Let’s face it everyone… chicken legs are ugly. Really, there is nothing at all picturesque about a chicken leg sitting on a plate. In fact, I almost nixed sharing this recipe with you for two main reasons.
- This is a delicious recipe, however it comes no where close to the amazing Oven Baked Chicken Legs I posted awhile back from Chaos in the Kitchen. Don’t blame this Garlic Chicken Leg recipe though… nothing I ever bake that has to do with chicken legs will EVER come close to those oven baked chicken drumsticks from Chaos in the Kitchen. It’s a fact. I know this before I even try any other chicken leg recipe. Trust me. That is one delicious recipe.
- Chicken Legs / Chicken Drumsticks are just plain ugly. Trying to take a pretty picture of ugly food is not at all easy. Try it sometime. It’s hard, I say…really hard. My picture above is proof.
Why am I sharing this recipe with you then? Three reasons.
- I kind of felt sorry for this picture, sitting alone in my food photography folder, looking at all of the other photos being chosen and wondering “why not me?” Lesson learned…ugly photos need love too.
- This recipe is so simple. Like most Crockpot chicken recipes, you can just throw it in the crockpot and run away, leaving the flavors and seasonings to party with the chicken all day and then at dinnertime, you have a tasty and delicious meal.
- Last but not least, even though this slow cooker chicken leg recipe is not as good as the baked chicken leg recipe from Chaos in the Kitchen, it is nice to have another recipe for chicken legs to fall back to on those days where we want something different than our current standby. (Although my kids would probably disagree that we ever would need to digress away from the baked chicken legs. That is one recipe that everyone in my family will eat 2nd and 3rds on!)
If you love your Crockpot and you love chicken legs, even though they are kind of ugly, I think you would love this recipe. The chicken legs may not be pretty, but they sure are tasty!
Super Garlic Chicken Legs for the Crockpot / Slow Cooker (Adapted from Food.com – and yes… this die hard Recipezaar user is having a hard time adjusting to the site change, in case you are wondering!)
- 6 chicken legs (more or less as needed)
- 20 garlic cloves (papery skins left on)
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons oil
- Place garlic cloves in crock pot.
- Mix spices together in med bowl.
- Pour oil into separate med bowl.
- Dip chicken legs in oil, then roll around in spice bowl, until chicken is nicely coated in spices.
- Place chicken legs in crock pot with garlic cloves surrounding it.
- Pour chicken broth over all ingredients.
- Cook on Low for 8 hours.
- After removing the chicken legs from the Crock Pot, I placed them on a cookie sheet brushed with olive oil and put them under the broiler on high for 5 minutes. This helped to crispy up the outsides some.
LOL! Enjoyed your writing-tone about how you feel about this chicken leg photo. It’s a delicious photo. =) The fact that it’s chicken and garlic, done in a crock pot is excellent reason to try this recipe!
Your chicken legs are gorgeous compared to my file of ugly food photos! Love the 20 cloves of garlic in the recipe.
I’d never turn down a chicken leg — especially one that came from a slow cooker with flavors like these. Sounds wonderful.
I do love my crockpot, and my husband loves ugly chicken legs, so this is perfect! 🙂
Too funny! I had the same experience last night — I made an amazing meal and it was just brown and drab. But I agree with you, Chicken Legs are just great no matter what you do (practically).
Funny how some of the most delicious things are also the least photogenic! I feel the same way about beef stew, one of my favourite things to eat and least favourite to photograph. But I think your photo is still magazine worthy, and those legs look scrumptious. Thanks for bringing this one out of the vault 🙂
I’ve tried and failed to take pretty pictures of ugly food as well…and I have to tell you this is actually one pretty picture! I need to try both the oven baked chicken legs AND this…I’m trying to hoard crockpot recipes for when I go back to school in the fall…second year of med school is supposed to be harder than first!
You make me laugh Kristen! you are so cute. My husband loves chicken legs (me not so much) and would be more than happy with an ugly one! :~)
We all love chicken legs around here – ugly or not. Yum!
yeah, the switch has been majorly unsettling for me too! I am so glad you guys love those chicken legs so dang much!
LOL! the title alone made me smile! I’ve taken my share of ugly food photos, and I love that you shared the recipe anyway!
Holy cow! You’re like a posting machine lately. You must be cooking up a storm – love it. 🙂
You crack me up, “Ugly food needs love too.” Truer words were never spoken 🙂
Your recipe sounds really good. I’d probably add a little soy sauce or oyster sauce for color though. I don’t know why you think chicken legs are ugly, it looks quite alright to me, lol! It’s my favorite part of the chicken, I don’t like the breast, it’s so bland. But for crockpot recipes, I’d consider using the breast part 🙂
Very cute! I have some of those ugly photos stashed away, too. They may not be a Tastepotting moment, but some ugly food is really pretty tasty! It’s funny how food bloggers are always thinking about what looks good and not always about how it will taste. Winter food (like crock pot dishes) gets pretty ugly, so we all better enjoy Summer’s bounty while we can! 😉
Funny, growing up my dad always used to grill chicken legs rain or shine, snow or sleet. You have to try really hard to convince me they are ugly….because taste trumps looks here. Big time!! Great looking legs girl. I should make them for my kids 🙂
You can’t judge a book by its cover, right? Though I’d say the cover looks pretty darn tasty. I love that you can throw these in the crockpot for an easy meal.
Your photo is very good! I have never seen a recipe leaving the skins on the garlic. That is quite unusual. Now that I have read this I must try your baked chicken legs. They must be great!
I wonder why I’m not getting the photo? But I’ll take your word for it…they’re ugly. I don’t care, I love chicken legs anyway I can get them.
they look delicious to me but I know what you mean – somethings taste better than they look that’s for sure
I find that MOST crockpot food is ugly! Thanks for giving me a new recipe for the crockpot though!
It’s funny that you said that chicken was ugly because it still looks appetizing. Yum! Ugly food/photos do need love! We have a much uglier chicken recipe coming up, and we’ll definitely need to preface it.
Chicken legs may be ugly, but anyone who likes dark meat loves them anyway. The crockpot is wonderful for hassel-free meals like this, no matter what it looks like. I like your idea of crisping the legs under the broiler a bit!
Why do you leave the papery skins on the garlic cloves? Do you make a gravy from the sauce left in the crock pot?
Yes I agree the chicken leg doesn’t look very appetising at all, but I enjoy chicken so it hasn’t put me off, and I prefer chicken off the bone anyway yum!
the best chicken legs Ive ever had and I mean that
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