Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This is a no-fuss way to cook a whole chicken with minimal effort.
How long it takes: 4 hours on High, or 7 to 8 hours on Low
Equipment you’ll need: slow cooker
Servings: 4
The Easiest way to Make a Chicken
When we’re thinking chicken for a weeknight, you probably default to chicken breasts (as in these air fryer chicken breasts and easy chicken bites) or maybe chicken thighs (Instant Pot chicken thighs or honey balsamic chicken thighs).
I know a whole chicken can feel like a production, but this crockpot recipe makes it totally doable for a weeknight. It’s actually one of my go-to easy dinners.
As with most slow cooker recipes, all the heavy lifting is done at the beginning.
What makes it special:
- Filling without being heavy: Perfect for cozy weeknight dinners that warm you up.
- Hands-off cooking: Prep in the morning, enjoy a fully cooked dinner later.
- Classic flavors everyone loves: Juicy, tender chicken infused with classic herbs and spices.
- Optional veggies and gravy: The gravy is optional, but let’s be real: is it really optional? My motto in life is “always make the optional gravy.” One pot can be a complete meal with minimal extra steps.
If you like the idea of your whole dinner cooked in a slow cooker, be sure to try my slow cooker corned beef or crockpot beef stew, too. Make sure to try crockpot meatloaf too, it’s the best!
How to make Crockpot Chicken
(This is an overview – scroll down for the full recipe!)
Coat the inside of the crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together the seasoning mix.
Remove any giblets from the cavity of the chicken and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the outside of the chicken with olive oil.
Season the chicken inside, outside, and under the skin with the spice mixture. Place the onion, garlic, and lemon inside the chicken’s cavity.
Place the additional onion, carrots, and potatoes in an even layer in the bottom of the crockpot, if you’re using them. Then, place the seasoned whole chicken into the crockpot, breast side up.
Pour broth in the crockpot around chicken—not on top, or you’ll rinse away the seasonings!
Cover the crockpot with the lid and set it to cook on high heat. Cook for at least 1 hour on high. Then, you can either continue cooking on high for 3 more hours, or turn to low and cook for 6 to 7 hours.
When fully cooked, remove from the crockpot and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before carving.
How To Know When Chicken Is Done
Cooking times may vary based on the size of the chicken, starting temperature, and model of your slow cooker. The best way to know when the chicken is done is with an instant-read thermometer. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the meat when it’s done.
If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, the juices should run clear (not bloody) when you pierce the chicken deeply with a fork.Optional Steps
To crisp the skin: Transfer the chicken to a baking dish, then brush the skin with additional melted butter or oil. Broil it in the oven for a few minutes until it crisps up.
To make the gravy: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until lightly browned. Gradually whisk in the reserved pan juices. Increase the heat to medium high to bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until thickened. Season to taste.
Cooking Chicken In a Crockpot
Is cooking raw chicken in a crockpot safe? Absolutely! As long as the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165ºF, it’s safe to eat. I don’t recommend cooking frozen chicken, however, because it takes too long to reach a safe temperature. Thaw frozen chicken in the refrigerator before cooking it in a crockpot.
Should you cook chicken on high or low in a crockpot? For chicken breasts, high is best with a shorter cooking time. A whole chicken can stand up to a longer cooking time on low; however, I like to start a whole chicken on High in a crockpot to get the temperature up more quickly.
Recipe Variations
- Customize the seasonings. You can use your favorite store-bought or homemade chicken rub, or my BBQ rub. (If you use the BBQ rub, serve the chicken with BBQ sauce!) For a European feel, try my herbes de Provence blend.
- Use fresh herbs. Infuse your whole chicken in a crockpot with some herbaceous flavor! Fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage (or a combination of the three) can be added to the cavity with the garlic, lemon, and onion.
- Switch up the veggies. Other root vegetables, like parsnips, turnips, and sweet potatoes, will work with this crockpot whole chicken too. Whole mushrooms are great, too. You want a firm vegetable that will stand up to a long cooking time. Soft vegetables with a high water content such as zucchini, tomatoes, or eggplant won’t work well. They’ll get too mushy.
- Oven method: If you prefer using your oven to a slow cooker, try my roasted chicken recipe.
- Air fryer method: If you’d like to roast a chicken more quickly, try air fryer whole chicken.
- Don’t want to make a whole chicken? Try my crockpot chicken and rice. It’s super easy and includes veggies, too.
Serving Ideas
If you don’t add the optional veggies, crockpot mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables are great for rounding out this meal. If you do make the veggies in the slow cooker, a fresh salad, Instant Pot brown rice, or crusty Dutch oven bread are delicious accompaniments.
To get a head start on your whole chicken in a crockpot, you can assemble everything in the slow cooker insert the night before and refrigerate it until you’re ready to cook. Never put a chilled insert into a preheated crockpot; the ceramic insert may crack.
Free Meal Plan
Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #47 or Meal Plan #52. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. We add a new meal plan weekly.
Leftover whole chicken in a crockpot can be cut into pieces or shredded for using in chicken salads, BBQ chicken nachos, chicken tortellini soup, and more. Use the carcass to make homemade chicken stock too! Strain the stock before using to remove any small bones.
More Chicken Recipes
Whole Chicken in the Crockpot
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 small yellow onion, quartered
- 5 garlic cloves
- ½ lemon
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
Optional Added Ingredients
- 1 large onion, 1-inch chunks
- 3 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 to 4 red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
Optional Gravy
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups reserved pan juices
Instructions
- Spray the inside of the crockpot with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried thyme, and dried rosemary.1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- Remove any giblets from the cavity of the chicken if they are included. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the outside of the chicken with olive oil.1 whole chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Season the chicken inside and out with the spice mixture, making sure to rub some seasoning under the skin as well. Place the onion, garlic, and lemon inside the chicken's cavity.1 small yellow onion, quartered, 5 garlic cloves, ½ lemon
- If using the additional ingredients (additional onion, carrots, potatoes), place in an even layer in the bottom of the crockpot.1 large onion, 1-inch chunks, 3 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks, 3 to 4 red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Carefully place the seasoned whole chicken into the crockpot, breast side up. Pour broth in the crockpot around chicken (not on top).½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- Cover the crockpot with the lid and set it to cook on High heat. Cook for at least 1 hour on high.
- Continue cooking on High for 3 more hours OR turn it to Low and cook for 6 to 7 hours. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the meat when it's done. Cooking times may vary based on size of chicken, starting temperature, and model of slow cooker.
- When chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the crockpot and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before carving.
- Optional: If you want crispy skin, you can transfer the chicken to a baking dish, brush the skin with additional melted butter or oil, and broil it in the oven for a few minutes until it crisps up. Keep a close eye on it to avoid burning.
- Optional Gravy: Reserve 2 cups of juices from slow cooker. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.4 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 cups reserved pan juices
- Gradually whisk in pan juices. Increase heat to medium high, bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Gravy will thicken significantly as it cools.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Notes
- You can use 1 whole lemon, cut in half, if the cavity is large.
- The nutritional information is calculated for ¼ chicken without the optional vegetables and gravy.
- Storage & Reheating:
- Refrigerate: Cut the chicken into parts so it cools more quickly. Store leftover crockpot chicken and vegetables in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Place the cooked cut-apart chicken in an airtight container or zip-top bag; it can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating it according to the instructions below.
- Reheat: Leftovers can be warmed up in the microwave or in a baking dish in a 350ºF oven; add a splash of broth and cover the dish with foil, then heat until the chicken is warmed through.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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