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For an easy dinner with just four ingredients, make my Slow Cooker Whole Chicken! You will only need to set aside 10 minutes for prep, then set it and forget it. Use this slow cooker rotisserie chicken as a whole chicken dinner, or shred it to use in tacos, soups, rice bowls, and more!
Jump to:
- Can you put a whole chicken in a slow cooker?
- Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken Ingredients
- Crock Pot Whole Chicken Recipe Instructions
- Do I have to use an aluminum foil rack when slow cooking chicken?
- Easy Chicken Dishes
- What to Make with a Whole Chicken
- How long does it take to cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker?
- Tips for Slow Cooking Whole Chicken
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Recipe Sides
- Storing Leftover Whole Chicken
- Crock Pot Whole Chicken FAQ
- Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
- Reviews
Can you put a whole chicken in a slow cooker?
As you might have guessed from the recipe title, yes, you can slow cook a whole chicken! The results are a juicy, tender chicken perfect for meal prep. I have a large slow cooker because I love to cook in big batches, but even a smaller slow cooker can fit a whole chicken as well.
For this slow cooker rotisserie chicken, I picked out a seven pound bird for my seven quart slow cooker. Adjust the size of your chicken to your slow cooker if it is smaller.
If you're intimidated by the idea of cooking a whole chicken, don't worry. This slow cooker version is beyond easy. You can also try out my oven roasted chicken if you'd like to try roasting one in your oven!
Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken Ingredients
- Whole Chicken: I'm using a seven pound whole chicken because it fits perfectly in my seven quart slow cooker. Adjust the size of your chicken to the size of your slow cooker as necessary.
- Lemons: Fresh lemons are perfect for slow cooking a rotisserie-style chicken. They add so much bright flavor to the meat.
- Salt: Use kosher salt or sea salt flakes, rather than table salt.
- Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper is best, but you can also use ground black pepper.
You can also use my delicious Chicken Seasoning Rub.
Crock Pot Whole Chicken Recipe Instructions
- Remove the inside parts of the chicken and discard them.
- Fill the cavity with lemon halves.
- Pat the outside of the chicken dry using paper towels. Then, season generously with salt and pepper.
- The most important step to slow cooking a whole chicken is that your chicken should not touch the bottom of the slow cooker. To avoid this, we will use a makeshift rack made out of aluminum foil. You can do this by using two to three clumps of aluminum foil rolled into rods. These should lift the chicken about one inch up from the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Place the chicken on top of the aluminum foil rack in the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or until the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165°F on a meat thermometer. See my chicken temperature chart for more info on safe chicken temp.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker, then place it on a baking sheet. Broil for 5-10 minutes under your oven broiler for crispy skin.
- Serve, and enjoy!
Do I have to use an aluminum foil rack when slow cooking chicken?
It is necessary to lift the chicken away from the bottom of the slow cooker when slow cooking chicken, and an aluminum foil makeshift rack is an easy way to do that. However, you can also use a silicone slow cooker rack or any other rack made to fit in the slow cooker.
Easy Chicken Dishes
What to Make with a Whole Chicken
- Chick-fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Mexican Tinga Chicken Tacos
- Chick-fil-A Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Taquitos
How long does it take to cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker?
A 7 lb. chicken usually takes about 3.5 hours. A safe estimate is 3 to 4 hours, but you’ll know your chicken is done when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.
Tips for Slow Cooking Whole Chicken
- Seasoning the chicken: Pat down the chicken, salt and pepper it and stuff with a few lemon halves and you are ready to roll. If you don’t have lemons handy, you can skip that step, but they add a nice freshness to the chicken as well as a subtle tang.
- Crispy skin: To get that nice, crispy skin on your chicken, pop it on a roasting pan and place it in the oven on broil (high) for 5-7 minutes.
- Be careful if broiling: Keep an eye on the bird, because some ovens broil more quickly than others and you want crispy chicken skin, not burnt.
- Reserve the drippings: You can use the juices from the slow cooker to create a gravy. Follow the same instructions given for my Homemade Turkey Gravy.
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Recipe Sides
- Kale Caesar Salad - This makes a great chicken salad, too! Shred your chicken and serve it in the salad for a main course meal.
- Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes
- Glazed Carrots
- Peppercorn Sauce
Isabel's Top Tip
Save the bones! You can use the chicken carcass to make soup, like my turkey carcass soup, or homemade chicken broth. Chicken bone broth recipe coming soon!
Storing Leftover Whole Chicken
Shred the meat from the chicken bones, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I recommend keeping the bones to make broth, as mentioned above!
Crock Pot Whole Chicken FAQ
Yes, you can slow cook the whole chicken on LOW for 7-8 hours instead of on HIGH if you prefer.
Either setting will work, so it depends on your available time and preference. Cook for about 4 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW.
There is no need to add any liquid to the slow cooker when cooking chicken, so long as you make the aluminum foil rack as outlined in the instructions to lift the chicken up from the bottom of the slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 7 pound chicken
- 2 lemons, - halved
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Remove the inside parts of a whole chicken and dispose of them. Fill the cavity with lemon halves. Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towel before generously salting and peppering.
- Prepare a slow cooker by adding a makeshift rack with aluminum foil to keep the chicken one inch off of the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Pace chicken in the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165 degrees. Remove from the slow cooker, place chicken on a baking sheet and broil for 5-10 minutes until the skin is nice and crispy.
Manila Spoon says
Because the whole chicken is made in the slow cooker, it comes out so tender! Perfect for busy nights!
Em Beitel says
Thanks so much! It's so easy, right?
Denay DeGuzman says
I loved making this simple, delicious crockpot recipe! The chicken came out tender and juicy. This wonderful recipe's a keeper!
Em Beitel says
Thank you so much, Denay!
unicornsinthekitchen says
Love how easy and delicious this recipe is. It's perfect for a gathering or a party.
Suzy says
I had no idea you could make a whole chicken in the slow cooker! This is a game changer for helping to get dinner on the table! Love it!
DANNII says
We love cooking a whole chicken in the slow cooker too.
Nora bortz says
I made a whole chicken minus the lemon wedges I put a little lemon juice and a few different spices on it. I also put onions,shredded carrots and sliced mushrooms in the bottom of the crockpot is that ok
Em Beitel says
Nora, that's awesome! That should be perfect and is a fantastic idea. I hope you enjoyed it!