Crockpots are great for stews, chilis, and soups. The crockpot is also the easiest way to create an amazing Whole Chicken! This Lemon Thyme Crockpot Chicken and Vegetables is simple and delicious. The chicken is juicy and falls right off the bone.  The vegetables cook underneath the chicken and take on all that lemon thyme flavor too! You probably have many of these ingredients on hand too. This budget friendly meal is one you and your wallet will LOVE!

The vegetables cook underneath the chicken and take on all that lemon thyme flavor too! You probably have many of these ingredients on hand too. This budget friendly meal is one you and your wallet will LOVE!

In the new year, I’m taking part in the Real Food Experience 2015. This experience is all about cleaning up our diet and eating real food, you know the stuff our great-grandparents just called “food”. One of the goals is showing how to use simple, whole ingredients to create delicious and healthy meals. This crockpot whole chicken recipe is one of those recipes. A crockpot is a useful tool to help save time in the kitchen. You just place everything in it and forget it. It does all the work for you. I use a basic 4 Quart crockpot for my family of 5. I found it for under $25 at Amazon.

Real food doesn’t have to be expensive. It is possible to eat fresh, unprocessed foods and still stay on a budget. One of the ways I do it is by shopping at Aldi, a national chain grocery that offers great prices on many real food items. For a local blog, I recently wrote Eat Healthy on a Budget at Aldi. It shows the real food items  full of tips to help you save money.

This recipe for Lemon Thyme Crockpot Chicken and Vegetables cost be $11.80 to make. I added a green salad of organic greens, cucumber, and tomatoes for an additional $4.17. So for $15.97, I have a meal for my family of 5. Plus tomorrow, I’ll make Leftover Chicken and Vegetable Soup (serves 12) for an additional $1.78. So that brings my total for 2 meals plus a lunch to $17.75. Not bad!

Lemon Thyme Crockpot Chicken

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Ingredients

• Whole Chicken, 4-5 pounds
• 5 Russet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 5 Carrots, chopped
• 3 stalks of Celery, diced
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

Instructions

1. Place the chopped potato, onion, carrots, and celery in the bottom of the slow cooker. Mince one clove of garlic and sprinkle in over the vegetables.
2. Remove any giblets from the chicken and set them aside. Smash the remaining garlic clove and rub into all over the outside of the chicken. Place the clove inside the chicken when done.
3. Cut the lemon in half. Squeeze the half of the lemon over the top of the chicken. Place both halves inside the chicken.
4. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and thyme all over the chicken.
5. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker and cover with lid.
6. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.
7. Remove the chicken to a plate.
8. Remove vegetables and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Click NEXT PAGE to learn how to make homemade chicken broth for FREE and a recipe for Leftover Chicken Soup.