Crockpot Lemon Garlic Chicken

3 to 4 pound chicken (labeled fryer or roaster)

Seasoning:
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped and minced

Poaching liquid:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon), reserve the rinds
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth

1 whole lemon, quartered
1 head garlic, cloves separated, but left in their individual skins
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary

Remove the bag of gizzards and discard (or reserve for stock). Wash
the chicken thoroughly inside and out with warm water. Pat dry with
paper towels.

For the seasoning: Mix all the seasoning ingredients together in a
bowl. Using your fingers, gently slide your fingers between the meat
and the skin, entering at either end. Without tearing the skin,
separate the skin from the meat of the breast, thighs, and legs of the
chicken. Grab a handful of the seasoning and rub half of the mixture
between the skin and meat. If you get a good dollop under the skin,
you can lay the skin back down and use your fingers to massage the
outside of the skin and work the seasoning across the surface of the
meat. Rub the remaining mixture inside the cavity of the chicken.

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and coat with non-stick
cooking spray. Pan-sear the chicken on all sides for 6-8 minutes until
the outside is browned. Transfer the chicken to your slow
cooker--breast side up.

For the poaching liquid: Combine lemon juice, soy sauce, and chicken
broth. Put the pan used to sear the chicken back on medium-high heat,
pour in half of the poaching liquid and let sit until just boiling.
Use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Once the
pan is deglazed, pour mixture over the chicken in the slow-cooker.

Put lemon rinds (reserved from squeezing the juice), one whole
bouillon cube, and a few of the garlic cloves inside the cavity of the
chicken. Arrange lemon quarters, the remaining garlic cloves, and the
sprigs of thyme around the chicken toward the edges of the cooker.
Crumble the other bouillon cube over the chicken and rub it into the
skin.

Place the lid on the cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hours. (Note: This
recipe is best when done on HIGH, but can also be done in 6-8 hours on
LOW.)

Twenty to thirty minutes before the time is done, pour reserved lemon
juice mixture over chicken and add the rosemary sprigs. (Rosemary
tends to get bitter and antiseptic tasting if cooked the entire time
in the slow-cooker.)

Remove chicken from the slow-cooker and allow it to rest on the
carving board (or handy cookie sheet) for about 20 minutes. The meat
actually continues cooking during this resting period and the juices
will redistribute through the meat. When ready to serve, tear off the
skin and discard. Use your fingers to pull off the legs--the bones
should come apart with a gentle tug, but if they don't, use a carving
knife to wedge them apart. Keep using your fingers to work over the
chicken, placing the meat on a serving platter and reserving the bones
for another use (like home-made chicken broth!). Serve immediately!