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Crockpot whole chicken that anyone can make! This is the easiest way to enjoy a juicy, rotisserie like chicken by only using a crockpot.
This slow cooker whole chicken is dedicated to all of my favorite friends that claim that they can’t cook. I bet you a million dollars that this tender slow cooker whole chicken will turn out perfect for you.
This tender slow cooker whole chicken was so moist that I could not even lift it out of the crock. Can you see where I tried and the chicken totally fell apart? I’m serious, I finally lifted it out and all that was left was a pile of bones. The bones were no longer in the carcass shape either.
How Long Will Cooked Chicken Keep?
Chicken should be tightly wrapped or placed in an airtight container to store.
Properly stored, cooked chicken will keep for 3-4 days.
Tender Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
There’s nothing like cooking a whole chicken in a crock pot. It’s the easiest way to do it as there’s no tying of kitchen twine, no roasting pan, no watching the oven and the internal temperature. You just set it and forget it.
Is it Safe to Cook Chicken in a Slow Cooker?
Although it seems that cooking food at such a low temperature might be dangerous, slow cookers are, in fact safe, according to the USDA.
When you use a slow cooker, food stays at 170-280 degrees in a tightly covered container.
Are a Slow Cooker and Crockpot the Same Thing?
A crock pot is actually a type of slow cooker, so they are very similar, but not all slow cookers are also crock pots.
A crock pot is a type of slow cooker with a stoneware pot that sits inside a surrounding heating element.
A slow cooker is a usually metal pot that sits on top of a heating surface.
The chicken is delicious and you could add whatever spices or sauce suits your fancy. I reaaaaaaaally wanted a rotisserie, but this recipe is seriously just as good. Cross my heart.
How Long to Defrost a Whole Chicken
I only want to remind you of two things,
1. Defrost your whole chicken the day before. It will take at least all day in the fridge to defrost. You can buy a fresh one if you are too nervous that you wont defrost it all the way.
How to Pronounce Giblets
Just really quick can we correct one thing? It’s “JIB-LITS” not “GIB-LETS”. Sorry but we should all know how to pronounce giblets because it may not be what you would think.
What are Giblets
The giblets (now that we are all pronouncing it correctly) are the heart, neck, liver, and gizzards that are packaged and stored in the cavity of a chicken or turkey. So if you ever wondered, what are giblets, now you know, it’s the inside stuff.
Why Remove Giblets from Chicken
2. Remove the giblets. These are great for making a really fantastic gravy but you don’t need them otherwise. Don’t be scared. Just reach in there and pull it out. You don’t want those baked in there.
If you do not have fresh garlic or thyme, don’t run to the store, just use dry thyme and garlic powder. Probably 1 Teaspoon powder.
More CrockPot Recipes:
- CrockPot Chicken and Rice
- Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
- Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken with Pineapple
- Crock Pot Cafe Rio Chicken
- Slow Cooker BBQ Beef
- Slow Cooker Corn Chowder with Bacon
- CrockPot Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Korean BBQ Beef
- Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken
- Easy Chicken Carnitas
- All our CROCKPOT and SLOW COOKER recipes here!
Tender Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken, 4-6 lb, giblets removed
- 1/2 teaspoon Fresh Black Pepper
- 1/2 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme, or 1/2 tsp Dried
- 1 Clove Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 2 teaspoon Paprika
- 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Take the whole chicken and rinse it inside and out with water.1 Whole Chicken
- Pat dry and set aside.
- Mix together all of the seasonings in a small dish.1/2 teaspoon Fresh Black Pepper, 1/2 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme, 1 Clove Garlic, 1 teaspoon Onion Powder, 2 teaspoon Paprika, 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Using your fingers, gently lift the skin over the breasts by sliding your fingers up towards the neck to separate the skin and meat.
- Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken, over the skin and underneath right onto the breast meat.
- Place the chicken in a crock pot on low for 8 hours.
- Once the chicken is done, remove from the crock pot and serve with potatoes, and veggies.
- There is plenty of liquid if you wish to make a gravy.
- Just heat the liquid in a pot and mix a little cornstarch and cold water.
- Once the liquid is boiling add a little to the cornstarch so it heats it up a bit, and slowly add it to the liquid, whisking vigorously.
- Season as needed.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you for your wonderful recipe …
Can I add pineapple slices on the sides?
I love cooking with my crockpot too! I have not broken down and tried an instant pot yet, though.
Does the skin on the chicken actually brown in the Crock-Pot? If there is not much juice in the bottom of the Crock-Pot when it’s done cooking, it seems like the skin maybe halfway down would be soggy.
My crock pot came with a little rack that goes in the bottom. Should I use the rack if the chicken will fit in the pot with the rack in the bottom?
You could definitely use the rack. The skin does not get crispy but you can always put it under the broiler. There will be a lot of juice in the slow cooker.
Can I add potatoes, carrots and celery in with the chicken?
Oh definitely!
Super late to this thread, but for serving size, it just reads “1”… 1 what?
Oh dear! Fixing that now! A serving size would be 6 ounces of meat
Thank you so much for a great recipe! Simple enough that my toddler helped put it together and so yummy!
So happy to hear that you did it together! Thanks Tiffany
Can i leave the giblets in the crock pot?
Hi, we definitely think it’s best to remove the giblets.
This was good but breast meat was soooo dry. Maybe my bird was too small and should have only done 4 hours?
Hi Heather,
That definitely could have been the case. As you can see in the video the bird ends up with a lot of juices and is incredibly tender. It was probably just too small of a bird.
If you have a pot with a temp sensor, stick it in the thickest part of the breast before starting to cook. If not, cook the bird upside down so all the juices drain to the breast, and just use a cooking thermometer to check the breast and thigh every now and then. I had a smaller bird and it cooked in just under 4 hours — delicious recipe! 🙂
Am I use a Cornish hen ? If so how many hours on low?
Can you do this with just chicken breast?
Hi lisa,
You definitely can, but they will only need 3-4 hours in the slow cooker. 🙂