Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker
My friend piqued my curiosity when she told me about her co-worker bringing in a slow cooker to work with just a whole chicken and slow cooking it for an entire day. She often brought her slow cooker in with some kind of concoction so she could bring dinner over to her friend’s house who was going through chemotherapy treatment. What a great friend, I’m sure her friend appreciated it. My friend told me their office often smelled really good during these days.
So when I was on the hunt for a chicken slow cooker recipe, I googled and found this one. It’s incredibly simple and the chicken goes into the crockpot in minutes. I added my own twist to it and guess what? The chicken is wonderfully moist and it’s very simple. After the chicken is done, you can throw it in your broiler to crisp up the skin. Carving the chicken is so easy because it just wants to fall apart. The breast comes right off the bone and is very easy to cut up. The chicken is really tender and flavorful and much easier than roasting a chicken in the oven.
I use a 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pound chicken and it fits just fine in my slow cooker. I added the carrots and vegetables and the chicken rests nicely on them. Also, I added garlic and lemon. My favorite roast chicken recipe calls for garlic and lemon inside the chicken so I do the same when I make it in the slow cooker.
This makes a wonderfully easy meal you can serve with mashed potatoes or rice and your favorite vegetable alongside the carrots and celery if you wish. And wait until you see what I make I make chicken pot pies with the leftover chicken.
Add the rub to the outside and inside of the chicken.
I put the vegetables in the slow cooker first before laying the chicken on top.
I use turkey lifters to remove the chicken from the slow cooker carefully. Place chicken in an oven safe dish or roasting pan & in the broiler for just about 4-5 minutes.
Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker
Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 min
It's incredibly simple and the chicken goes into the crockpot in minutes.
Ingredients:
Rub Ingredients
4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs roasting or fryer chicken
1 cup chopped onion, approx 1 medium to large onion
4-5 carrots, scrubbed, no need to peel, chopped in halves or thirds
4 celery stalks, cut in thirds
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 lemon quartered
Directions:
Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl.
Remove chicken from packaging and remove neck and pouch with organs. Discard or reserve for later use in another recipe. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
Rub garlic all over outside of the chicken. Put garlic inside the chicken. Rub the rub all over the outside and inside the chicken. Add quartered lemon to the inside of the chicken.
Place onions, carrots and celery inside the slow cooker. Place chicken on top of the vegetables. Cover slow cooker and cook chicken on low for 4-8 hours. (When I used a 4 lb chicken, it took about 6 hours. The time will depend on the size of the chicken and your slow cooker.) Cook until the internal temperature of the leg is at 160 degrees F or use a pop-up thermometer as the original recipe calls for.
Remove chicken and place in a 9x13 glass baking dish. Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Allow chicken to rest after removing it from the broiler for 5-10 minutes.
Modified and adapted from food.com.
I have made this recipe so many times now that I can’t even count. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to blog about it. Be sure to check out next week what I do with the leftovers!
Disclosure: There are a couple of affiliate links in this post – that means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I make enough for a cup of coffee or two. Thanks!
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Hi, my name is Julie and I love to share the cooking and baking adventures from my little kitchen. Cooking and baking is in my blood, thanks to my Mom! 
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Today is my second time making this. The first time it came out incredible!!! My family, including 2 very picky eaters, hailed it a success!! I did use a granny smith apple inside, because I was out of lemons…but other than that I followed the recipe to a tee. Today I used the lemon. Excited to eat this for dinner!
JulieD replied: May 31st, 2012 @ 9:32 pm
Hi Shannon, I have even gone without the lemon before, it’s not as moist but it’s still really, really good. So glad you liked it!
I’m definitely going to put this together inthe morning and have a yummy chicken dinner with my family tomorrow night.
JulieD replied: May 31st, 2012 @ 9:32 pm
I hope you enjoyed it! I plan on making it again tomorrow!
Have this in progress at home. Excited to taste how it turns out. Today is the first time I’m using my crockpot.
Julie Deily replied: June 25th, 2012 @ 7:49 pm
Hi Debi Anne, I hope it turned out well and that you enjoyed it!
I’m worried that it doesn’t have water added. Is this a problem?
How does the whole thing get up to temperature and cook with no extra water, and doesn’t it burn?
Julie Deily replied: June 25th, 2012 @ 7:49 pm
Hi there, it does get pretty high up in temperature and since it stays enclosed the moisture from the chicken accumulates at the bottom and doesn’t burn. I would advise against opening and closing the slow cooker while it is cooking. When it’s done cooking in the slow cooker, there is at least 2-3 cups (if not more) of broth or juice that accumulates at the bottom.
On my way home to put in crockpot….cant wait!!!! Sounds yummy!!!!
I will be trying this recipe today, i have to work today, but only for 4 hours, so i thought this would be nice to have ready for my husband when he gets home.
one question- It looks like i have a 5 lb. chicken…. so i kept it in the packaging and placed in the crockpot to see if it will even fit in there before i start cooking, and the chicken pretty much fills it to each side. there is room on the bottom and on the top, but it is right up to the edges of the crockpot. (i think i must have a smaller sized slow cooker!)
will this burn the edges of the chicken? will it be fine? I just usually have a smaller sized roast that i cook in there and have never had to squeeze my meat in.
Julie Deily replied: July 18th, 2012 @ 2:51 pm
Hi Sarah, you should be fine. Often my chicken is touching one or two sides of my crockpot. And it will shrink a little bit while cooking. Please let me know how it turns out and I hope you enjoy it!!
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I’ve been in the kitchen for over 50 years and had never done a whole chicken in my slow cooker. Everything else, but never a chicken. When looking online for a recipe Julie’s is the first one I came across. I knew when I read it I had looked as far as I needed. The simplicity of it grabbed my attention immediately and I looked no further. I’ve made this chicken many, many times now and it has never failed me. Great to prepare for guests, family gatherings or church suppers. You get to spend more time with your guests & less in the kitchen. One of my personal requirements for a good recipe is the inclusion of ingredients I usually have on hand. This fits the bill. I want to thank you Julie, for taking the time and effort to post this. Wonderful meal, easy to prepare & perfect results every time. The only change I made was to add potatoes – my husband is convinced he can’t survive a meal without them. Thanks again for a truly wonderful recipe. Job well done!
Julie Deily replied: September 23rd, 2012 @ 4:37 pm
So glad to hear this, Laurie! We love this recipe so much too! -Julie
I have just finished crocking this recipe.
1st. The house smells awesome
2nd. I should have tied the legs
3rd. Do you mean kosher or table salt?
4th. I forgot to pin the wings back and they stuck to the sides and pulled off I just left them in the juice/broth.
5th. I think I will make the juice/broth into soup.
6th. Thanks for this recipe.
Julie Deily replied: September 23rd, 2012 @ 4:38 pm
Hi Daniel, great to hear from you! I never tied the legs and it works fine for me. When I do a roast chicken or turkey in the oven, I definitely do tie the legs. I use table salt for this recipe. Most people don’t pin the wings back but I usually do that! Using the broth for soup is a great idea!
I cooked it too long and the joints started to tear, only reason for the tear. I usually pin the wings. Just forgot. Still turned out delicious. I threw a couple of the lemons back into the broth. Turned out Bueno.
We’ve made this recipe several times now and it’s ALWAYS come out great! It’s by far one of our favorite meals! That rub mixture is OFF THE HOOK! =)~
Seems any variation is going to work! I’ve used oranges instead of lemons, rosemary instead of thyme, left out the celery, added potatoes, served over quinoa.. even had to cook it on high for 3 hours instead of slow cooking because I was in a time crunch; STILL FABULOUS! When slow cooked the wings and legs literally fall off the chicken!
Thanks for sharing this AMAZING recipe!
Julie Deily replied: October 2nd, 2012 @ 1:32 pm
Hi Jamie, so sweet of you to return and let me know! I love putting lemons in the slow cooker outside of the chicken too. I feel like this is a no fail dish and we make it at least once a month!
Thank you!!
Is there a recipe somewhere of what to do with the leftovers? I was hoping to make a chicken pie
Julie Deily replied: October 4th, 2012 @ 12:17 pm
Why yes! At the top of the post, I linked to these wonderful chicken pot pies! http://www.thelittlekitchen.net/2011/02/12/chicken-pot-pie/ Hope you enjoy it!
This might be a silly question, but I’ll ask it anyway because this will be my first time using my slowcooker.. Do you add a bit of water into it?
Julie Deily replied: October 18th, 2012 @ 3:34 pm
Hi Melissa, I’m sorry I missed your question earlier. You don’t have to add water, it actually creates a juice or a broth that you can use for a stock later on.
I just got home after being gone for over 5 hours and my house smells AMAZING!!! I had a little sample of the chicken and it’s delicious. Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe!
p.s. My dog couldn’t wait to get a little taste either since he had to smell it all day.
Julie Deily replied: October 18th, 2012 @ 3:35 pm
Yay! And I just loved your PS btw.
My dogs always beg for chicken when I make this dish!
I made this for dinner last night and we DEVOURED IT!!!!!!! My husband generally doesn’t really like anything in the crockpot and barely even likes chicken. But, I took a chance and went for it. I think I caught him getting a third serving! Thanks for the recipe, Julie!
Hi Julie. I just bought a slow cooker and I’m scouring the net for recipes and I come across yours through Pinterest and I really would like to try your recipe. But I have a question though, I don’t have an oven here at home, your recipe asks for the chicken to be broiled at the last minute. Can I not broil it? Or is there other alternative for that? Thanks!
P.S. Hope you’ll reply coz I really wanna try this at home.
Julie Deily replied: November 9th, 2012 @ 7:07 pm
Hi Sarah, you don’t have to do the last step of broiling the chicken. This is only for crisping the skin up. The chicken should be fully cooked in the crockpot. Hope you enjoy it if you make it!
This is a little tip I picked up off of another website, take a hand or bath towel and fold it once or twice then lay it over the transparent lid and it should insulate it enough to lessen the cooking time. I’m going to try and use my digital thermometer, I think the lead on the probe is thin enough to lay the lid on it without losing any heat, that way all you have to do is set the temp to 165* and the alarm will sound and you never have to open the lid. If this thermometer ever quits I’m going to buy one with the remote, no lead wire and you can carry it around the house, they have a range of 50 to 75 feet, purdy neet huh! I guess you can tell I’m a guy by my dragging all this digital junk in here, well, there goes the neighborhood! Bon Appetite you “Lil Crockpotters” Hasta La Bye Bye!
Thanks so much for posting this! I had noooo idea you could do this. Mine is cooking right now.
I’ve discovered a way to re-purpose those black little oval dishes a microwave meal comes in. I inverted it and punched a bunch of holes in it and it fits perfectly in the bottom of my 5 qt crockpot, this will keep the bird out of the schmaltz(fat) while it is roasting. If the bird appears to be too heavy for the center you could support the middle with a metal cap from an olive oil or wine bottle. I’ve read where you can spoon the schmaltz into ice cube trays and freeze, then pop ‘em into a zip lock bag for future use for broth or gravy. You might want to spray the trays with veggie oil so they come out easier. Can’t wait to try it, I feel like a kid with a brand new toy! Hasta La Bye Bye!
I’m seconding Laurie’s opinion. This is the first recipe that I came across for slow-cooker chicken and I’m making it tonight. I will comment again tomorrow once I’ve had a chance at tasting it. BTW, I studded my lemon and garlic with cloves, hopefully this works. I’ll let everyone know
Also: is there a difference when you use a slow cooker liner? I did and I wonder if people here noticed any changes to the taste/texture of the chicken.
Looking forward to trying this today. I’ve done a whole chicken in the crockpot before and love it. Never tried it with veggies and this rub sounds delish.
– only complaint is the pictures printing with the recipe. Wasted a lot of unnecessary ink.
Made this a few weeks back. My crock pot is smaller so too much of the chicken juices accumulated and the bottom the the chicken kind of fell apart when removing it. However the chicken tasted fantastic! I’m tring it again tomorrow with more veggies & I will be keeping an eye on it. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
To follow up on yesterday’s comment, it came out perfect this time. Thanks again for the great recipe!
Pressed for time or missing something for the delicious rub described above? Pared down version — I just sprinkle whatever I have handy! Another tip …. I liberally sprinkle chili powder over my bird and it looks almost as if it has been through the broiler when I get home. Paprika would probably work too. Cheers! Thanks for the great recipe!!!
Hello. I made this finally and it’s absolutely delicious! The chicken tasted superb! My and i have no complaints whatsoever. I wasn’t able to brown it in the oven since I don’t have at home but the upside of it is that the chicken was v.moist and juicy. We are not big veggie eaters though; we have lots of veggie leftovers! Do you have any suggestions as to what to do with it? And the next time I’ll halve the veggies. Is that okay?
Quick, easy, delicious!! Thanks for sharing! (I didn’t have lemon, but used red apple instead… turned out great!!)
I am making this recipe for a couple of friends tomorrow. I have a small fryer chicken, about 2.5 lbs how long do you suggest I let it cook for? I was thinking on low for 4.5 hours, do you think that should be enough? Thanks so much for this recipe! I can’t wait to try it!
Julie Deily replied: December 4th, 2012 @ 9:43 pm
I think 4.5 to 5 hours sounds about right. You’ll be able to tell and if you’re not quite sure, use a meat thermometer to make sure. Hope you enjoy!
I love doing chicken this way! After having some of the chicken that evening with some veg & potatoes for dinner, we remove the leftover meat off the bones. Then we toss the bones back in the crockpot and add a bunch of water. Cook it overnight and strain out the bones. The broth is delicious and soup is made with adding veg and the leftover chicken meat!
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This is one of my favorites! I remember seeing a recipe similar and they rolled up balls of foil to put under the chicken rather than veggies. I’ve never tied the legs but will have to try that today when I make it. I always make loaded mashed potatoes and red lobster biscuits. This dinner is always a hit!
Julie Deily replied: January 28th, 2013 @ 5:56 pm
Dawn, so glad you enjoy it!!
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I absolutely LOVE this recipe and use it frequently. We just had it tonight and it went down like a treat for my three children (9yrs, 6yrs, 3yrs). I have passed it on to friends and they love it too and last year (2011), I made a rub as a token gift to give to friends & family at Christmas.
I use the chicken to serve taco style dinner when we’ve been out play, leftovers in sandwiches or salad. Definitely a staple in our house. Thank you for sharing & posting.
Julie Deily replied: January 28th, 2013 @ 5:57 pm
So glad to hear, Karen! We enjoy this recipe too! The rub as a gift is a great idea!!
had for dinner tonight. I had a 6 lb chicken & was worried that it would not cook all the way since it was twice the size as the recipe and there was absolutly no spare room in the crock pot. it just fit. I used a crock pot liner, worked great. I added no liquid, followed recipe. Cooked on low for 8 hours. The juices were up to the top. It was a little tricky getting the chicken out of the crockpot to put in a roasting pan to brown up, it sort of felll apart. But I made a wonderful gravy with the drippings while the chicken browned up. the whole family agreed, great meal.
Thanks for the recipe.
Julie Deily replied: January 28th, 2013 @ 6:00 pm
Sometimes it does just fall apart and I use my turkey lifters to help remove the chicken. So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Instead of placing a quartered lemon inside the cavity of the chicken I inserted parsley stuffing and to my surprise it worked out fine. The chicken was tender and delicious. We made roast potato on the side with gravy as an extra.
PARSLEY STUFFING
Ingredients
1-large cup breadcrumbs
1-tablespoon parsley
1-large onion (dice)
1-teaspoon flour
½-teaspoon salt
1-large spoon dripping (melted)
1-egg (beat)
For Sage Stuffing add:
1-teaspoon dried sage
Add grated chicken giblets (optional)
Procedure
1. Mix all together into a thick pulp
2. Stuff into the cavity of the chicken and neck
3. Sew the cavities with cotton
Julie Deily replied: January 28th, 2013 @ 7:13 pm
Sounds great, thanks for sharing!
Your recipe was fantastic! The chicken was moist and tender. Thank you
Julie Deily replied: January 28th, 2013 @ 7:14 pm
Yay, so glad to hear this!!
Seriously yummy. A huge hit with my family!
Julie Deily replied: January 28th, 2013 @ 7:21 pm
I’m so glad to hear this, Lynn! Thank you!!
Thanks for guiding me through my first whole chicken in the crock pot! Was always concerned about not putting any liquid in, but it worked great. Used a 4.5 lb chicken from Trader Joe’s, cooked on a bed of chunky celery, added lemon and about 20 cloves of garlic with rosemary and thyme and olive oil, and cooked on high for 4 hours. Delicious. Was mostly impressed that I was able to lift it out and broil for a few minutes (with some olive oil and paprika) to crisp up the skin. I added some butter to the broth and used an immersion blender to whir up the garlic cloves into a delicious sauce. I did agonize all day about whether I should put the breast up or down, and ended up flipping it, but I’m not sure it matters either way. Thank you for your recipe!
Hi there, this recipe looks fab and I’ve just piled all the ingredients in the slow cooker ready to cook in the morning. You mention putting the chicken under a ‘broiler’. Can you please tell me what this is. Also, is there any stock needed. Many thanks. LOUISE, winchester uk.
Julie Deily replied: February 13th, 2013 @ 2:58 pm
Hi Louise,
No, you do not need to add any broth to the slow cooker. I have a broil setting on my oven, the coils that heat the oven are on the top and I when I use the broil setting, it will just crisp up the skin. Not sure if you have that setting on your oven, if not…it’s totally optional and the chicken will taste fine if you don’t. Hope you enjoy it!!
This recipe is perfection. I’ve never roasted a whole chicken in the crockpot and it was perfection. I had a 5 lb bird and did have to broil it a little longer than 5 min (8-10) but I watched it like a hawk. I loved that I had all the ingredients on hand too. This will be a staple for us, thank you so much!
This recipe is awesome! I’ve made it several times and the family demolished it. It’s so easy that my cooking phobic husband is making it right now while I’m layed up with a broken ankle.
A few things: yes, everyone, you do need the celery, carrots and onions. They contribute to both the flavor of the chicken and the broth. No, don’t use discarded frozen food trays to lift the chicken out of the fat. Those trays aren’t made to be in heat for hours on end and will degrade and release chemicals into your food. Lastly, strain the liquid through cheesecloth and either make a soup or thicken it for a delicious gravy.
I love the way this recipe changed my thinking about what you can do with aslow cooker!