There's nothing like coming how to a slow-cooked meal after a long day. My Lemon, Fennel and Sumac Chicken is a frequent meal in my household. I love cooking the whole chicken using the slow-cooker, not only do you get to prepare it, turn it on and get on with the rest of your day, but you end up with a chicken that is so succulent and full of flavour. For this recipe, I've combined a number of middle-eastern flavours that have literally marinated through the whole chicken; absolutely delicious!
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 x 1.5-2kg Whole Free-Range Chicken
4 lemons, juiced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1x 3cm cube of ginger, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons of sumac
1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
1 tablespoon of ground cumin seeds (cumin powder)
Himalayan salt and pepper to season
Method
1. Combine the lemon juice, garlic, ginger, olive oil, sumac, fennel seeds in cumin in a bowl.
2. In a large bowl, massage the mixture into the chicken, ensuring it is well marinated. You could also leave it in the fridge for a few hours to marinate it even further.
3. Place the chicken into the slow cooker insert and add 1 cup of water to the bottom.
4. Turn the setting on the slow-cooker to High and ensure the lid is secured. Allow the chicken to cook for 4-5 hours.
5. To serve, I shred the chicken as it is sooo tender it falls off the bone.
Cauliflower and Pumpkin roasted in olive oil and middle-eastern spices is a perfect accompany to this dish!
For this recipe, if you don’t have a slow-cooker or you prefer your chicken to be roasted, you could alternatively prepare the chicken as above and place it in a dish in the oven. Just ensure you follow instructions on how to roast a chicken properly. These can be found on the internet or sometimes on the packaging the chicken comes in.
Enjoy!!