--whole chicken (no bigger than 4 pounds for a 4 Qt. crock pot) (this recipe calls for turkey but you get the idea)
--olive oil
--salt
--pepper
--garlic powder (I used Mrs. Dash and a little bit of salt)
--dried parsley
--onion
--apple (I used a gala-yellow might taste better)
--meat thermometer (necessity, not a luxury. go get one if you need it)
The Directions.
Your turkey must be completely and totally thawed. Seriously. Call the Butterball hotline if you don't know how to do this safely.
Pat the turkey with paper towels to dry it off. Rub a handful of olive oil all over the bird, inside and out. Sprinkle salt, pepper, dried parsley, and garlic powder all over and in it, and rub it around. If you have a secret family concoction of herbs, by all means, use it.
Peel an onion, quarter it, and shove inside. Core an apple and do the same.
Lower the bird into your crockpot. I wanted to put it in breast-side down, but Chris and Mary (from Butterball) said not to. So I put it right-side up.
Cover. Cook on high for 2 hours, then check the internal temperature. You need the turkey to register at least 140 degrees.
Cover again and cook on high for another few hours. I needed to leave the house, and this turkey cooked on high for a bit over 5 hours. Check the internal temp again in a few places. It should be 170 degrees or higher. You can certainly cook it longer if needed, or keep it on warm until you are ready to carve. ( I did 8 hours on low-well, actually more like 9 but still...~Jen)
CAREFULLY remove turkey from crockpot.
Let sit for 15-20 minutes before carving.
