Dinner doesn’t get tastier than this juicy crock pot honey lemon hen! A complete hen will get slathered with zesty lemon pepper and butter, then slow-cooked in a candy, citrusy honey lemon sauce till it’s fall-off-the-bone tender.
From my juicy entire roasted hen to golden, crispy spatchcock grilled hen, we don’t fiddle with regards to hen dinners. And the gradual cooker makes it that a lot simpler!
The day I made this crock pot honey lemon hen, all I wished was juicy, tender hen with cauliflower rice on the facet. My needs? My command. In the long run, it was a toss-up between making my honey garlic hen once more (a perpetually fave) or attempting one thing new with much more honey and lemon goodness. And since I not often make the identical factor twice, this honey lemon hen received out. Boy, was I glad it did!
What Makes This Honey Lemon Hen So Nice
- It’s slow-cooked, fall-off-the-bone perfection. This honey lemon hen is extremely cozy and comforting and tastes such as you’ve been cooking all day, even if you happen to technically haven’t.
- Minimal effort, most taste. I share my simple strategies for the juiciest hen EVER. Easy tips like rubbing butter and seasonings underneath the pores and skin, stuffing the hen cavity with an entire lemon, and searing the hen in a skillet earlier than gradual cooking make all of the distinction.
- No babysitting. As soon as this hen is prepped, you let the gradual cooker, lemon, butter, garlic, and honey work their magic. There’s zero oven time required.
- Stretch the meal additional. We’re large followers of entire hen recipes round right here. This crock pot hen is budget-friendly, flavorful, and ideal for feeding a crowd or having leftovers.
Elements You’ll Want
So, about our hen, right here. This honey lemon hen recipe retains issues easy with pantry staples and some contemporary substances. Beneath, you’ll discover notes and straightforward swaps for every one. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for the total printable recipe particulars, together with a step-by-step afterward with photographs.
- Complete Hen – We’re utilizing an entire hen right here, skin-on and bone-in, for additional taste and juiciness. Search for hen with pink-colored meat, and ensure to take away the giblets. You may swap in bone-in hen thighs or drumsticks if you happen to’re not Crew Complete Hen.
- Butter – Softened butter will get mashed with lemon pepper and garlic to create essentially the most flavorful rub underneath the pores and skin.
- Lemon Pepper – It provides this dish its signature zesty taste. If you happen to’re out, combine lemon zest with cracked black pepper and a pinch of salt.
- Garlic – Garlic powder works in a pinch, and you should utilize about 1/2 teaspoon per clove.
- Olive Oil – Helps crisp up the pores and skin and lock in moisture. You can too use avocado oil or melted butter.
- Complete Lemon – Stuffed contained in the hen for citrusy steam and further taste. No have to peel the lemon first; simply pierce it and toss it in.
- Lemon Juice – Vivid and tangy, it balances the sweetness of the honey. Contemporary is finest, however bottled works, too.
- Honey – If wanted, maple syrup and agave are good substitutes.
- Orange Juice – Provides one other layer of citrus taste and helps spherical out the sauce. Pineapple juice is a enjoyable swap if you happen to’re feeling tropical.
- Salt and Pepper – I take advantage of seasoned salt for additional taste on the pores and skin. If you happen to don’t have it, combine common salt with a little bit of paprika and onion powder. Additionally, freshly floor black pepper makes a giant distinction, IMHO.
Recipe Suggestions
- If you happen to use a frozen entire hen, be sure that to fully thaw the hen in a single day within the fridge earlier than beginning the recipe.
- Brown the hen. I embody the choice to brown the entire hen in a skillet earlier than including it to the crock pot. It’s an additional step that provides taste and provides the hen pores and skin a pleasant golden sear. It’s fantastic to skip this step if you happen to’re brief on time, although.
- Don’t carve the hen straight away. After cooking, let the hen relaxation for 10-Quarter-hour. This permits all of the juices to redistribute again into the meat for a young, moist, and engaging hen with crispy pores and skin.
- Have a meat thermometer helpful. The simplest strategy to test a hen for doneness is with an instant-read meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer on the meatiest a part of the thigh (underneath the wing), in addition to the thickest a part of the breast. Take care to keep away from any bones. The hen is able to depart the gradual cooker when the inner temperature reads 160ºF, and also you’ll need to guarantee it reaches 165ºF after resting.
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Clear the hen. Rinse the hen and dry it totally utilizing paper towels. Take away the giblets and clear out the hen cavity.
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Separate the pores and skin. Utilizing the deal with of a wood spoon, rigorously insert the deal with beneath the pores and skin, starting on the neck. Slowly separate the pores and skin from the meat with out tearing by way of the pores and skin. Put aside.
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Make the lemon pepper butter. In a small bowl, mix the butter, lemon pepper, and garlic; mash and blend with a fork till fully integrated.
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Rub the hen with the ready butter. Rub the ready lemon pepper butter underneath the pores and skin, across the total hen, and out to the thighs and legs. I discover it simpler to spoon a big chunk of the butter underneath the pores and skin; then, I take advantage of my fingers to unfold it round by rubbing the hen on prime.
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Season the hen. Then, rub the highest of the pores and skin with olive oil and season it with seasoned salt and black pepper. Optionally available: At this level, it’s also possible to brown the hen in a skillet for about 5 minutes per facet, or simply till golden.
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Add the entire lemon. Pierce the entire lemon throughout with a fork, then place it contained in the cleaned-out cavity. Switch the hen to the gradual cooker.
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Make the honey citrus juice and prepare dinner. Mix lemon juice, honey, and orange juice in a small bowl; whisk it till integrated. Pour the ready honey sauce into the gradual cooker, cowl it with a lid, and prepare dinner on Low for six to 7 hours or on Excessive for 4 to five hours, or till the inner temperature of the cooked hen registers at 160˚F.
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End and serve. Rigorously take away the entire hen from the gradual cooker. Then, take away the lemon from the cavity and squeeze the juice out all around the hen. Let the hen relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than chopping and serving.
To stress prepare dinner an entire hen, add a trivet to the Instantaneous Pot and place the hen on prime; set to Excessive Stress for 25 minutes. Permit for pure stress launch, after which test to make sure the hen is totally cooked to an inner temperature of 160 to 165˚F.
Serving: 8ounces | Energy: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.5g | Protein: 29.3g | Fats: 12g | Saturated Fats: 5.8g | Ldl cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 100.5mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 24.9g
Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values could fluctuate based on the substances and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
The way to Make Crock Pot Honey Lemon Hen
That is a type of set-it-and-forget-it recipes (actually, my finest sort). We’re taking an entire hen, rubbing it with lemony butter, after which cooking it low and gradual to fall-off-the-bone perfection within the crock pot. Right here’s the best way to make it occur, step-by-step!
- Prep the hen. Begin by eradicating the giblets and giving the hen a very good rinse. Afterward, pat it fully dry with paper towels. This helps the pores and skin crisp up slightly, even within the gradual cooker.
- Loosen the pores and skin. Subsequent, seize the deal with of a wood spoon and gently work it underneath the pores and skin, beginning on the neck. You need to create house between the pores and skin and meat with out tearing it.
- Make the lemon pepper butter. In a small bowl, mash collectively the softened butter, lemon pepper, and chopped garlic. It ought to appear like a spreadable paste.
- Rub it in. Spoon the butter combination underneath the hen pores and skin, after which use your fingers (on prime of the pores and skin) to unfold it throughout. I prefer to put on gloves once I do that. In any other case, be sure that to scrub your fingers effectively earlier than and after.
- Season the surface. Now, rub olive oil excessive of the pores and skin, then sprinkle with seasoned salt and black pepper.
- Optionally available however tasty: Brown the hen. If in case you have the time, sear the entire hen in a sizzling skillet for about 5 minutes per facet till golden. It’s completely elective, but it surely does add good taste and slightly coloration.
- Add the lemon. Afterward, pierce an entire lemon a number of instances with a fork and place it contained in the hen cavity.
- Combine up the sauce. In the meantime, whisk collectively the lemon juice, honey, and orange juice. Pour it into the underside of your gradual cooker.
- Prepare dinner low and gradual. Switch the hen to the gradual cooker. Cowl, and prepare dinner on LOW for six to 7 hours or HIGH for 4 to five hours. The hen is prepared when the inner temperature reaches 160°F away from the bone, and the juices run clear.
- End and serve. Rigorously take away the hen from the gradual cooker. Take out the lemon from the cavity and provides it a very good squeeze over the hen earlier than letting the hen relaxation for 10 minutes.
Lastly? Don’t toss that liquid gold left over within the gradual cooker! Drizzle these flavorful honey-citrus juices over your hen and your facet dish of mushroom rice or Vesuvio potatoes. See the Serving Recommendations above for extra concepts.
Instantaneous Pot Technique
To make this honey lemon hen within the Instantaneous Pot, place a trivet contained in the pot and set the seasoned entire hen on prime. Lock the lid and prepare dinner on Excessive Stress for 25 minutes. As soon as it’s carried out, let the stress launch naturally. Then, test that the inner temperature has reached 160°F to 165°F earlier than serving.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Hen
- Refrigerate. Let the cooked hen cool fully, after which retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Leftover hen is nice to shred into hen salad or roll up in hen wraps.
- Reheat. To reheat, pop the leftovers into the microwave or heat the hen gently in a lined skillet with a splash of the cooking juices. It stays juicy and flavorful, good for tossing into hen salad, wraps, or a fast rice bowl the following day.
- Freeze. First, take away the meat from the bones and let it cool fully. Subsequent, retailer the hen in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, label it, and freeze for as much as 3 months. While you’re prepared to make use of it, thaw it in a single day within the fridge and reheat as wanted.
