Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
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Published
Cook a whole chicken in your crockpot and have delicious and moist chicken waiting for you at the end of the day! This Slow Cooker Whole Chicken recipe can be made with any type of seasoning blend. We’ve included options for Italian, Spanish, Asian, and Ranch for a different flavor each time you make it.
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If you’re looking for a pretty effortless hands-off chicken recipe to feed your family, give this slow cooker whole chicken a try. All it takes is quickly cleaning the chicken, rubbing it with the seasonings, and placing it in the crockpot with a few vegetables. Eight hours later, after working all day, you have a delicious complete meal waiting for you.
My favorite part is that the dry rub is so easy to change up depending on what seasonings you have on hand, so you can keep the dish interesting every time. Plus, you can put any leftovers to use in chicken noodle soup, chicken salad, and chicken enchiladas.
What’s in This Crockpot Whole Chicken Recipe?
- Whole fryer chicken – This is a young chicken that’s usually between 7 and 10 weeks old and weighs between 2.5 and 4.5 pounds. For this recipe, you’ll need a chicken that’s 4 pounds.
- Vegetables – Carrots, onion, and celery is the classic vegetable trinity and provides a shelf for the chicken while it cooks, while also making this a complete meal.
- Butter – Melted butter is poured over the chicken for richness, flavor, and necessary moisture.
- Lemon – Fresh lemon juice gives the rendered sauce a bright citrusy flavor.
- Herbs – Fresh sprigs of thyme and rosemary season the vegetables.
- Seasonings – Our Italian dry rub for the chicken includes smoked paprika, dried thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. For the Spanish, Asian, and Ranch seasoning blends, scroll below the printable recipe card.
How Can I Make The Chicken Skin Crispy?
Slow cooking the chicken won’t produce that beloved golden crispy skin like pan frying or roasting, but after it’s done in the crockpot, you can carefully transfer the cooked chicken to a baking sheet or roasting pan and place under the broiler for a few minutes (keeping a close eye so it doesn’t burn) to achieve similar results.
Serving suggestions
Thanks to the chicken and also vegetables cooking together, this is a full meal. But if you’d like to make it even more complete, it goes nicely with a simple side salad. If you’ve got leftovers, you could chop or shred the chicken and repurpose it in salads, wraps, or soup.
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Store leftover any chicken, vegetables, and broth in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
- Freezer. Leftovers can also be frozen in a freezer safe container or bag up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat before serving.
- Reheat. Simply reheat gently in the microwave until warmed through.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 pound whole fryer chicken, , insides removed and cleaned
- 2 large carrots, , peeled, ends trimmed, cut into thirds
- 1 large yellow onion, , peeled, ends trimmed, and quartered
- 1 stalk celery, , ends trimmed, cut into thirds
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 large lemon, , juiced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Remove chicken from its packaging and discard any innards from the chicken. Rinse the chicken and pat very dry with paper towels.
- Scatter the vegetables and fresh herbs in the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker, then place the seasoned chicken on top, so they act as a shelf for the chicken.
- Pour melted butter and lemon juice over the chicken.
- Mix the seasonings together and sprinkle evenly over the chicken and inside the cavity.
- Cook on low for about 8 hours, or until the drumsticks start pulling away from the breasts, and internal temperature reaches 165F, and the juices run clear. (Time can vary depending on the size of the chicken.)
- Very carefully and gently remove the chicken from the stock that has been rendered and transfer it to a baking sheet or roasting pan and place under the broiler (6 inches from the heat source) for about 5 minutes to achieve a bit of golden crispy skin. (Watch it very carefully so it doesn't burn and rotate if needed.)
- Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into pieces and serve with vegetables. Or if you want shredded chicken, placed on a cutting board and shred with two forks.Options for different seasoning blends are below.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 garlic cloves , minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
2 tablespoons Ranch seasoning
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
I’m I’m trying this recipe today, do I add water in the crockpot while it’s cooking
Nope
Love this!
With all those different seasoning combos, I’m sure it feels like you’re eating something different every week!
This is brilliant – I’m going to have to try this!
This is the PERFECT simple weeknight meal. And even the kiddos loved the chicken. I’m so excited about all the seasoning options you posted!
I’m loving this idea! Never considered making a chicken in my slow cooker, but why not??
This is a brilliant idea. I never would have thought to pout a whole chicken in my crockpot but it works!
Made this last Sunday dinner with friends and it was fabulous. I did place it under the broiler for about 5 minutes rotating it a few times. Thanks!