Throw a whole chicken in the crockpot in the morning and have a tender and flavorful dinner at the end of the day. What could make dinner any easier than that? This meal can make it look like you put in a lot of effort when it’s really simple to make.
This Recipe Solves The Dinner Struggle
Making supper is one of those things that can often be a mental burden. The task itself may not always be difficult, but it can hang over your head all day long. You know you’re going to have to plan, prep, and cook at some point if you want your family to have a homemade supper that night.
And the funny thing is? It keeps coming up every night! If you’re like me at the beginning of my homemaking days, dinner kept sneaking up on me. But needless to say, it keeps coming up, and my family (and I) expect to eat every night.
And if you have babies or toddlers, that can throw another wrench in dinner making plans. When my firstborn was a newborn, it seemed he was always falling apart right at suppertime. I needed to nurse him, or he was entering that dreaded witching hour. To say the least, he was done for the day. I struggled to get supper on the table without calling in reinforcements from my husband.
Benefits of Cooking a Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker
That’s why I love when I can put something in my crockpot in the morning and then no matter how my day goes, I know I at least have something to put on the table at night. It takes so much stress away and makes me feel like I’m prepared and have my ducks in a row.
In my house, I try to prioritize from scratch cooking. One of the easiest meals you can put together while still being from scratch is a whole chicken. Even better, it can feed a large crowd, or you can have plenty of leftovers for another meal.
After eating the chicken fresh for one meal, I like to pull all of the meat off the bone and shred it to use in chicken enchiladas or crack chicken sliders. But really, I don’t have to put any effort into shredding this chicken because it completely falls off the bone and is so tender and juicy after slow cooking all day long.
Serve this slow cooker whole chicken alongside garlic mashed potatoes, sourdough toast, or fresh green beans. Even better, make a complete meal out of only using the slow cooker and add potatoes and carrots in with the chicken. That way you don’t have to worry about making additional sides to go along with the whole chicken. It’s all ready to go and waiting for you at the end of the day.
Why do I choose to use a crockpot over the oven when making a whole chicken?
It’s simply the easiest and most streamlined way. If I have afternoon plans, I don’t have to worry about being home to make sure I have enough time to completely cook the chicken by supper. I’m personally not comfortable leaving the oven on when I’m not at home, but I can leave the slow cooker on the countertop all day long and don’t have to worry about it.
I can’t emphasize enough how nice it is to have the bulk of supper prep done at the beginning of the day. Even if I am home during the day, I then don’t have to put the chicken in the oven later (such as right during nap time when I sometimes need to hold a baby who won’t sleep otherwise). Further, I’ve tried cooking whole chickens in the oven, and they never turned out how I wanted them to. I know with a little practice, whole chicken cooked in the oven can be tender and delicious, but I quickly found that cooking a whole chicken in the slow cooker gave me a no-fail method for a more tender chicken.
That’s why I turn to this recipe over and over again. It’s simple, nourishing, and almost completely hands-off.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Quick and Easy: The majority of time this recipe takes is completely hands-off when the chicken is simply cooking. All you have to do is season the chicken and place it in a crockpot and then you’re done with dinner!
Prep Ahead: Get this whole chicken cooking in the morning and don’t think about supper for the rest of the day. You can even cook ahead and pull the chicken off the bone to be used in other recipes.
Nourishing and healthy: Chicken is a great source of protein as well as vitamins, iron, and zinc. When cooking a whole chicken, you have the benefit of receiving the different nutrients contained in both white and dark meat.
Large amount of food: When I cook a whole chicken, I can always rely on having leftovers. I often pull the remaining chicken off the bone and am now halfway done with another weeknight supper. Of course this will depend on your family size, but one whole chicken can feed up to 6 people.
Ingredients
Whole Chicken-Check to see if your whole chicken contains a package of giblets inside the cavity of the chicken. If it does, be sure to remove before cooking and discard or save for making broth. You can include neck, heart, or gizzards in homemade chicken broth. Do not use liver or kidneys as they can impart a bitter flavor.
Garlic-I like to use fresh garlic cloves, but you can use minced garlic if that’s what you have on hand. One medium garlic clove is equivalent to approximately 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic.
Parsley
Sage
Salt
Oil-I like to use olive oil but you can also use avocado or coconut oil.
Onion-Apart from added flavor, layering the onion at the bottom of the slow cooker creates a “rack” for the chicken to sit on so that it’s not directly in the liquid. This promotes even cooking and helps prevent the bottom of the chicken from becoming soggy. This is important when removing the chicken from the slow cooker to broil the skin. You can also place quartered potatoes and chopped carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker.
How Do You Cook a Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker?
Step 1: Combine the garlic, herbs, and salt in a small bowl.
Step 2: Rinse the chicken under cool water and pat it dry with a paper towel.
Step 3: Coat the outside of the chicken on all sides with the olive oil.
Step 4: Rub the herb mixture over the inside and outside of the chicken.
Step 5: Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker and lay the chicken breast-side down on top.
Step 6: Place the lid on top and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.
Step 7: When the chicken is done cooking, place it on a broiler pan or large cast iron skillet and broil in the oven for 4-5 minutes or until the skin is crisp if desired.
Step 8: Slice chicken and serve!
Tips:
- You can reserve the chicken broth that is at the bottom of the slow cooker and use it in other recipes. Simply pour through a wire mesh strainer into a glass jar using a funnel.
- Save the chicken bones to make nourishing bone broth. If you want to make a big batch at once, you can store bones in a plastic bag in the freezer until you have the desired amount. Or simply, place bones back into crockpot, cover with water, and cook on low for at least 8-12 hours and up to 24 hours.
- To prep ahead for a busy day, cook a whole chicken; pull the meat off the bone; and freeze the shredded chicken for other meals.
- To make a complete meal, add quartered potatoes and chopped carrots to the bottom of the slow cooker before placing the chicken on top to cook.
- A whole chicken is so versatile. Experiment with your own herbs and seasonings to see what you like!
Recipe FAQs
No additional water is needed when cooking a whole chicken in the slow cooker. The chicken will create its own juices.
Although chicken can be cooked on high in the crockpot, it is recommended to cook on low as this will produce a more tender and flavorful result. If cooking on high, watch closely as chicken can overcook and dry out more easily.
No. Slow cookers are made to cook evenly so no flipping is required. It’s important to keep the lid on while cooking to avoid heat escaping and adding additional cook time.
Store leftover whole chicken in an air-tight container for 3-4 days in the fridge or for up to 4 months in the freezer.
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon rubbed sage
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 onion cut into chunks
Instructions
- Combine the garlic, herbs, and salt in a small bowl.
- Rinse the chicken under cool water and pat it dry with a paper towel.
- Coat the outside of the chicken on all sides with the olive oil.
- Rub the herb mixture over the inside and outside of the chicken.
- Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker and lay the chicken breast-side down on top.
- Place the lid on top and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.
- When the chicken is done cooking, place on a broiler pan or large cast iron skillet and broil in the oven for 4-5 minutes or until the skin is crisp if desired.
- Slice chicken and serve.
Notes
- To make a complete meal, add quartered potatoes and chopped carrots to the bottom of the slow cooker before placing the chicken on top.
- Reserve the chicken broth that is at the bottom of the slow cooker to be used in other recipes. Simply pour through a wire mesh strainer into a glass jar using a funnel.
- Save the chicken bones to make nourishing bone broth. If you want to make a big batch at once, you can store bones in a plastic bag in the freezer until you have the desired amount. Or simply, place bones back into crockpot, cover with water, and cook on low for at least 8-12 hours and up to 24 hours.
- To prep ahead for a busy day, cook a whole chicken; pull the meat off the bone; and freeze the shredded chicken for other meals.
- A whole chicken is so versatile. Experiment with your own spices to see what you like!
What’s your favorite way to season chicken? Let me know in the comments below!
I love roasted chicken, I’m going to have to try your version!
Let me know how you like it!
This is such a great idea. I’ve honestly never slow cooked a whole chicken before, and now I’m sitting here wondering why I haven’t 😄 I love how simple and stress free this makes dinner feel, especially knowing it can cook all day and be ready when life gets busy. The fact that it’s tender, falls off the bone, and turns into leftovers for other meals is really inspiring me to give this a try. Definitely adding this to my must make list.
Haha yes! It’s a win-win for sure!
This looks amazing! I love a good slow cooker recipe. Makes life so much easier!
Yes! I love to set it and forget it!
I have a friend who makes this and always wanted to try. Now I know how!
Yay! Hope you enjoy!
This sounds delicious! I love meals I can just put in the cooker and go.
Thank you!
Love a good slow cooker recipe!! This looks amazing!!
Thank you!
This looks wonderful and so easy! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
I am definitely saving this recipe! It sounds so good and easy! I’m always looking for super easy meals.
Hope you enjoy!