Are you looking for some new flavors for your crockpot? This recipe for Slow Cooker Chinese 5 Spice Chicken switches up the traditional slow cooker flavors for an Asian inspired dish.
Chinese 5 Spice Chicken
For those unfamiliar with Chinese 5 Spice (like I was), Wikipedia says “Five-spice powder is a mixture of five spices used primarily in Chinese cuisine but also used in other Asian and Arabic cookery.”
Okay… but what 5 spices?
Wikipedia answers: “While there are many variants, a common mix is: Star anise, Cloves, Chinese Cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and Fennel seeds.”
Wikipedia goes on to explain that there are different mixtures for different regions. You can geek out about it all over here.
Me?
I just decided to take it for a whirl. I picked up a jar of Chinese 5 Spice at my local spice shop. If you can’t find it in your local store, you can always buy it from our friends at Amazon.
The results?
Interesting. The resulting chicken was tender and fantastic as always, but this time it also had a cinnamon-like flavor to it thanks to the Chinese 5 Spice.
Also? It gave me an excuse to play with my new rice cooker and whip up a batch of jasmine rice which paired nicely with it.
Broiler Option
Now, when I cook a whole bird in my crock pot, I like to broil it afterward to crisp up the skin. This is made easy when I use my favorite slow cooker because it’s crock is all metal and can go into my broiler straight from the slow cooker. But if you have a different kind, you can always transfer your chicken (carefully– it will be fall-a-part-tender) to a broiler safe pan and toss under the broiler for 1-5 minutes. Keep an eye on it, it will crisp up fast!
Chinese 5 Spice Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 stalk celery cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 green onions sliced into 1 inch pieces
- 4.5 lb roasting chicken
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
Instructions
- Place celery and onion inside chicken.
- Mix together soy sauce and spice and rub all over chicken.
- Place chicken in slow cooker on low for 6-7 hours
- Place in a broiler safe pan if desired to crisp up skin for 1-5 minutes under oven broiler.
- Discard veggies and serve with rice.
More Great Slow Cooker Recipes
Considering purchasing Gooseberry Patch’s new 101 Super-Easy Slow-Cooker Recipes Cookbook?
Check out these other free recipes for a taste of what you will get 
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Her site Recipes That Crock is dedicated to helping everyone find delicious recipes to serve their families every month.
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This looks great. I use my slow cooker all the time. My question is what is the difference between a roasting chicken and a fryer.
Broilers: Chickens 6-8 weeks old and weighing about 2 1/2 pounds
Fryers: Chickens 6-8 weeks old and weighing 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 pounds
Roasters: Chickens less than 8 months old and weighing 3 1/2 – 5 pounds (more info here:http://www.thekitchn.com/broiler-fryer-and-roasters-wha-47323