Slow Cooker Chicken and Fennel

Things are starting to bolt all over the yard.  Good for peas and artichokes, not so good for things you don't want going to seed.  I decided to dig up the volunteer fennel before it did bad things.

When I googled "slow cooker chicken and fennel", the first thing that came up was from Kosher.com.  We're well past the week I make the effort to eat kosher, but the recipe looked good and didn't need much tweaking.

Every time I make something in the Crockpot, it reminds me that I should use it more often.  It does require planning ahead, but then all you do in the morning is get the crock out of the fridge and turn on the base.

My actual photos will show half a recipe.  It's the small slow cooker, and I was only cooking for two days.  I almost bought a bigger one at an estate sale, but it was from before they started making the crock a removable insert.  I don't trust myself to wash an electric appliance like that without getting the wiring wet.  Maybe I'll break down at some point and get the 6-quart.

8 pieces chicken, or 4 leg quarters
*2 large fennel bulbs, thinly sliced into half-moons
*6 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 large onion, sliced
*3 cloves garlic, minced
*2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp turmeric
*1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp allspice
1 C chicken or vegetable stock, possibly more

1.  Line crock or use pan spray for easy cleanup.  Turmeric can get a bit messy.  When slicing the fennel, I recommend washing it a second time after slicing.  Dirt hides in the layers.

2.  Arrange fennel and celery slices at the bottom of the crock.  Lay the chicken on top.

3.  Drizzle the oil on the chicken.  Sprinkle with turmeric, fennel, mustard, and allspice.  I was using low sodium chicken broth, so I added half a teaspoon of salt.

4.  Cover with bay leaves and onion slices.  At this point, you can refrigerate overnight as a do-ahead.  When ready to cook, add chicken stock.  Depending on the size of your crock, you may need to add up to two cups.   The chicken will cook down, so you don't need to cover it, but there should be a solid 2" of liquid in the bottom to allow for evaporation.  I didn't have plans to use more in the next week and put in the whole 14oz can, which was definitely more than I needed for the 2 quart crock.

5.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 3-4.  Serve with fennel, celery, and onion spooned on top.

Difficulty rating  π