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Home / Recipes / Dinner / Chicken / Crockpot Whole Chicken

Crockpot Whole Chicken

3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
| 9 Comments |
5 from 26 votes
Jump to Recipe 11/10/19 | Updated: 03/06/21 | by Nora
Crockpot Whole Chicken Pin 3

Make this Crockpot Whole Chicken when you want a homemade rotisserie roasted chicken – without all of the work! This crockpot whole chicken recipe is quick and easy to prep and you’ll be rewarded with a flavorful, tender chicken.

Whole seasoned chicken in a white crock of a slow cooker

I don’t know about you, but I love nothing more than a whole roasted chicken. I don’t always have the patience to roast it in the oven though – and I love the convenience of making it in the crockpot.

No oven to clean, no constant temperature checking, nothing to tend to! The slow cooker does all of the work.

Ingredients you’ll need

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

ingredients for crockpot whole chicken with text labels
Ingredients for Crockpot Whole Chicken: Ground paprika, brown sugar, salt, celery salt, dried thyme, butter, garlic & onion powder, fresh lemon, whole chicken, rosemary & thyme.

Ingredient notes

  • Seasoning: This is my favorite way to make a rotisserie-style seasoning. Feel free to switch it up with your preferred dried herbs and spices.
  • Lemon: Sticking a lemon into the chicken cavity helps the chicken to stem from the inside and stay nice and moist! Feel free to leave it out if you’re not a fan of lemon flavor or don’t have any on hand.
  • Brown sugar: This adds depth of flavor and also helps with the color of the chicken skin. Feel free to leave it out if you don’t want any sugar in your spice rub.
  • Chicken: Make sure to pick a chicken size that will fit inside your crock. Around 5 pounds is a good size for a large (around 6 quart) slow cooker.

How to cook a whole chicken in the crock pot

All you need are ten minutes of prep time to make your own rotisserie-style chicken in the slow cooker.

Rotisserie chicken actually means a style of roasting where meat is skewered on a spit and usually cooked over an open flame while it’s slowly turning – but I bet the rotisserie chicken at your grocery store wasn’t cooked over the fire either, so I don’t feel bad at all calling this rotisserie-style.

Simply season the chicken, then place it in the crock on a ring of aluminium foil.

Now let it cook in the slow cooker until the juices run clear – you can brown the chicken under the broiler for a crisper skin!

Step by step images for making a whole chicken I the crockpot
How to Make a Crockpot Whole Chicken – Step by Step

Recipe tips

  • Make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through to the bones before serving. The meat should no longer be pink, and the juices should run clear. It’s best to check the internal temperature with a kitchen thermometer – it should be 165°F according to the government’s food safety website. The chicken will need 3-4 hours on HIGH
  • Switch up the taste of the seasoning by adding some heat with cayenne pepper or chili powder; or go fire-roasted with smoked paprika.
  • You can serve this chicken whole like a regular roasted chicken. But the meat turns out tender enough so you can shred it and use it in other ways – salads, sandwiches, tacos, soups… Perfect for easy meal prep, too!
Whole slow cooker chicken on a sheet pan with fresh rosemary

Serving ideas

This is delicious for dinner, but you can use it in many more ways!

Serve it as a roasted chicken with instant pot mashed potatoes and sautéed green beans. Or whip up a batch of roasted fingerling potatoes and a side of roasted asparagus!

Use the chicken shredded in Homemade Chicken Pot Pie or in a cozy Chicken Tamale Pie Casserole.

fork and knife slicing a rotisserie chicken

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PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.

Printable recipe

Printable Recipe Card
Whole seasoned chicken in a white crock of a slow cooker
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Crockpot Whole Chicken

Make this Crockpot Whole Chicken when you want a homemade rotisserie roasted chicken – without all of the work! This crockpot whole chicken recipe is quick and easy to prep and you'll be rewarded with a flavorful, tender chicken.
Recipe by Nora from Savory Nothings
made it? tap the stars to add your rating!
5 from 26 votes
Print Add Review

Recipe details

Prep 10 minutes mins
Cook 3 hours hrs
Total 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Servings 6 servings
Difficulty Easy

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
 

For the seasoning:

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 3 tablespoons butter softened

For the chicken:

  • 1 whole chicken (around 5 pounds), innards removed
  • 1 lemon cut in half
  • 1 fresh rosemary sprig
  • 3 fresh thyme sprigs

Instructions
 

  • Prep: Coat a slow cooker large enough to comfortably hold your chicken with cooking spray. Using a large piece of aluminum foil, shape a ring to set on the bottom of the crock as a rack for the chicken to rest on (otherwise it will burn and get stuck to the crock).
  • Make seasoning: Combine the ingredients for the seasoning in a small bowl until a paste forms. Set aside.
  • Season chicken: Rub the seasoning paste all over the chicken, inside the cavity and underneath the skin (you may need to gently release it with your index finger) – it's important to season underneath the skin even if it's a little fickle, or it will dry out and taste bland. Stuff the chicken's cavity with the cut lemon, fresh rosemary and thyme.
  • Cook: Place the chicken on the aluminum foil ring in the crock pot, cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or until the chicken is no longer pink inside and the internal temperature registers at 165°F at the thickest part.
  • For crispy chicken: Transfer the chicken to a sheet pan and broil for 3-5 minutes, or until crispy. Carve and serve immediately, or use shredded.
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Notes

Ingredient notes

  • Seasoning: This is my favorite way to make a rotisserie-style seasoning. Feel free to switch it up with your preferred dried herbs and spices. Switch up the taste of the seasoning by adding some heat with cayenne pepper or chili powder; or go fire-roasted with smoked paprika.
  • Lemon: Sticking a lemon into the chicken cavity helps the chicken to stem from the inside and stay nice and moist! Feel free to leave it out if you’re not a fan of lemon flavor or don’t have any on hand.
  • Brown sugar: This adds depth of flavor and also helps with the color of the chicken skin. Feel free to leave it out if you don’t want any sugar in your spice rub.
  • Chicken: Make sure to pick a chicken size that will fit inside your crock. Around 5 pounds is a good size for a large (around 6 quart) slow cooker.

Recipe tips

  • How to serve the chicken: You can serve this chicken whole like a regular roasted chicken. But the meat turns out tender enough so you can shred it and use it in other ways – salads, sandwiches, tacos, soups… Perfect for easy meal prep, too!
  • For leftovers or to store for meal prep: Remove bones and shred meat of cooled chicken; pack in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 338kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 24gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 916mgPotassium: 273mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 927IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition is an estimate.

More recipe information

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Traditional

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Nora Rusev from Savory Nothings
About Nora 
When I got married to my professional chef husband, I realized I had to step up my game in the kitchen. Now I share my favorite foolproof family recipes here on Savory Nothings: Chef-approved, kid-vetted and easy enough for everyday home cooks like you and me!   Learn more.

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Comments

  1. Karen K says

    August 31, 2023 at 10:39 pm

    Made this tonight. Very easy and very delicious.

    Reply
  2. Jennifer House-Smith says

    May 25, 2022 at 2:43 am

    5 stars
    So happy I found this recipe!!! The chicken was so unbelievably good!! So moist and flavorful!!

    Reply
    • Nora says

      May 28, 2022 at 2:46 pm

      I’m so glad, Jennifer!

      Reply
  3. Jacquie says

    March 31, 2022 at 1:22 am

    5 stars
    Super easy and chicken was so tender!

    Reply
    • Nora says

      April 08, 2022 at 9:35 pm

      I’m so glad, Jacquie!

      Reply
  4. Becca says

    September 12, 2021 at 3:19 pm

    Was absolutely delicious!!!!

    Reply
    • Nora says

      September 25, 2021 at 5:20 pm

      I’m so glad, Becca!

      Reply
  5. Barbara Serrone says

    May 12, 2020 at 1:45 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! I made the rub as per instructions. I didn’t put anything inside the chicken and it was so good. The next time I will put chicken under broiler for a few minutes to make the skin crispier.

    Reply
    • Nora Rusev says

      May 12, 2020 at 3:56 pm

      I’m so glad to hear this, Barbara!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Nora! I wasn't always a good cook, but then I fell in love with a professional chef and learned my way around the kitchen. Now I share all my secrets to effortlessly great food here on my blog, bite-sized for home cooks just like me and you.

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