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Home » Slow Cooker » Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

March 27, 2018 By Sara 324 Comments

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

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Slow Cooker Whole Chicken | Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken | Crock Pot Roasted Chicken | Crock Pot Whole Chicken

This slow cooker whole chicken is a rotisserie style seasoned chicken made with the help of the crock pot. It’s a super easy dinner option and the leftover chicken can be used in countless other dishes!

I love rotisserie chicken, but it can be pricey and is often filled with sodium and sometimes even preservatives and other questionable ingredients. This slow cooker roasted chicken has just a few minutes of prep time, you can set it in the morning and come home to have dinner waiting for you!

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken | Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken | Crock Pot Roasted Chicken | Crock Pot Whole Chicken #chicken #slowcooker #crockpot #glutenfree #dinner #dinneratthezoo

Slow cooker whole chicken with broiled crispy skin, garnished with lemon and herbs.

For the longest time, every time I went to Costco I’d pick up one of their rotisserie chickens for a cheap and easy meal. Then one day I read the ingredient list, and there are some additives in those chickens that I’d rather not feed my family. This slow cooker whole chicken is SO easy to make, and you can have a fresh cooked rotisserie style chicken any time you want with more natural ingredients!

Can you cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker?

Yes you can! The first step is to choose your chicken, I like to use organic whenever possible. You want to make sure that your chicken will fit inside your crock pot, I use my larger oval crock pot for this task which is big enough to accommodate almost any sized chicken. If you’re using a smaller round slow cooker, opt for a smaller bird.

The chicken gets coated in a simple spice blend, then placed in the slow cooker atop a ring of foil. The foil acts as a rack to keep the chicken from steaming in its own juices as it cooks.

A whole chicken in a slow cooker ready to be cooked.

Is it safe to cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker?

It is safe to cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker, but it’s typically recommended that you cook the chicken on high heat for at least one hour for food safety purposes. This recipe calls for cooking the chicken on high heat for the entire cook time.

How long will it take to cook a chicken in a slow cooker?

It typically takes 3-4 hours to cook a chicken on high heat in the slow cooker, and 8 hours to cook on low heat. As mentioned above, if you plan to cook your chicken on the lower heat setting, be sure to let it cook at high for one hour before you switch to low to make sure the chicken is at the correct temperature for food safety purposes.

At the end of your cook time, you’ll have a juicy and flavorful bird!

A cooked whole chicken in a slow cooker.

At this point, your slow cooker chicken is just missing one thing: that golden brown skin normally associated with rotisserie chicken. I transfer my chicken to a baking pan and broil it for about 5 minutes to get that beautiful golden brown skin that everybody loves.

A platter of carved slow cooker whole chicken.

When I cook a 5 pound chicken for my family, we typically end up with plenty of leftovers which I use to create dinner for the next night.

Once you try this slow cooker whole chicken, you’ll never want to go back to store bought rotisserie chicken again!

Ideas for your leftover chicken

  • Chicken Taco Soup
  • Chicken Ranch Tacos
  • Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
  • Buffalo Ranch Chicken Dip
  • Chicken Taquitos

Slow cooker whole chicken video

Slow cooker whole chicken with broiled crispy skin, garnished with lemon and herbs.
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4.98 from 70 votes

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

This slow cooker whole chicken is a rotisserie style seasoned chicken made with the help of the crock pot. It's a super easy dinner option and the leftover chicken can be used in countless other dishes!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword rotisserie chicken, slow cooker whole chicken, whole chicken
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 347kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 5 lb whole chicken neck and giblets removed
  • cooking spray
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika.
  • Coat a large slow cooker with cooking spray. Roll a piece heavy duty aluminum foil into a ring shape to fit into the slow cooker as a rack.
  • Place the chicken on top of the foil ring. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken.
  • Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or until thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165 degrees or higher. 
  • Transfer the chicken to a sheet pan or baking dish and broil in the oven for 4-5 minutes or until chicken skin is brown and crispy. Serve.

Notes

  1. Nutritional facts assume calorie and fat counts for skin. If you're looking to cut calories, remove the skin before eating.

Nutrition

Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 603mg | Potassium: 369mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 830IU | Vitamin C: 2.9mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1.9mg

Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten Free, Slow Cooker Tagged With: Chicken

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Comments

  1. Rose says

    January 30, 2021 at 11:54 am

    Can it be for a frozen chicken?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      January 30, 2021 at 7:35 pm

      I do not recommend using a frozen chicken as it may not come up to a safe temperature quick enough in a slow cooker.

      Reply
  2. Susan says

    January 25, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    5 stars
    Very good and easy. Instead of putting chicken under broiler I rubbed Kitchen Bouguet browning sauce before the brown sugar rub.

    Reply
  3. Karen says

    January 4, 2021 at 4:03 pm

    I have three for broil Hi-500; M-450; L-400. Which do you suggest?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      January 4, 2021 at 7:33 pm

      I use high!

      Reply
  4. Tauna Gates says

    January 1, 2021 at 10:13 am

    The store substituted 2 – 3 lb chickens? Do I cook it for the same amount of time? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      January 1, 2021 at 7:07 pm

      Are you cooking them together in the same pot? If so I’d keep the time the same since there will be less air circulation.

      Reply
      • Zoe says

        January 26, 2021 at 9:36 pm

        What if you’re only cooking one ? Should we cook it for the same time – 3-4 hours? I think my chicken is just over 2 lbs.

        Reply
        • Sara says

          January 27, 2021 at 8:10 pm

          A 2 pound chicken is a lot smaller than what the recipe calls for, I’d cook for 2-3 hours!

          Reply
  5. Tessa says

    December 26, 2020 at 10:51 am

    Do you need to add any water or broth? Or do you just stick it in dry?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 26, 2020 at 11:27 am

      No liquid needed!

      Reply
  6. Michelle says

    December 19, 2020 at 1:37 pm

    5 stars
    So I have been on the hunt for ways to make whole chicken. This was the fourth one I made in 3 weeks. I loved the method and appreciate all the different ways this can be changed up. The chicken was moist and delicious. I can’t believe in all my years of adulting I stayed away from cooking whole chickens. And the bonus, I can now make broth with the carcass.

    Reply
  7. Joycee says

    December 14, 2020 at 12:59 pm

    What is broil and when in the process do you do it
    Thankyou

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 14, 2020 at 9:17 pm

      You broil in the oven at the end to crisp up the skin!

      Reply
  8. Lori says

    November 27, 2020 at 5:21 pm

    5 stars
    So easy! I never knew you could make a whole chicken in a crockpot! Very moist and fell off the bone. YUM!

    Reply
  9. Carol P says

    November 22, 2020 at 3:26 pm

    Can I use regular paprika if I don’t have smoked?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      November 22, 2020 at 7:36 pm

      Yes that will be fine!

      Reply
  10. rebecca says

    November 21, 2020 at 12:14 am

    5 stars
    so rad i can make this at home!! it smelled like a rotisserie in my apartment all day lol. i was missing some of the spices, will do it right next time, but the cook was perfect. thank you so much!!!

    Reply
  11. Jodie says

    October 28, 2020 at 10:39 am

    Could I add honey garlic bbq sauce to this?! Like add it to the seasoning mixture?!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      October 28, 2020 at 4:24 pm

      I would add it towards the end so it doesn’t burn!

      Reply
  12. Jen says

    October 24, 2020 at 6:32 am

    Any idea on cooking time for a 10lb chicken?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      October 26, 2020 at 3:47 pm

      I’d add at least one more hour but it could take longer!

      Reply
  13. Janet Jeffcoat says

    September 30, 2020 at 8:04 am

    This tasted just like rotisserie chicken. I omitted the sugar, used half the salt and put an onion inside the chicken. The foil underneath worked great. Checked the chicken temp and it was right on. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  14. Jessica says

    September 29, 2020 at 3:56 pm

    5 stars
    Can I use a wire rack instead of foil?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      September 29, 2020 at 4:56 pm

      Yes that’s fine!

      Reply
  15. Susan says

    September 27, 2020 at 2:13 pm

    5 stars
    This is the best roast chicken recipe! It’s a great fall weather Sunday dinner!! Makes the house smell good and the chicken falls off the bone! I love it for it’s simplicity and outcome!!

    Reply
  16. Timothy Jay says

    September 19, 2020 at 8:20 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Sara!
    I fixed this chicken recipe tonite for dinner (I used a bed of potatoes instead of the foil roll & also added chili powder, cumin & extra ground pepper). I mashed the potatoes & made homemade gravy from juices & droppings & finished it off with a fresh butter leaf lettuce salad with chopped fresh tomatoes & home-made balsamic vinaigrette dressing. I made green iced tea garnished with fresh mint to drink. (it s hot in AZ)
    I have to say ,it was delicious, & my partner ,who is a huge food snob, actually gave it a 10.
    From now on this will be my goto roasted chicken recipe, it was better than any store bought rotisserie chicken I’ve ever had.
    I am so glad I clicked your link on GOOGLE!
    Thank You!

    Sincerest Regards,
    Timothy from Phoenix AZ

    Reply
    • AnnK says

      October 24, 2020 at 1:40 pm

      I am actually making Thisbe on a bed of halved onions and sliced potatoes…Leftovers of vegetables will be for tomorrow’s breakfast home fries …Fry them up with some paprika add a little cheese…So good…That is, if there are leftovers….Lol…Just looking up…Checking to see how others may have put a twist on theirs…Apparently, great minds think alike!!!😜

      Reply
  17. Erica says

    August 31, 2020 at 5:19 am

    Can you put on low for 6-8 hours?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      August 31, 2020 at 4:10 pm

      I don’t recommend cooking it on low for food safety concerns, it takes longer for the chicken to reach the proper temperature.

      Reply
  18. Demi says

    August 19, 2020 at 10:27 am

    What is the calorie count with skin removed?? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      August 19, 2020 at 3:03 pm

      I wouldn’t be able to exactly calculate that with the nutrition program I use. You’d get the best results by making the dish, removing the skin, weighing your portion and then calculating based on that, the spices add negligible calories.

      Reply
  19. David Nunez says

    August 3, 2020 at 10:49 am

    Can you add vegetables in the crock pot

    Reply
    • Sara says

      August 3, 2020 at 4:08 pm

      Yes that’s fine!

      Reply
  20. Joy says

    July 30, 2020 at 8:02 pm

    5 stars
    The chicken fell right off the bone, it was wonderful!

    Reply
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