Been using the crock pot / slow cooker a lot the last few months, what with SWMBO into crossfit and paleo.
Chicken
Whole chicken, rinsed off and patted dry.
Brown/sear chicken in big pot on stovetop in olive oil, corn oil (anything BUT canola/soy/general veggie oil which are tools of hte Devil). This enhances the flavor a lot.
Packet of taco seasoning inside bird, packet outside bird.
Chopped up onion & bell pepper inside bird, same outside bird.
No extra liquid.
Chopped up liver, heart, gizzard outside of bird.
Slow cooked on low or high for usual times (6-8/3-4 hours)
Remove bird bits from crock pot. Maybe onions & pepper, too. Depends if you want them with the rice or chicken meat.
Measure out remaining liquid and bump up with water to some whole-cup volume. Preferably even-number of cups. Can stretch this, as the liquid is super-packed with flavor. Put back into slow cooker.
Toss in half as much uncooked white rice as liquid into slow cooker and give it 2-3 hours on low to cook rice.
Now you have yummy chicken meat and some of the best damned mexican rice you can imagine. Use for tacos or whatever. The rice will be spicier than the chicken. My son just about devours the rice. It has never lasted more than twelve hours from Done! to Gone!.
Similar method can be used for beef, pork, and lamb or different spice/veggie combos. Sometimes use the liquid for gravy.
"Boneless" leg of lamb done medium-well was a BIG hit.
Boneless leg of lamb, seared on stove top using plenty of olive oil.
Watch cook time, because you don't want it super-done. I am not a fan of rare lamb, but I also don't want it "falling off the (virtual) bone." I want it firm enough to slice. Can also cook in oven.
If you have fresh garlic, slit the leg and shove in whole cloves of garlic. Use a whole head if you like. If garlic powder or dehydrated chopped, use liberally.
Salt and cracked pepper.
Stick of butter on top of hte whole deal.
Cook till med-well (my preferred).
Remove from liquid. Place liquid into pot/pan.
Shake up plenty of flour with hot water in a mason jar. Use enough water to extend the upcoming gravy, if necessary and to dilute the liquid fat. Do not drain off fat unless you are a gawdless commie.
Bring liquid to boil on stove top with medium heat and then stir in flour/water mix, constantly stirring.
Bring to boil at medium heat, stirring.
Take off heat. Stir it some more .
Can serve with veggies and taters of whatever sort: mashed, roasted, etc.
Lambwiches
Leftover lamb done this way is my daughter's favorite. She is tiny and a light eater, but will stuff herself like a tick on this.
Gently, using 50% power or so, warm up full-diameter slices of boneless leg in microwave.
Warm up gravy.
Using a fresh sliced roll (smaller in diameter to cooked boneless leg of lamb, as too much roll makes Julia Child's ghost cry) assemble roll, gravy, lamb slice, salt, pepper.
This will be messy good. And messy.
