For an easy and versatile dinner, cook a whole chicken in the Crock Pot! You’ll love the crispy skin and the rotisserie seasoning rub that infuses the meat with flavor.
Table of Contents
A Few Notes Before You Get Started
- The slow cooker is a moist environment, so the meat stays nice and juicy (no need to add extra cooking liquid). The skin, however, will not get crispy in the Crock Pot in the same way that it gets crispy in the dry heat of an oven. If you want that crispy, golden brown finish on your chicken, just place it under the broiler for a few minutes at the very end.
- The vegetables are not intended for consumption, as I find that they get mushy and unappetizing. Instead, they serve two different purposes: they act as aromatics to infuse the meat with savory flavor, and they raise the chicken above the heating element like a rack for even cooking.
- In my experience, a smaller (4 – 4½ lb.) whole chicken works best in the slow cooker. Larger roasters are often too big and will prevent the Crock Pot lid from fitting properly. These smaller chickens are sometimes labeled as “young whole chickens.”
- I’ve provided a fairly classic “rotisserie chicken seasoning” for this recipe. Feel free to sub with other seasonings of your choice, such as a bbq rub, our favorite all-purpose seasoning, or even a store-bought rotisserie seasoning.
Directions
This slow cooker whole chicken recipe yields tender, juicy meat that’s packed with flavor! You’ll find step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Place the vegetables at the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Stir together the rotisserie chicken seasoning blend.
- Truss the chicken. This only takes a minute or two, but tying together the chicken legs with twine and tucking the wings underneath helps the chicken cook evenly and hold its shape.
- Add the chicken to the slow cooker breast side up. Rub the seasoning all over the outside of the bird.
- Cover and cook until the chicken is done, about 3-4 hours on HIGH or 6-8 hours on LOW. The total cooking time will vary depending on a number of factors, including the temperature of your slow cooker and the size of your chicken. As a result, it’s always best to use a meat thermometer to know when the chicken is done. It’s ready when a meat thermometer inserted between a leg and thigh (not touching the bone) reads at least 170 – 175°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a rimmed sheet pan and place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes. This will help the skin crisp up nicely! That said, if you are not planning to eat the skin, you can skip this step. Just pull off the skin, and then slice or shred the meat as desired.
- For the juiciest meat, allow the chicken to rest for at least 10-15 minutes before carving.
Serving Suggestions
Pair the Crock Pot chicken with just about any of your favorite side dishes. It’s delicious with red skin mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, pumpkin muffins, Charleston red rice, or Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn. For some added veggies, try this kale apple salad with creamy poppy seed dressing, sweet and spicy collard greens with bacon, Southern-style green beans, or an easy broccoli casserole.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- How to Store: Leftover chicken will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be aware, however, that the skin will not be as crispy when thawed.
- How to Reheat: Allow the chicken to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet or roasting pan and place (uncovered) in the oven until the skin is crisp and the chicken is warmed through (about 25-30 minutes for a whole chicken, or less for individual pieces). Be careful not to leave the chicken in the oven for too long or it will dry out.
- How to Use the Leftovers: Shred the leftover meat and use the cooked chicken in casseroles (like chicken spaghetti, chicken noodle casserole or chicken and stuffing casserole), in soups (like chicken tortilla soup or Brunswick stew), in stuffed potatoes, in chicken salad, in chicken enchiladas, in quesadillas or tacos, for chicken pot pie, or on top of a salad. You can even make stock with the carcass. So many delicious options!
More Whole Chicken Recipes
Dutch Oven Roast Chicken
2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Rosemary Oven Roasted Chicken
2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Roast Chicken and Vegetables
1 hour hr 50 minutes mins
Whole Chicken in Crock Pot
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total: 4 hours 25 minutes
For an easy, hands-off, and versatile dinner, cook a crispy, seasoned whole chicken in the slow cooker!
Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots, chopped into large chunks
- 2 medium celery stalks, chopped into large chunks
- 1 large onion, chopped into large chunks
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 whole chicken (about 4 – 4 ½ lbs.), patted very dry; giblets removed
Instructions
- Arrange the carrots, celery, and onion in the bottom of a large slow cooker. These vegetables will serve as a “rack” to elevate the chicken for even cooking and will also infuse the meat with extra flavor.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper.
- Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wings underneath the bird. Place the chicken (breast-side up) on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker. Rub the seasoning blend all over the skin on the outside of the chicken.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 170°F when a thermometer is inserted between a leg and thigh (not touching the bone). Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet. Broil the chicken until the skin becomes browned and crisp, about 4-5 minutes, rotating as necessary. Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
-
- In my experience, a smaller (4 – 4½ lb.) whole chicken works best in the slow cooker. Larger roasters are often too big and will prevent the Crock Pot lid from fitting properly. These smaller chickens are sometimes labeled as “young whole chickens.”
-
- I’ve provided a fairly classic “rotisserie chicken seasoning” for this recipe. Feel free to sub with other seasonings of your choice, such as a bbq rub, our favorite all-purpose seasoning, or even a store-bought rotisserie seasoning.
- Make a gravy using strained drippings from the bottom of your slow cooker. To do so, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. While continually whisking, gradually add 1 – 1 ½ cups of strained juices/drippings from the pot until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. If you don’t have enough drippings from the pot, just add chicken broth. Continue whisking while the gravy bubbles and cooks for 1-2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 of the recipeCalories: 751kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 64gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 255mgSodium: 1403mgPotassium: 691mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1093IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 3mg
Whole Chicken Crock Pot Recipe Variations
- If you use a larger chicken (in the 5-6 lb. range), you will likely need to increase the total cooking time.
- Try different aromatics at the bottom of your slow cooker. Other good options include fresh lemon wedges, apple wedges, and fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, and oregano. You can also stuff the cavity with these aromatics to give the inside of the chicken even more flavor.
- Play around with different spices. For a shortcut, we love this store-bought rotisserie chicken seasoning. Cayenne pepper is also a nice addition if you want a spicy bird. You might like to brush the outside of the chicken with melted butter or olive oil for added flavor and moisture as well.
- Make a gravy using strained drippings from the bottom of your slow cooker. To do so, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. While continually whisking, gradually add 1 – 1 ½ cups of strained juices/drippings from the pot until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. If you don’t have enough drippings from the pot, just add chicken broth. Continue whisking while the gravy bubbles and cooks for 1-2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
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