Crockpot Whole Chicken Recipe

Slow cooked in sweet onions, bell peppers, and savory seasonings, this slow cooker whole chicken always turns out so juicy and delicious. Pop it under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the skin and you have a rotisserie chicken without all the work! If your life is nearly as hectic and busy as mine is, you need EASY recipes like this one to get the job done. This Crockpot whole chicken takes just 5 minutes to prep – that’s my kind of recipe!

What’s in this Crockpot whole chicken recipe?

You might already have everything you need to make a whole chicken in the Crockpot in your kitchen right now!

Whole Chicken: I like to use 3.5 to 4.5 pound whole chickens in my slow cooker. These sizes seem to fit just perfectly with the veggies. Veggies: Onions, bell peppers and celery really infuse the chicken with the best flavor. Seasonings: A simple mix of garlic powder, onion powder, salt and poultry seasoning is all you need!

How to Store and Reheat

You can store leftover cooked chicken in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. Just make sure it’s kept in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave, air fryer or oven. Or, use your leftover chicken in a number of recipes!

How to Freeze

You can freeze cooked chicken for up to 3 months. Just make sure to let it fully cool to room temperature prior to freezing in an airtight container.

Notes and Tips

You can make a gravy with the veggies. Just add broth and cornstarch and bring to a boil to make a delicious, easy gravy! Adjust the poultry seasoning to your liking. If you like a milder seasoning, use less poultry seasoning. But, if you like more flavor, add a little more. Add more seasoning when broiling. If you want more flavor to your crispy skin, you can add a little more dry rub before placing the chicken in the broiler.

How to Make Crockpot Whole Chicken Step by Step

Prepare the Crockpot: Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray. Take some kitchen foil and create a ring on the bottom of the slow cooker. Add 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped bell pepper and 1 chopped celery rib to the bottom of the pot. Create two strips of foil (by folding over and over) and let them hang over the sides. Make the seasoning blend: Mix together ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning. Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken dry and rub it with the seasoning mixture. Slow cook the chicken: Place the chicken inside the slow cooker, on top of the foil strips (and the ring). The foil strips are there to use as handles to lift the bird out once cooked – they do tend to be fall apart tender. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours, or LOW for 6-8 hours. This timing will vary depending on the size of the bird and your slow cooker. Broil the chicken: When the chicken is ready, (and a thermometer used inside the breast reads 180°F) remove the chicken and put into an oven safe dish. Broil for 5 minutes until you get a nice crispy, browned look.

More Crockpot Recipes

Crockpot Shredded Chicken Crockpot BBQ Chicken Crockpot Italian Chicken Crockpot No Peek Chicken Crockpot Whole Chicken Recipe - 56

title: “Crockpot Whole Chicken Recipe” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-04” author: “Daniel Ashland”

What’s in this Whole Chicken Crockpot Recipe?

Wondering what to cook on those nights when you’re hosting family or friends and you need something impressive, but realistic? Toss a whole chicken into your Crockpot! In fact, this easy recipe is even perfect for holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving if you don’t feel like cooking a turkey or ham. You can still carve up some meat without all the hassle!

Whole Chicken: You’ll need a 4-pound bird for this recipe. Olive Oil: Helps the spices adhere to the chicken. Spices: Kosher salt, ground paprika, black pepper, fresh thyme, and fresh rosemary add so much flavor! Veggies: Celery, carrots, and onions infuse the chicken with flavor and make great built-in sides! Fresh Herbs: Whole sprigs of rosemary and thyme infuse the bird with herby flavor.

Pro Tip: Do not add any additional liquid to the slow cooker; the chicken will create its own juices.

Variations on Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

You can season your chicken however you’d like (try chicken seasoning or Italian seasoning), but my tried and true seasoning blend of fresh herbs, paprika, salt, and black pepper always satisfies. It’s simple, yet so mouthwatering! There’s also celery, carrots, and onions that are cooked along with the chicken to lend even more flavor and serve as side dishes, but you could swap them out or add quartered potatoes to make a complete meal!

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover crockpot whole chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven in a baking pan drizzled with chicken stock or pan drippings and covered with aluminum foil for 20-25 minutes, until warmed through.

How to Freeze

Freeze crockpot whole chicken broken down into pieces in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

This slow cooker whole chicken is already served with plenty of veggies, but feel free to pair those veggies with perfect baked potatoes, crockpot mashed potatoes, Parker House rolls, or baked mac and cheese. This crockpot whole chicken also tastes great the next day in any recipe that calls for a rotisserie chicken, such as Chicken ranch wraps, chicken broccoli cheese rice casserole, Tuscan chicken soup, chicken tetrazzini, chicken pot pie, Buffalo chicken enchiladas, or chicken salad sliders.