Crock potAmerican
Crock-pot chicken thighs
Bone-in dark meat, onion, a little stock. Four hours on Low and they pull like a Sunday bird.
Made it?
4 hr · 15 min hands-on · pull 185°F · rest 10 min
Ingredients
3 lb on the fire · ~2.1 lb to the table · 4 plates at 8 oz
- bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs3 lb
- onion, sliced1
- garlic cloves, smashed4
- kosher salt1 tsp
- paprika1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- chicken stock1/2 cup
Method
- 1
Salt the thighs. Scatter onion and garlic in the crock. Thighs on top, skin up. Dust paprika and pepper. Pour the stock around, not over the skin.
- 2
Low 4 hours. Do not lift the lid. Pull when the thickest thigh hits 185°F and the meat is leaving the bone.
- 3
Rest 10 minutes. Skin will be soft — that is the crock. Crisp it 3 minutes in a hot skillet if you want shatter.
If you don’t have it
- Bone-in thighs → Drums, or boneless thighs. Boneless: check at 3 hours. Drums same 185°F.
- Stock → A splash of beer or salsa. You need liquid. Water is sad but it works.
Same cook, different day
Crisp finish
You want skin. Pull, pat, skillet 3 minutes skin-down. The crock did the collagen; the pan does the crackle.
High
You have 2½ hours. High, not Low. Probe 185. Still leave the lid on.
On the plate
With this, try
- With this dish, try making petite roasted potatoes.
Same pan as a roast or chicken. Or a sheet next to chops. Halve, oil, salt, rosemary. 425°F cut-side down until the faces brown. Toss in the meat drippings at the end.
40 min
- With this dish, try making vinegar slaw.
Anytime. Better after an hour in the fridge. Cabbage, carrot, cider vinegar, a pinch of sugar, salt, pepper. No mayo if the meat is already rich.
20 min
- With this dish, try making potato salad.
While the meat rests. Waxy potatoes, salt in the water, mustard-mayo, pickle, celery. Fold when the potatoes are still warm.
45 min