Slow Cooked Roasted Chicken & Roasted Chicken Salad

Good Southern Comforts

This post goes out to my neighbor, Lana over in Georgia and to her readers at Never Enough Thyme. She cooks as if she is a relative of mine, a woman after my heart (and stomach) with her down-to-goodness, southern recipes.

There are many who believe bad blood exists between my home state and that of Lana’s. Much like the Hatfield and McCoy feuds, the latest squabble over the waters of the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin, including Allatoona and Carters lakes in northwest Georgia have been going on now for several years. Georgia has a lot of water, the folks downstream in Alabama and Florida have argued over the legal water rights of Lake Lanier too since the early 1990’s. The big sprawl of central Georgia has those fine folks worried about the allocation of water – theirs vs. the rivers, streams and estuaries that feed into the lower areas of the other two states. Disagreement has led to federal intervention.

Another bad blood, one that only a few now may recall, is the historic Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket’s vs. Bear Bryant’s Alabama Crimson Tide. Back in 1961, then Coach Bobby Dodd and his team paid a visit to Tide’s stadium. Tech punted the ball, Alabama fair-caught the ball and after the fair catch, a Tide player continued play smashing an opponent’s face. The injury cause unconsciousness and a severe concussion to Dodd’s player. The incident let to a bitter disgruntle and along with other issues, like the South Eastern Conference schools' over-recruitment of players, the fed-up coach of the Yellow Jackets withdrew from the SEC. Now, that’s really bad blood.

Then there is the much debatable feud, particularly in the lower counties of Georgia and Alabama, of who can grow or has the better cotton. Cotton was king for many years, until the nasty boll weevil came calling, wiping out farmers interest. This feud subsided as Georgians planted peanuts and Alabamians grew soybeans.

Lana and I have too much in common to ever squabble despite our state’s view of one another. Both of us are were born in small southern towns, raised in a family that taught good manners and we both like good home style food. I’m talking about food that will make you cry in joy ‘cause it taste so good. Lana knows how to cook southern cuisine. Secrets that are only taught by your mother or someone from a southern family. How many of you actually use the chicken fat in your dough when making chicken and dumplings? Or add Karo syrup to bacon covered baked beans, use a real hambone in making soups, add butter to butter beans, bake banana pudding topped with browned meringue for a church dinner-on-the-grounds or how many of you even know what mayhaws are? We are few, I know. Lana cooks as if she belongs next door and I wish she were a closer neighbor.

The recipes today are not traditional southern in nature, I knew better than to offer Lana something southern, besides, she would out do me anyway. But, the comforting flavor of roasted chicken is and this one is easy and downright succulent. The salad is a twist to the time-honored salad we both grew up eating. I hope you like it. Enjoy!

Roasted Chicken Salad
Great flavored, the sweetness of traditional southern salad with 'a little something-extra' taste. Love it on crackers, stuffed tomatoes and makes a fine sandwich

1 1/2 cups diced roasted chicken, recipe follows
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup diced celery
2 tablespoons sweet salad cubes or diced sweet pickles
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Mayonnaise to moisten
Good splash of lemon juice
1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans or almonds
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
    Mix all ingredients together in a bowl except the red peppers. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the red peppers and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Slow Cooked Roasted Chicken
    A seasoned, well versatile bird. Tender, moist and good eating.

    1 large roasting chicken
    1/2 teaspoon cayenne
    1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    1 teaspoon onion powder
    1 teaspoon dried crush thyme
    2 teaspoons paprika
    2 tablespoons salt
    1 large onion, sliced
    1 rib celery, cut in half
      Remove excess fat from the chicken and rinse under running water, pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix spices together and sprinkle the bird inside and out. Lay a few onions in the bottom of a slow cooker, place remaining onions and the celery inside the cavity and position in the center of the cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours.
      Transfer to a baking dish and broil in the oven if desired to brown the skin although as you can see, most of the time it is not necessary.
      Pour the drippings into a bowl and skim off the grease. This base makes delicious gravy. Cut the chicken into serving pieces or use the meat for other delectable dishes.
      Note: Reserve the drippings for later use and the carcass too. Together, these two are the start to a rich and tasty chicken stock.

      Sides for Roasted Chicken:
      Fresh Basil Scalloped Corn

      Comments

      1. oh man I would love to be eating this tonight love this kind of chicken... so versatile... and that chicken salad is perfect for my lunch tomorrow~ that was an aweful story and can see the bad blood there~! have a great weekend

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      2. slow cooking is the key to a moist tasty chicken, you can't rush good food! I'm sure it made that chicken salad spectacular! I guess it good you stayed away from possible fuedin food!

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      3. Great chicken recipes! Just love the seasonings and the ease of preparation and that chicken salad looks divine! Definitely a "must try"! And the suggested sides all look fab, too! Cheers, cher!

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      4. That salad is the perfect place for bits of such wonderful chicken. Love the recipes!!

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      5. With chicken cooked like that you have to have a great chicken salad! Sounds awesome!

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      6. That chicken salad sounds great! However I might omit the pecans.

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      7. Amazing how versatile chicken is, isn't it? A beautifully roasted bird and I'm sure it made great salad afterwards!

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      8. I actually got stuck reading about the salad. I started dreaming away about all the wonderful ways that I can eat that lovely salad with....endless! Back to earth now....sounds so greedy...LOL The chicken sounds so good. I like it. Just throw into the slow cooker and I can go and play for 6 hrs....yeah! :D Know what? You have just reminded me that I have a big slow cooker that's brand new hiding somewhere. Need to go and dig it out for this. Thanks a zillion, Drick!

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      9. Well, I'm flabbergasted. At a loss for words for once in my life :-) What an honor to be featured in such a neighborly way on a food blog that I admire and enjoy so much. Thanks from the bottom of my little southern heart, Drick!

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      10. One of lifes treasures - a perfect roasted chicken! Great recipe!!

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      11. Thanks for the slow cooker chicken recipe and the one for the chicken salad too, they both look good. I like using the slow cooker when we play golf, I come home tired and the kitchen smells like somebody stayed home and prepared you a nice home cooked meal!

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      12. Two excellent recipes! It's been a long time since I've had a nice chicken salad - must make soon!

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      13. Oh, we love slow cooking chickens and turkey breasts- and the house smells like love, family, and heaven! What a lovely tribute to a friend!
        xoxo Pattie

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      14. I love the sound of that salad. I think that will be my lunch idea for next week!

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      15. More fantastic recipes! Thanks.

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      16. that salad would be perfect for a family picnic, great tip on starting off a great stock..

        sweetlife

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      17. I always making my salad with the leftover roasted chicken. And yours sounds amazing. Thanks & have a nice day.
        Cheers, kristy

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      18. Great recipes...I love using slow cook methods :) This look amazing, especially the photo of the roasted chicken, perfectly tender :)

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