Fast food suppers … speaking of chicken

Remember I mentioned the meal deal and picking up the chicken that I roasted? Remember too that I mentioned making the most of the time in the kitchen and the slow cooker? If you're roasting a different meat this is where your slow cooker comes into its own - slow cook a whole chicken.

If you'd like the anise stock instead of sprinkling with herbs I added two whole star anise to the cavity.

Slow Cook a Whole Chicken

1 chicken – between 1.5kg – 1.75kg

1 chicken stock pot

2 tsps of garlic paste or 1 garlic stock pot

generous sprinkle of oregano or garlic

Italian seasoning

Alternatively use two whole star anise in the cavity

and omit the herbs

Place your chicken in the slow cooker and mix the stock pot with the garlic paste and spread over the chicken. Sprinkle with the herbs or add the whole star anise to the cavity. Switch your slow cooker to the low setting and leave it for 8 hours.

Strain the stock and freeze the resultant liquid gold, strip the chicken and bag – divide the stripped chicken into two bags.

What happens next is up to you. I have to confess that I buy a chicken when it's part of a meal deal and slow cook it – the best value – every morsel can be frozen and used whenever – the perfect emergency food.

However, if you'd like another idea – just for the fun of it – perfect for a weekend treat or a lunch with a few other bits and pieces.

Way back when I'd slow cooked and stripped a chicken just before visiting the kids – big kids - and decided to take the chicken with me - some delicious bread and chicken sandwiches for lunch? We've already had chicken soup for the soul - now we have a sandwich for the soul – I've never seen food disappear as quickly for a long time. They loved the chicken – tender, moist and full of flavour.

Very often you find that an afterthought turns into a huge hit. I'll be serving chicken sandwiches for the soul again – soon.

It's time for some feedback …