Chicken with Sourdough-Mushroom Stuffing

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
2
tablespoons finely shredded lemon peel
1
tablespoon ground sage
1
tablespoon seasoned salt
1 1/2
teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
8
small chicken legs (thigh-drumstick piece), skinned (about 5 pounds)
1/4
cup butter
4
cups quartered or sliced fresh cremini, baby portobello, shiitake, and/or button mushrooms
2
cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8
cups sourdough baguette cut into 1-inch pieces (about 10 oz.)
1
cup coarsely shredded carrot
1
cup chicken broth
1/4
cup chopped walnuts, toasted
3
tablespoons snipped flat leaf Italian parsley

Directions
Line a 5-1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker with a disposable cooker liner. Lightly coat liner with cooking spray; set aside. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the lemon peel. In a small bowl combine remaining lemon peel, sage, seasoned salt and pepper. Remove 3/4 of the mixture and rub onto chicken legs. Place chicken in slow cooker.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet; add mushrooms and garlic. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until just tender. Stir in remaining sage mixture. Transfer mushroom mixture to a large bowl. Add bread cubes, and shredded carrot. Drizzle with chicken broth, tossing gently.
Lightly pack stuffing on top of chicken. Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.
Transfer stuffing and chicken to a platter.
In a bowl combine reserved lemon peel, walnuts, and parsley; sprinkle over chicken. Makes 8 servings.