instead of butter and combined the rub with the other ingredients and just spread all of that on the chicken breasts. It was super great on salad the next day too.
This looks amazing! If I don’t have a whole chicken but boneless skinless chicken breast, can I just toss everything into the crock pot and cook it?
I make this a lot and it’s AWESOME every time!
I just made this for dinner! Chipotle is not readily available in our supermarket here in Singapore so I didn’t put that in but followed the rest of the ingredients to a T. It turned out so yummy – the lime and garlic. The chicken breast is so tender and moist due to the butter mix. I also oven roasted it instead of leaving it in the slow cooker cos I was rushed for time. It’s really flavourful and I can only imagine it’s gonna be even better with chipotle. Thanks for the recipe. Gonna make this very often! 😀