Thank goodness for the Crock Pot is all I have to say. It makes it almost impossible to mess up a meal. Everything always comes out juicy, tender and delicious. This rang true again with the chicken leg quarters that I made today.
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I based my recipe off of Briana Thomas’s recipe on her blog. Here is the link to her recipe: https://www.briana-thomas.com/chicken-leg-quarters-in-the-crockpot/
Never have I used this many spices on one protein before. I felt like I had half of my spice arsenal out on the counter. The below picture is everything I used on the chicken minus Worcestershire sauce that I forgot to group up for the picture. The original recipe called for chives, but I did not have any so I opted for dried minced onion. I also used garlic powder instead of garlic salt and just added some black sea salt. Poultry seasoning was not on the original recipe list, but I felt it would meld well, so I added some of that as well.
There are no real measurements for these spices. It is all up to your personal taste. All you do is lay the chicken leg quarters in the bottom of the crockpot and then season to taste.
The recipe says to turn it on high for two hours and then switch to low until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear (about 2.5 to 3 hours). I noticed that it is mentioned in the original recipe that it says to make sure the chicken is partially thawed. I think next time I will just try to cook on low the whole time since I did not use frozen meat.
We loved the flavor combination so much that we will be trying a whole chicken next time! The addition of cinnamon is genius and elevates the whole meal!
We went low carb with our side tonight. I looked over many different recipes to use cauliflower and used what I had read to create my own side. I am calling it Half Roasted Cauliflower Casserole. It is “half roasted” because the cauliflower is first steamed/microwaved in order to cook it most of the way. This is to cut down on cooking time.
I used two medium heads of cauliflower. Cut them into bite-sized pieces and microwaved for 5 minutes. Then I placed the cauliflower in a buttered casserole dish.
I did not want to go too crazy with spices since there was so much going on with the chicken so I melted about 2 tablespoons of butter and mixed it with about 2 tablespoons on dijon mustard and seasoned pepper to taste. I then stirred in the mustard mixture into the cauliflower in order to coat thoroughly.
About a cup of shredded sharp cheddar, half a cup of shredded mozzarella and a quarter cup of grated parmesan were mixed together and put on top. This was then put in to bake at 425 degrees for 8 minutes. While in the oven I mixed together one cup of seasoned panko breadcrumbs with one tablespoon of melted butter and a quarter cup of grated parmesan. Once the timer went off I sprinkled the breadcrumb mixture on top and put it back in the oven for 5 minutes.
The textures in this side were perfect! I am very happy that I decided to add a breadcrumb on top!
The recipe card below for the chicken is how I made it. If you want to see the orignal recipe please see the link in the beginning of this post 🙂
CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS IN THE CROCKPOT
Ingredients
- 3-4 chicken leg quarters skin and all, at least partially thawed
- Garlic powder
- Crushed red pepper
- Dill weed
- Dried minced onion
- Cilantro
- Poultry Seasoning
- A little cinnamon, ginger and paprika
- A few glugs of Worcestershire sauce
- A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Put the chicken leg quarters in a large crockpot and add the assorted seasonings to taste.
- Cook on high for two hours, then turn the crockpot down to low until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear (mine took about 2½ - 3 hours on low). Enjoy immediately, or chill and enjoy for lunch for the next couple of days.
Half Roasted Cauliflower Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 Medium heads of cauliflower
For Dijon Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted butter Melted
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Seasoned pepper to taste
For Cheese Mixture Topping
- 1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1/2 Cup Mozzerrella Cheese shredded
- 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
For Breadcrumb Topping
- 1 Cup Seasoned Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Tablespoon Unsalted butter Melted
Instructions
- Cut cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Microwave (covered) for five minutes. Meanwhile, grease a casserole dish with butter and mix up cheese mixture.
- Place microwaved cauliflower into greased dish. Mix together dijon, melted butter, and seasoned pepper. Pour mixture over cauliflower and stir to coat. Sprinkle cheese mixture over the top.
- Bake in the oven for 8 minutes. While it is in the oven, mix together the panko, butter, and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over top and bake again for 5 minutes.
