Crockpot Italian Chicken & Carrots

 Ingredients

SOAKING OR BRINING UTENSILS &
INGREDIENCE
1 large     soup kettle or pot
1     spoon to stir the pot
1 1/2 c     kosher salt or 1 cup table salt without iodine
6     chicken leg quarters or breasts without skin, frozen or thawed
 

RECIPE UTENSILS
1     oval crockpot preferred but any will do
1     dicing knife
1     set of measuring cups and spoons for wet and dry ingredients
1     wooden spoon to mix dry ingredients
1 small     mixing bowl
1     spoon to mix sauce in crockpot
1     pasta spoon to laddel pasta onto serving plate
1 small     colander
1 large     spoon to laddle crockpot ingredients on to serving plate
 

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 small     yellow onion finely diced
1 Tbsp     garlic finely minced
    extra virgin olive oil
30 small     fresh carrots - baby cut
14 1/2 oz     italian or plain diced tomatoes with the juice
26 1/2 oz     hunt's tomato sauce like mushroom, four cheese, etc. or any other brand that you like to use
1 Tbsp     fresh oregano
1/2 Tbsp     fresh basil leaves
1 Tbsp     parsley flakes
1 Tbsp     italian seasoning
2     bay leaves
1 Tbsp     garlic powder
    sea salt or table salt to taste
    coarse ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 c     cold bottled water
1 lb     regular or angel hair pasta
    parmesan cheese for shaking onto each plate served

Directions

1  Soak or Brine CHICKEN 1 to 1 1/2 hours. In a pot put in the KOSHER or TABLE SALT and COLD WATER to almost the top of the pot. Stir the SALT/WATER mixture. Put in the 6 CHICKEN PIECES making sure they are completely submerged in the SALT/WATER mixture. Soak or brine for 1 to 1 1/2 hrs. FYI: Brining helps to remove all excess blood from the chicken and it keeps the chicken pieces moist and tender. Brining or salting is a way of increasing the moisture holding capacity of the chicken resulting in a moister product when it is cooked. Salt changes the structure of the muscle tissue in the chicken, which allows it to swell and absorb water and flavorings that results in a tender chicken and less shrinkage once cooked. Brining is also good for meat, poultry and/or pork.
 

2  While the Chicken Pieces are brining you can begin preparing your meal. Before starting to cook I like to gather and measure all my ingredients to make sure I have everything needed to prepare the meal. If you are like me and like to be organized the next thing I do is gather all the cooking utensils, pots and pans, etc I will be using
 

3  Turn Crockpot on LOW and begin placing into it the following ingredients:
OLIVE OIL to just cover the bottom of the Crockpot, DO NOT OVER FILL or your dish will be too greasy
Spread evenly in Crockpot the GARLIC and ONION to soak in the Olive Oil for 15 -20 minutes. This process really does enhance the flavor of the Garlic and Onion
After soaking the Garlic and Onion turn the Crockpot to HIGH
Evenly spread the CARROTS around the Crockpot
Evenly spread the ITALIAN DICE TOMATOES and the juice from the can around the Crockpot
Take each CHICKEN PIECE individually and rinse it good under cold water
Evenly lay the CHICKEN PIECES around the Crockpot. Try to make it one layer and not put one piece on top of another
Spread evenly the HUNT'S TOMATO SAUCE making sure each CHICKEN PIECE is covered with the sauce
 

4  IN A MEDIUM MIXING BOWL ADD THE FOLLOWING MEASURED INGREDIENTS:
Measure FRESH OREGANO into the palm of your hand then rub your hands together letting the ground ingredient fall into the mixing bowl
Measure FRESH BASIL LEAVES into the palm of your hand then rub your hands together letting the ground ingredient fall into the mixing bowl
Add to the bowl the PARSLEY, ITALIAN SEASONING, GARLIC POWDER, SALT and PEPPER.
Mix all the ingredients together well then sprinkle evenly over the tomato sauce in the Crockpot
Place 1 BAY LEAF down into the sauce on each
end of the crockpot.
Pour the WATER around the edges of the Crockpot evenly.
Cover the Crockpot with the lid and let cook for 4 hrs stiring occassionally.
 

5  After 4 hours prepare a pot of water on the stove adding some VEGITABLE OIL so that the PASTA doesn't stick together and a few shakes of TABLE SALT. When the water comes to a boil add in the PASTA. Cook PASTA to the desired consistency.
Once the PASTA is cooked pour it into a collander to drain off any excess water.

6  To serve place the Pasta on the plate in the center fanning out the Pasta to cover the plate. Spoon out sauce with Italian Diced Tomatoes, 5 Baby carrots and onions and put on top of Pasta. With a slotted spoon take out a piece of Chicken and place it in the center of the Pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and enjoy!!!