Slow-Cooker Lemon, Garlic & Sage Chicken

Stir together the butter, sage, salt, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl. Remove and discard the giblets and neck from the chicken. Trim the excess fat. Starting at the neck cavity, loosen the skin from the breasts and drumsticks with your fingers, without totally detaching the skin. Rub half of the butter mixture under the skin, and carefully replace the skin. Rub the remaining butter mixture over the outside of the chicken. Tuck the wingtips under the chicken. Place 12 of the parsley sprigs into the chicken cavity.

Place the chicken, breast side up, on a small rack coated with cooking spray. Place the rack inside a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW until a thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh and not touching the bone registers 165 degrees F, 5 to 6 hours.

Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, reserving the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes. Discard the skin and the 12 parsley sprigs, and cut the chicken into 8 pieces.

Skim the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan; bring to a boil over high. Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl; whisk into the cooking liquid. Boil, whisking often, until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice. Remove the leaves from the remaining 3 parsley sprigs. Chop the parsley leaves, and stir into the sauce. Serve the chicken with the sauce.