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 (drumstick-thigh portion) (about 5 pounds), skinned
• 1/4  cup butter
• 4  cups quartered or sliced fresh mushrooms, such as cremini, baby portobello, shiitake, and/or button mushrooms
• 2  cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 8  cups sourdough baguette cut into 1-inch pieces (about 10 ounces)
• 1  cup coarsely shredded carrot (2 medium)
• 1  cup chicken broth
• 1/4  cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 3  tablespoons snipped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

1. Lightly coat the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the lemon peel. In a small bowl stir together the remaining lemon peel, the sage, seasoned salt, and pepper. Remove three-quarters of the sage mixture and rub onto chicken legs. Place chicken in slow cooker.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook mushrooms and garlic in hot butter over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until just tender. Stir in remaining sage mixture. Transfer mushroom mixture to a large bowl. Add baguette pieces and carrot. Drizzle with broth, tossing gently to combine. Lightly pack stuffing on top of chicken in cooker.

3. Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Using a slotted spoon, transfer stuffing and chicken to a serving platter; discard juices in cooker. In a small bowl combine reserved 1 teaspoon lemon peel, the walnuts and parsley. Sprinkle nut mixture over chicken and stuffing before serving. Makes 8 servings