Drastic measures had to be made!
We had switched to a gluten-free diet and began to eat mostly organic whole foods, with no artificial colors or flavorings. A Paleo diet, but with dairy. Not letting go of cheese and milk yet, if I can help it. My sons tummy troubles were almost immediately better just by going gluten free! I didn’t know at the time if it was gluten or something else about wheat, but hey, it was working! Finally some relief from his constant stomach pains.
Perhaps our bodies were detoxing and causing flu like symptoms?
In so many ways everyone in my little family was feeling better on a natural diet. Except for when we got sick. And we’d all been sick a ton that year! Normally we would get a cold, it’d run it’s course through each of us and that was that. We’re generally pretty healthy. but this year we had cold after cold after cold!
What could I do to boost up our immune systems?
I’d been researching gluten free recipes and learning more and more about natural health and one thing I kept coming across was chicken stock to keep your family super healthy.
I had already planned to make some homemade chicken soup, which is what I grew up with whenever anyone was sick. I have a delicious recipe from my mom, but it calls for noodles, so I was looking up other options to avoid the gluten. I could always use gluten free noodles.
After some research on the chicken broth with the most health benefits I decided on slow cooking some bone broth, or chicken stock from chicken bones. The marrow is supposed to be super immune boosting and great for many health benefits. Not a very quick process, but I really wanted to get this family healthy and do it right. I purchased a whole chicken, threw it in the slow cooker, and we had that with some potatoes and broccoli one night for dinner. It was delicious, always a family favorite dinner idea, and it’s so simple to make, I had to share my recipe with you.
Enjoy my recipe below for the easiest crock pot chicken!
Super Easy Slow Cooked Chicken:
Ingredients:
- 1 whole chicken
- Olive Oil
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic (optional)
- Rosemary (optional)
- Vegetables (optional)
Directions:
- Rinse chicken
- Rub with olive oil and seasonings
- Place in crock pot with a 1/4 cup of water. You can also put chopped onion, potatoes, and carrots in the bottom of the crock pot, or just potatoes. Lots of options.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours
You can eat your whole chicken as is (pictured above) or cut it up to put in any recipe. The best way to have it when you’re not well is in home made chicken soup! I also saved the bones and the little bit of broth left in the crock pot because we needed some serious healing power and I wanted to make some chicken stock. I made my grocery list to go get some vegetables I needed for my super duper immune boosting chicken stock.
Chicken stock is a great thing to have on hand to replace water in many recipes and boost your immune system as well as the flavor of your meal. The recipe has been moved here: Immune Boosting Chicken Stock Recipe
I have been using my slow cooker a lot lately! It is so great for chicken too because it helps it be so tender especially when cooked on the bone and those cuts are usually cheaper so all around score! I love how simple your recipe is and it comes out great!
I’ve been using mine a lot lately and it’s so easy! Chicken, pork, roast, everything comes out so tender and flavorful.
You had me until feet. I saw too many of them in China. But it really does look yummy!
Lol! Chicken stock is still very beneficial without using chicken feet.
I was just stopping by to grab the recipe for the soup since I was looking for something easy to toss in the crockpot (thank you for the recipe, by the way since it is what we’re having for dinner tonight), but I was intrigued by the chicken feet! NEVER would I have considered this if I hadn’t seen this post. I had no idea they were so healthy. I’m definitely going to remember this next time I make stock.
I’ll have the actual soup recipe up soon! Who knew about chicken feet having health benefits?!
After this crazy week of illness, I decided to make this in today’s crock pot. OMGee it’s going to smell delicious come 3 oclock. Hubby will be thrilled that I cooked something so extravagant; he won’t have any idea how simple it is to create. Disclaimer…could not bring myself to adding the chicken feet- I like them better on the chicken!
I like how you used the super healthy broth and chicken to make homemade chicken noodle soup. Chicken feet, huh? Well, I do try to learn something new every day!
Yes! My grandmother said, oh yes, we used every part of the bird we could and of course the feet! They’re so healthy for you. (Of course! lol)
This looks like just what we need in my house right now to ward off the sickies and stick to our meal budget. Great timing, because I was just about to sit down and write up my meal plan for the week 🙂