Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. This helps them cook up juicy and keeps the sauce from getting too watery.
First layer of onions in the slow cooker
Lay half of the chicken pieces, skin side up if using skin-on, over the onions in the slow cooker. Sprinkle with about half of the remaining salt.
Cover the chicken with another layer of sliced onions, using about half of what’s left. These middle onions help flavor the meat and will turn soft and golden as they cook.
Add the remaining chicken pieces on top, again skin side up. Sprinkle with the last of the salt.
Finish by spreading the rest of the onions over the very top, tucking some down around the sides if you can. Don’t worry if the slow cooker looks full—the onions will shrink down a lot.
Layered chicken and onions in the slow cooker before cooking
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours, or on HIGH for 3.5–4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and pulls away from the bone easily and the onions are deeply soft, golden, and swimming in rich juices.
Once done, taste a spoonful of the onions and juices. If needed, add a tiny pinch more salt to brighten the flavor. Gently lift the chicken pieces out with tongs or a slotted spoon, keeping them as intact as possible.
Stir the onions and pan juices together right in the slow cooker to form a loose, sweet sauce. Serve the chicken topped generously with the caramelized onions and spoonfuls of the sauce over your choice of potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Cooked chicken with caramelized onions and sauce
To keep this true to its Depression-era roots, the recipe uses just three ingredients, but you can still make it your own. For a little extra savoriness, you can sprinkle the chicken lightly with black pepper or garlic powder before layering it with the onions (this technically adds more ingredients, but it won’t change the cooking method). If your family likes darker, deeper flavor, use red or sweet onions, or a mix of yellow and sweet onions. For a bit of browning, you can quickly sear the chicken in a hot skillet before adding it to the slow cooker—this isn’t necessary, but it adds a roasted flavor and deeper color to the final dish.
For picky eaters, shred the cooked chicken off the bone and stir it back into the onions and juices, then serve it like a saucy shredded chicken over buttered noodles or rice. If you need to stretch the meal, add an extra onion and serve the chicken and sauce over thick slices of toast or baked potatoes.
Shredded chicken and onions served over buttered noodles
Food safety tips: Always start with fresh, properly refrigerated chicken, and avoid using frozen chicken directly in the slow cooker as it can stay too long in the temperature danger zone; thaw it in the refrigerator first. Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). Keep the lid on the slow cooker while cooking so it stays hot and cooks evenly. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3–4 days, reheating until hot and steaming before serving.
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