Prepare a whole chicken while you’re gone all day with this deliciously, juicy slow cooker whole chicken recipe! It’s one you want in your arsenal.
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Recipe
Between work, kids, and adult responsibilities, life can get pretty hectic from time to time. Sometimes, I just don’t want to spend an hour in the kitchen making dinner, or I just don’t have the time.
On days like that, I pull out the slow cooker! One of my favorite recipes is this slow cooker whole chicken recipe!
Slow cooked in sweet onions, bell peppers, and savory seasonings, this slow cooker whole chicken will be juicy and delicious. Pop it in the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the skin and you have a rotisserie chicken without all the work!
Why You’ll Love this Crockpot Whole Chicken Recipe:
- Rotisserie style chicken: You don’t have to tie the legs up or have a rotisserie to make this deliciously juicy, whole chicken.
- Set it and forget it: You don’t have to watch this chicken all day. If you set it on low, you can let it cook while you’re working and broil it when you get home for a quick and easy meal.
- Simple ingredients: You won’t have to go searching for ingredients. In fact, you will probably already have them all right at home. I usually do.
How to cook a Whole Chicken in a Crockpot
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Add some foil to create a ring on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Put the onion, bell peppers, and celery on the bottom.
- Make strips of foil (see picture) and let them hang over the sides.
- Pat your whole chicken dry, and then rub the seasonings all over it.
- Put your chicken on top of the foil strips as well as the ring.
- Cook your bird on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
What Size Chicken Will Fit in my Crockpot?
I have used 3.5 to 4.5 pound whole chickens in my crockpot. These sizes seem to fit just perfectly with the onions, peppers, and celery.
The size of chicken will vary depending on the size of your crockpot. Keep in mind that mini crock pots will need a much smaller bird.
How do I get chicken crispy in the Crockpot?
Unless you have an Instant Pot with a slow cooker function and an air fryer lid, you won’t be able to crisp up your bird in the crock pot. Instead, you will place it in the broiler for about 5-minutes to crisp it up.
Why do I add the foil?
The foil helps when you are done cooking. You will be able to easily pull out the whole chicken from the crockpot when it’s done. If you don’t add the foil, the chicken may fall apart when removing it.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- You can make a gravy with the veggies. Just add broth and cornstarch and bring to a boil to make a delicious gravy everyone will love.
- Adjust Poultry seasoning to your liking. If you like a milder seasoning, use less poultry seasoning. But, if you like more flavor, add a little more.
- Add more seasoning when broiling. If you want more flavor to your crispy skin, you can add a little more dry rub before placing the chicken in the broiler.
More Whole Chicken Recipes to Try
There are lots of ways to cook a whole chicken. This recipe is just one of my favorite methods. Here are some other delicious ways to make a whole chicken:
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken Lemon Herb
- Whole Roast Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Spatchcock Chicken with Garlic and Herbs
- Juicy Grilled Mediterranean Whole Chicken
This crockpot whole chicken is one of my favorite recipes because it’s so easy! It’s a great recipe for beginner cooks to make. It’s simple yet full of flavor and always comes out perfectly tender.
More crockpot chicken recipes we love
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Crock Pot Chicken Marsala
- Shredded Chicken Tacos Crock Pot Mexican Chicken
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Crockpot Whole Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- Whole chicken gizzards etc. removed (about 4lb)
- 1 Sweet Onion roughly chopped
- 1 Bell Pepper roughly chopped
- 1 Celery rib roughly chopped
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning this amount depends on the size of the bird and your seasoning preference – if you like it milder don’t use as much
Instructions
- Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Take some kitchen foil and create a ring on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Pour the chopped onion, bell pepper and celery all over the bottom.
- Create two strips of foil (like in the image, by folding over and over) and let them hang over the sides.
- Mix together the seasonings.
- Pat dry the chicken, then rub the seasoning all over the bird.
- Place the chicken inside the slow cooker, on top of the foil strips (and the ring). The foil strips are there to use as handles to lift the bird out once cooked – they do tend to be fall apart tender.
- Cover with lid and cook on high for 4-6 Hours or low for 6-8 Hours. This timing will vary depending on the size of the bird and your slow cooker.
- Once you feel its ready, (and a thermometer used inside the breast reads 180°F.) remove the chicken and put into an oven safe dish – broil the outside for 5 minutes until you get that nice and crispy/colored look.
- Serve hot with your choice of sides.
Rick Mills says
Great chicken
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for stopping by, Rick!