TNT Chicken

You can easily make you own garlic oil a week in advance by peeling a head of garlic and placing cloves in a lidded jar of extra virgin light olive oil. Store in cupboard away from heat sources. As you use, replenish with both new peeled cloves of garlic and extra virgin light olive oil.

Mix oil and all herbs and spices together in a small bowl.

Remove giblets from chicken cavity. Thoroughly rinse whole bird inside and out, dry well with paper towels or cloth. Fold wing tips behind drumettes and, making a knife slice in the skin 2-3 inches down at both sides of the neck opening, slip each drumstick end through the slice in the skin.

Thoroughly rub oil and herb mix inside and outside the dry bird. Pour a small amount of pickle juice in the crock pot bottom. Place the whole bird, back side up/breast side down in the crock pot and slowly pour remainder of pickle juice over the bird.

Cover with a lid and cook 8 hours on low (perfect for a night’s sleep!). Awaken to glorious aromas! Turn off pot, uncover and allow chicken to cool to handling stage. Debone bird, remove skin and pull chicken with a fork. Keep and use the juice. I suggest you refrigerate it overnight, allowing the chicken fat to harden so it can be removed more easily. Use this scrumptious chicken for any recipe you can think of. The flavor is unique and to die for!”

Suggestions:

I always use my first batch to make TNT Tacos: Mince yellow sweet pepper, finely slice sweet onion, dice cucumber, chop Roma tomatoes, diced avocado, finely grate fresh Parmesan cheese, and quarter fresh limes. Grill whole grain tortillas over an open flame for a few seconds each side, then immediately sprinkle parmesan on each cheese shell. Mound with fresh spinach leaves and remaining vegetables. Top with TNT chicken, and 1/4 – 1/2 squeezed lime. Roll up and sprinkle with more Parmesan. Have plenty of napkins or paper towels on hand and enjoy! So yummy!

Any additional spices can be added to portions of the pulled chicken to alternate flavors appropriate to other influences of culture, i.e. Chinese 5-spice for stir-fry, chili powder and cumin for Mexican, turmeric and curry for East Indian, etc. Let your imagination roll with this basic recipe, or just serve it from the crock pot along with you favorite side dishes and a salad!