Slow cooking is a great way to make sure that your chicken is moist and flavorful.
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Finding the best type of chicken for a slow cooker recipe can be relatively easy because there are not so many cuts of chicken out there.
In this post, we are going to cover the most common cuts of chicken for slow cooking and some tips that you should take note of to have the most delicious dish that can wow the whole family.
How to choose chicken for a slow cooker?
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Cooking with a slow cooker is quite straightforward.
All you need to do is put the ingredients in it and wait for them to be cooked after several hours.
Therefore, it is essential to have the right cut of chicken so that your dish will be delicious and can melt in your mouth.
Here are some tips that will help you choose a good cut of chicken for a slow cooker:
1. Choose a cut that is fresh, not frozen
Fresh chicken is always a better choice than its frozen counterpart.
Using fresh chicken for your slow-cooking recipe will result in tender pieces of chicken but still have a firm texture to chew.
Meanwhile, frozen chicken is cheaper, but if improperly frozen, it will taste milder and has a soft but soaky texture.
2. Buy a whole bird for a more economical way
If you want to save some money, it is better to purchase a whole bird.
It is pricier in general but is cheaper per pound.
When buying a whole chicken, you can use some cuts for cooking in a slow cooker and the rest can be used for other recipes.
In the end, buying a whole bird is always a more economical way to save money in your kitchen.
3. Use bone-in chicken for a more flavorful taste
Another tip to choose chicken for a dish cooked in a slow cooker is to use a bone-in cut of chicken.
The bones help add flavor to the meat and make your dish tastier.
Moreover, a bone-in cut is also cheaper than its boneless counterpart, so you can save some money indeed.
Best chicken for slow cooker
Now, let’s figure out what cut of chicken is best to be cooked in a slow cooker:
1. Chicken thighs
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Chicken thighs are ideal for slow-cooking because they can be juicy even being cooked for hours.
Chicken thighs are dark meat so they contain more fat, but this makes this cut more flavorful and juicier than the white meat counterpart.
Moreover, chicken thighs are also more affordable and can help you save some money.
You can use bone-in, boneless, skin-on, or skinless chicken thighs in a slow-cooking recipe.
However, the bone-in and skin-on versions will be more flavorful and have a richer taste.
2. Chicken breast
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Chicken breast is another option for cooking in a slow cooker if you expect a leaner cut of meat with more protein and lower fat.
Chicken breast is the leanest cut of chicken and it will become very tender if properly cooked.
However, it is milder in flavor and can be dry if overcooked.
3. A whole chicken
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You can even slow-cook a whole chicken.
Make sure you have a big enough slow cooker to cook your chicken.
Normally, a whole bird is cooked with some vegetables, spices, herbs, and rice in a slow cooker so that you can have a hearty and nutritious dish.
With this easy dish, you can have a dish with various ingredients from all groups to serve your family.
4. Chicken wings
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Chicken wings are often slow-cooked with buffalo sauce so that the resulting dish is sticky, tender, and very flavorful.
Chicken wings are an economical cut that is mainly made from the skin with little meat.
The bottom line
The most important step in making a great slow-cooking recipe is to pick the right type of chicken.
After that, just let the slow cooker do its job.
You can either choose white meat chicken like chicken breast or dark meat chicken like chicken thighs because both can become very tender and flavorful if cooked properly.
However, chicken thighs seem to be the most suitable choice because it is affordable, juicy, and tasty.
