Making a crockpot whole chicken is an easy way to meal prep that doesn't heat up the kitchen. If you love the convenience of a rotisserie chicken, try slow cooking a whole chicken at home instead. It's a super simple roasted chicken dinner that can be used for meals throughout the week.
It's the beginning of another hectic week. One of the best ways to prepare for the week ahead is to cook a whole chicken to use for different meals. Roasting a chicken in the oven is great and something I do a lot on the weekends. But if you're busy all day—or it's too hot to turn on the oven—a crockpot whole chicken is a great alternative. It's an easy, healthy slow cooker chicken recipe. And a great way to prep for keto, paleo, and Whole30 lunches and dinners.
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Can you roast a whole chicken in a slow cooker?
Yes, absolutely! It's so easy and the chicken turns out amazingly moist and juicy. The first time I roasted a chicken this way, my husband said we should never cook it any other way. It's a great weeknight dinner—just start it in the morning and dinner is ready when you're done working.
Cooking a whole chicken in the slow cooker is simple. I use the same ingredients as my herb lemon garlic roast chicken, with the addition of some vegetables to create a rack in the bottom of the crock pot. This is my go-to flavor combination for poultry. It works well as a base for any sauces added later. And I always have the ingredients in my pantry.
Here's what you'll need
The process couldn't be easier. Just add some aromatic vegetables—onions, celery, and carrots—to the bottom of the slow cooker to raise the chicken up and keep it from sticking to the bottom of the crockpot. Using vegetables for this, instead of a rack or aluminum foil, helps flavor the chicken. And if you're going to make bone broth from the chicken bones, you can just leave the vegetables in the slow cooker and add back the chicken bones and the rest of the ingredients. (Find the full instructions for making slow cooker chicken stock here.)
Flavor the chicken with lemons, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Put the chicken in the crock pot breast side up, set it to low, and walk away. The cook time will be 6-8 hours depending on the size of your chicken. It's done when the temperature reaches the recommended 165 degrees on a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part. The chicken should be falling off the bone tender.
How to serve it
Once the chicken comes out of the slow cooker, you can cut it up or shred the chicken to use in other recipes as you would a rotisserie chicken. (Don't forget to save the bones for making stock!) Or if you are going to serve it whole like a roasted chicken, you can brown the chicken under the broiler to crisp up the skin as shown in the video.
You can serve it for dinner tonight and use the leftovers to make chicken salad, a burrito bowl with cauliflower rice, or a quick chicken soup.
So try this slow cooker whole chicken to make your week easier. And for more healthy slow cooker recipes, check out these paleo crockpot recipes.
Crockpot Whole Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 carrots cut into chunks
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 small onion
- 1 whole chicken about 4 - 5 lbs.
- 1 lemon halved
- 3 - 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut carrots, celery, and onion into large chunks and line bottom of slow cooker.
- Rinse chicken, pat dry, and stuff with garlic cloves and lemon halves. Season all over with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence.
- Place chicken on top of vegetables in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours, or until chicken is 165 degrees.
- Optional: if desired, brown chicken under the broiler.
Notes
Nutrition
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
Heather
Do you have any ideas for those lunches from a crockpot chicken you mentioned this is good for?
Lisa
Hi Heather, here are a few of my favorites:
- Greek lettuce wraps: whole lettuce leaves, chicken, baba ganoush, tomatoes, cucumbers and Greek olives
- Chicken salad with spinach and strawberries
- sub chicken for the tuna in paleo avocado tuna salad
danisampa
no water needed?
Lisa
No, you don't need to add any liquid for this recipe.
Sparki Beltran
Question... does the chicken get browned in the crockpot?
Jane
When cooking chicken in the crockpot, sprinkle lightly with paprika to give it a "browned" look.
Carly
What are good sides with this main course?
Lisa
Hi Carly, it will really go with just about anything. I like it with mashed cauliflower and a side salad for an easy dinner.
Natalie
I did not add any liquid, but cooking the chicken produced alot of good liquid, or stock, i guess. I am also making a soup and bone broth with the chicken cooked. What should I do with the liquid i got from the crock pot after cooking the chicken this way? Should I add it to my soup, or to my bone broth? Or some to each? If so, do I add it at the beginning or the end since it is already "cooked". I stored it in a continer in the fridge and it has a solid gelatin top to it already. But it also still has all the veggies in it from when I separated the chicken out to shred it. (I am using your crock pot chicken soup recipe and bone broth recipe.)
Thank you!!! (I am new to this, if you couldnt tell.)
Lisa
Hi Natalie, you can do either. If I'm making the stock right away, I will leave the juice and veggies in the crock pot, then add back the bones after I remove the meat and just add enough water to cover.
Julie
Can you put the whole chicken in the crock pot frozen or does it need to be thawed?
Lisa
Hi Julie, the chicken needs to be thawed before you cook it.
madison
Wow! I think this is quick and easy to prepare. Deliciously healthy chicken recipe ever!
Rebecca
Hi, can this be cooked on high for a shorter time period as well?
Lisa
It can be, just check the temperature with a meat thermometer to make sure it is done but not overcooked. How long will depend on the size of your chicken.
Karen
What do you think about cooking it with carrots and potatoes (as part of the meal) like you would a pot roast?
Lisa
Hi Karen, I haven't tested it but I think it would probably work. If you try it let me know how it turns out!
Rossie Dees
I have read on other sites that it's not safe to cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker, because it doesn't get hot enough fast enough and for long enough at the bones to prevent food safety concerns. Obviously, if you're posting this, you've cooked and eaten a whole chicken from the slow cooker and didn't get sick... so can you set my mind at ease? Why is there conflicting information about this online?
Lisa
Here's the link to the food safety info on safe cooking temperatures: https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-cooking-temperature
I always use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken has reached the safe internal temperature whether I cook it in a slow cooker, in the oven or on the grill. Hope this helps!
Rebekkah
I just finished eating the whole chicken slow cooker recipe and I love it! Thank you Lisa! I made one change, though, and placed the chicken breast face
down so all the juices would settle in the breast. So moist and flavorful: No need for extra liquid. The vegetables will never make it to the bone broth---they are irresistible and almost gone now. 🙂
Christina
How big of a chicken do you use?
Lisa
About 4 to 5 pounds - just make sure it fits in your slow cooker!
robin
I "preheat" the crockpot on high while prepping the veggies and the chicken to help get it going more quickly/safely. Also helps to bring the chicken to room temp first....
Lisa
Great tip, Robin! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Linda
I have made this before but added chicken broth. This time I’m going to remove veg and broth and make my fluffy dumplings!