Want to Save this Recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!
Have you tried cooking a whole chicken in a crock pot before? The outcome is so much better (and better-for-you!) than the standard grocery store rotisserie chicken. And if you have a well-stocked spice rack, you’ll hardly have to buy anything to make this recipe.
Why Cook a Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot?
If you’ve only been using your slow cooker for soups and stews you’re seriously missing out! You can make just about anything in a Crock Pot; that includes a whole chicken.
Easy Meal Idea
We’re a busy family and there isn’t always time to make big meals, especially on weeknights. The slow cooker lets us “set it and forget it” and not have to worry about what’s for dinner. Just whip up a few sides, or even a salad, and serve!
Use the leftovers in many dishes, including this Creamy Pasta with Buffalo Chicken.
Healthier Alternative to Store Bought Rotisserie Chicken
Have you read the ingredients on your favorite rotisserie chicken? Between sugar and other additives, it’s definitely not real food approved. By making my own chicken from scratch I get to decide exactly what goes into the food we eat.
Cook Once, Eat Multiple Times
This is probably my favorite part of this recipe! A whole chicken can be divided up and used for several different recipes and meals. Don’t forget to use the bones to make your own homemade chicken stock so nothing goes to waste.
Ideas for Your Leftover Chicken
- Loaded Chicken Salad
- BLT Chicken Wraps
- Sour Cream and Onion Chicken Salad
- Chicken and Cheese Tostadas
- Curry Chicken Salad
- Grilled open-faced sandwich
How to Cook a Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot
Step 1: Chop and Add Onion
Cut a whole onion in half or quarters and add it to the bottom of your slow cooker.
Step 2: Mix Chicken Seasoning in a Small Bowl
Simply combine a few basic herbs and spices. I used paprika, salt, onion powder, thyme, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper to make a rotisserie style chicken. You could also season your chicken with butter and herbs, Italian spices, or your favorite blend of seasonings.
Step 3: Season the Whole Chicken
Rub seasoning all over the chicken (I even season inside the cavity and under the skin on the breasts). After seasoning, place the whole chicken in the Crock Pot on top of the onion bed, breast side down.
Step 4: Cook on High for 4-5 Hours or Low 7-8 Hours
Cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken. Chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 F and juices run clear, but also when it's so tender you can shred it with a fork.
Once the chicken is done, it is flavorful enough to eat by itself as the main dish, or you can incorporate it into something else like pasta, chicken salad, chicken pot pie, or a casserole (I've listed some of my favorite ideas below). You don't need anything fancy, we use a very basic crock pot that can be purchased on Amazon for about $40.
Troubleshooting Crock Pot Chicken
My Chicken is Too Soft and Mushy
Most of the time mushy Crock Pot chicken is a result of cooking it too long. As you cook meat, the collagen breaks down into a gelatin. The longer chicken is cooked, the more this process happens. Do it right and you have perfectly tender meat; too long and your chicken becomes mushy.
- Don’t add any additional liquid
- Cook on high instead of low
- Adjust cooking times based on weight
- Remove chicken as soon as it’s done
- Let chicken cool to help it firm up before cutting and serving
Slow Cooker Chicken Comes Out Dry
Dry chicken usually happens when there’s not enough moisture in the slow cooker. This is more likely to occur when you’re only roasting lean cuts like chicken breasts or have too many moisture-absorbing veggies in with your chicken. A simple solution is to add some water or chicken stock to the slow cooker when you start cooking.
Another common reason for dry chicken is cooking in a Crock Pot that’s too big for the recipe; too much empty space around the meat will dry it out.
Make Overnight Chicken Stock (Optional)
Another great trick (that I learned from a friend!) is that after you pick off the good chicken meat you can leave the bones in the crock pot to make some stock overnight while you are sleeping—see more on that in the FAQ below.
Featured Comment
Wow!! Mind blown! Thank you so much for this recipe. I had to call my mom and my mother-in-law about this recipe. The chicken is perfectly cooked. We are cooking the stock right now and I’ll make homemade noodles to go with it. Way to go!
More Crock Pot Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
- Slow Cooker Green Salsa Chicken
- Soy Maple Glazed Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
FAQ
Due to food safety reasons, you should not cook a frozen whole chicken in the slow cooker. Make sure to thaw it out completely before cooking (see how to safely defrost meat for more info). The ideal way to defrost meat is in the fridge overnight. If you think your chicken is still a little frozen in the middle you will need to increase the cooking time.
Absolutely! If you want to be extra cautious you could always be sure to cook the whole chicken on high heat for at least the first hour (if you also plan to cook on low). Since we give an option to cook it on high the entire time for this recipe, this requirement is met.
For a typical 3-4 pound chicken, you'll want to cook in your slow cooker for about 4 to 5 hours on high or 7 hours on low. Timing may vary based on the size of the bird as well as your individual slow cooker and how tender you want the end result.
There is no need to add water because the chicken and onion will create their own juices while cooking. Adding water will just produce a soggy chicken in the end.
If you're a fan of crispy chicken skin, you can still achieve this by placing the chicken on a rimmed baking sheeting after it's done and placing it under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Be sure to let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.
1) Use tongs and a fork to remove the large parts of the chicken (thighs, legs, wings) from the slow cooker and place them on a platter/cutting board separately so they can cool briefly.
2) Run your fingers (or a spoon) under each breast to separate from the rib bones and then remove the meat in one piece.
3) Trim the large parts if wish to serve them whole, or carve off pieces of meat and set aside. Throw any skin/fat/bones back in the crock pot as you go to make your overnight chicken stock.
4) Next, remove the carcass from the slow cooker and place it on the platter/cutting board. When cool enough, use a fork and your fingers to pick off every little piece of meat and place in a bowl or storage container. The little bits are great for making chicken salad, soups, enchiladas, etc! Put anything other than meat back in the crock pot.
See my Overnight Chicken Stock Recipe for details, but here is how it's done:
For grilled chicken, try this Chicken Marinade!
The Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 onion
- 4 lb whole chicken
Instructions
- Combine the dried spices in a small bowl.
- Loosely chop the onion and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Remove any giblets from the chicken and then rub the spice mixture all over. You can even put some of the spices inside the cavity and under the skin covering the breasts.
- Place chicken on top of the onions in the slow cooker, breast side down, cover it, and turn it on to high. There is no need to add any liquid.
- Cook for 4 to 5 hours on high or 7 hours on low (for a 3 or 4 pound chicken) or until the chicken is falling off the bone. Don't forget to make your chicken stock!
Notes
Nutrition Facts
- If you use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe, you'll need to add some water to the dish before cooking, otherwise, they may come out dry.
- You could also cook a small turkey with this recipe; place it breast side down.
- You can cook this on low (for example, if you're going to be at work all day and you want it to cook while you're gone) for longer, 7 hours.
Heather says
Not to sound silly, but what can I do with the stock?? I know you said you freeze it, but what are somethings that I can do with it? Thanks in advance.....(I'm learning!!)
100 Days of Real Food says
Not silly at all! I find that a lot of soup recipes call for stock (or the recipe might say chicken broth...same thing). I also use it in risotto as well. I just posted a few soup recipes over the last few weeks so check those out for ideas!
Genny says
I made your chicken in the crock pot tonight. I just want to say that my two little ones (2 and 3.5 years old) ate multiple helpings of the chicken, and they do not usually touch meat!! I made whole wheat couscous, steamed fresh green beans, and whole grain corn bread from scratch in my cast iron skillet to go with it. Everyone cleaned their plates tonight. Thanks for giving me another recipe that my family loves. Oh, and this was my first time ever cooking a whole chicken!! :) Now I have our leftover bones in the crock pot to make stock, and then tomorrow I'm going to attempt your chicken noodle soup recipe. Thanks again! :)
100 Days of Real Food says
So glad to hear that!! Sounds like it was avery good dinner and you were one busy bee putting it all together. Thanks for all the comments (and facebook posts)! :)
Genny says
Do you use the giblet/neck to make your stock? Or do you just throw those parts away?
100 Days of Real Food says
If you have those parts ...yes, you can use them in the stock.
Philip Downer says
I had to admit, I was a bit skeptical about just placing the whole chicken (minus the neck and giblets) into a crock pot and just letting it go. But it did turn out wonderful! The only downside was the absence of crispy skin.
Instead of letting the chicken thaw, I placed it in completely frozen and while it took a bit longer to cook still turned out great.
Once the bird was cooked I placed it on a wire rack on a baking sheet to let it drain. Then, as suggested, added a few carrots and celery, the giblets and neck and the bones of the chicken back in the crock pot to make stock.
I imagine that you could also drain off a bit of the leftover juices and thicken it to make a tasty gravy. Only gotcha' that I would recommend looking out for is to make sure that your chicken fits your crock pot. LOL!
Nev. says
I was wondering if you take the chicken out of the pot when it is done or do you leave it in until everyone has eaten for the night?
100 Days of Real Food says
Yes, you can take it out as soon as it is done. Just make sure if any bones come out with it that you put those back in to make the stock.
Katie Grace says
So good! I had a bigger bird and got it in late so we didn't eat it for dinner tonight (though I did sample a few tasty bites). I just finished putting the chicken in the fridge and adding stuff to make the stock. Can't wait to have a yummy chicken sandwich (using your homemade bread recipe) for lunch tomorrow!
Cherie says
Do you need to cut the whole chicken up first or just place the entire chicken in the crock pot? I have never cooked a whole chicken before so this is a little intimidating. I am attempting this recipe today.
100 Days of Real Food says
You just plop it into the crock pot whole...no cutting necessary. But do make sure the neck/giblets are removed from the cavity inside the chicken.
Elizabeth says
I've NEVER been a big crockpot user, but always held on to the one I have nonetheless. I just made this chicken tonight, and.....OMG! "YUM!" says it all. Like everyone has said, it literally fell off the bone. Had a 4-pound bird, turned it on at 2:00 and it was ready at 6:30 (on HI temp). And, yes, the house smelled amazing when I got home from work. Definitely a "keeper" in my recipe library! :)
Lisa says
I'd like to try this whole chicken recipe - sounds yummy - but I leave for work at 8 am and don't get home till 4 pm... Can I cook the bird on LOW for 8 hours instead of high for 4 or 5 hours?
Thanks!
Lisa
100 Days of Real Food says
I have not tried that myself, but I definitely think it would work!
Laura Mcilvaine says
Hi! Love the website, made this tonight and it was wonderful! i have the stock going right now too. The only adjustment I made was to but in the oven and broil it for 5 minutes which browned and crisped the skin beautifully. Thanks again- my two year old son and my hubby both loved it.
Stefanie says
I put this in the crockpot before church this morning- soooo great! The house smelled wonderful and lunch was pretty much ready when we walked in - and it was so easy to get it around this morning!
I do have a question though. I am going to make stock with the bones now -- I have not done this before, so should I leave the juice that is in the crockpot now (and the onions)? Also, how much water would you recommend? I know that more water is going to give less taste to the broth; but I have no idea what a good amount would be... Thanks!
Stefanie says
Nevermind -- I reread it and just filled the crockpot almost to the top :)
100 Days of Real Food says
I think I am getting back to you a little late, but you leave everything in to make the stock (plus the items you add like new onion, celery, parsley, etc.) and fill the water to the top. Good luck!
Casey says
This is exactly what I've been trying to figure out! Read several crock pot chicken stock recipes and pretty much every one starts out with "Put the chicken bones/leftovers/pieces into the crockpot and add cold water" They assumed you cooked the chicken some other way and ate the meat and are using the leftover parts. My chicken is sitting in the crockpot right now fully cooked, need to take it out, but was trying to decide what to do with the juices in it. Is that stock? Read on another blog it's just "pan juices" whatever that means! I'm guessing it's mostly fat (which sounds kind of gross.) I want to make healthy stock, not full of fat. I plan to scrap the fat off the top when it cools, but still. Maybe I should just take out the chicken, shred the meat and throw everything else back in along with more veggies (carrots) and seasoning? yeah, that's my plan. Leave it over night and figure the rest out tomorrow!
100 Days of Real Food says
That's what I do...just remove the edible chicken and leave everything else (including juices) in the crock pot to make the stock. It is the best stock I've ever had!
Jean says
I bought a big crock pot a year ago so that I could make a whole chicken instead of buying the rotisserie chicken at the store. I made this last night for my first attempt at a whole chicken. Chicken was so moist and tender it fell apart trying to get it to the plate.
Trish says
I have two crock pots, small upright and larger horizontal style. Is it better for the chicken to 'fill up' the crock pot and stand up or have more space in the crock pot and have the chicken lay down?
100 Days of Real Food says
I think it's best to get the chicken in there with as much of the breast down if possible.
kristi says
I always cook my whole chicken in the crockpot, but I never made stock with the leftover bones. I can't wait to try it the next time I have chicken. Thanks!
Gretchen says
I have a whole free range chicken in my freezer i've been wondering what to do with. This looks perfect! can't wait to try it!!!
Stacy says
Has anyone tried it without skin? I can't stand skin, but I know some things aren't nearly as flavorful if you don't have it on there. Wondering if I should take it off before or after.
Holly W. says
I've done it both ways, and with the skin was tastier (I'm a vegetarian, but that was my hubby's opinion). Plus, it was just really hard to remove the skin without it being cooked already. Cooked skin is pretty easy to get off, so I would just do it that way. Good luck!!
100 Days of Real Food says
If you don't like the skin I recommend taking it off after the chicken is cooked (b/c it does help add flavor). My husband doesn't like the skin either so he just eats around it.
Christy says
The best chicken in a crockpot hands down!! Usually when I cook chicken it is bland. Not this time! The chicken had lots of flavor! Great recipe!
Lady Song says
Can I use chicken breasts or pieces? don't have a whole chicken, but wondering if anyone's tried it this way. Also, should I un-thaw it first if it's frozen or just stick it in the crock pot?
100 Days of Real Food says
I would definitely make sure your meat is thawed out completely (otherwise it will cook unevenly) and I think chicken parts should work fine I would just check it after 2 - 3 hours b/c it might not take as long.
Tiffany says
I'm going to try this tonight! :)
Gia says
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I've always been intimidated to cook a whole chicken, but this was simple and delicious. I also took your advice and made chicken salad and stock with the leftovers!
Kj says
Fantastic recipe! I overcooked it, but it's still totally delicious. Meat fell right off the bone, and it's going to make some yummy stock. Thanks for posting! :)
Rachael says
Hi, do you cook it on high or low? I have a 5lb chicken that I'll be cooking...do you know how long it will take and on what setting? I'm making it for a family dinner and I don't want everyone starving and waiting for it to be done b/c I didn't know which setting to put it on! lol
Thanks for the recipe!
Rachael
100 Days of Real Food says
You cook it on high and for a bigger chicken I would check it after 5 hours...start it earlier though b/c you can always keep it on warm rather than having people wait around.
Brianna says
YUM!
Amanda B says
The only time I've tried to cook a whole chicken in the crockpot, it fell apart. I had a big pile of meat and bones and chicken juice. I swore never to cook a whole chicken that way again, but you've gotten such rave reviews that I'll give it one more go.
Amber says
Thank you so much for doing what you are doing Lisa! I love, love, LOVE this blog :) Although all your recipes look fantastic, this was the first recipe I tried and my husband and I loved it! I was scared that it would burn without any liquids in the crock pot with it, but not only was it was SUPER easy and quick, but the chicken turned out perfect (even though I shoved it down into the pot because the bird was a little larger than I expected. lol!). This one amazing recipe has definitely encouraged me to try more of your recipes and start your mini challenges! Thank you again :)
Katie says
I think i'm going to try this over the weekend! Can't wait to make up some stock also!!
Tiffany says
2nd week of 100 days of real food challenge - this is my favorite because it's so simple :) love it!
Melanie says
Thanks for this recipe! It made wonderful juicy tender chicken. Only change I'll make for next time is to decrease the thyme since dh and I aren't huge fans of the herb and as is the thyme was a very prominent, but not overpowering, flavor. I've got some stock going in the crock pot now so thanks for that tip too!
Cynthia says
I am trying this for the first time today!! I have never made a whole chicken before let alone in the crockpot. I have only ever made beef and pork in the crockpot. It has only been an hour and a half and it already smells very yummy!! I can't wait to eat dinner!
Misty says
This was my first attempt at cooking a whole chicken, and I can report it was a success! Thanks for the great recipe and the inspiration to feed my family better!
Jacque Liebentritt says
Thank you for the great recipe! Loved it! I am now making muffins for my girls in the morning!
Jessica says
Made this recipe for the first time tonight as it's my husband's birthday, and it's got the whole house smelling delish! thanks
Lori says
Having a family of 4, it is quite expensive to eat organically unprocessed foods all the time, especially when one of them is a 12 year old boy who eats more than my 7 year old and I combined. But with recipes like this one, I realize it is easier to buy grass fed meats instead of whatever is on sale at the grocery store because I can save on the other things like organic stock by making it myself. We tried our hand at growing a lot of different vegetables this summer too. It was so great to go to the store each week knowing our produce drawer was full of fresh organic veggies we grew ourselves! We are busily canning and freezing our bounty to get us through the winter months and are already planning our garden for next year. Thank you for your website. It has changed the way I look at food and every time I have a craving for something, I look to your website first to see if you have a recipe for it.
Lynn says
Would you give me some help regarding canning? I've never done it before, but we grow vegetables, lots of tomatoes and I'd love to learn how to can!
Lynn
100 Days of Real Food says
I have never canned before so I cannot help with advice on this one!
Jennifer says
Ball sells a canning starter kit with complete instructions and all the tools needed (only 3 jars though in the kit). It's not really hard from what I can tell with reading about it... just time consuming. But convenience is one thing we willfully give up to eat real food! :)
Canner says
I too thought canning was difficult and it's a piece of cake. Tomatoes are very simple! Last year we canned over 400 jars of vegy's, jam, and tomatoes. Don't let it intimidate you. Just be sure to follow the directions to a T so everything is preserved properly. There are a ton of recipes online or you can simply look at Ball recipes. Have fun with it!
Megan Robinson says
Check out pickyourown.org. It is an excellent resource for canning and freezing just about everything you can imagine.
Ashley says
Today I am making this recipe for the second time to share with our friends. My husband loved it the first time, so I'm sure it'll go over well. Thanks for sharing the recipe. My crock pot is my best friend now that I have a toddler and an infant running around. This is a recipe I'm sure to use more than once a month- especially when the birds go on sale!
And the broth is yummy too.
Thanks again.
CheeseGirlPA-C says
I just finished eating this! BEST thing I ever made in my crockpot! Can't wait for hubby to try it!
Abby says
Ummm....BEST CHICKEN EVER!! I was a little worried I was going to end up with dried out chicken after some of the reviews but it was perfect! I didn't have onion or garlic powder so I ended up using minced onion and sliced garlic cloves and it was amazing. My husband is pretty picky (not that he doesn't like food - he just loves good food) so when I asked him if it was good, he said, it's not good. It's amazing. Thank you for such an amazing and easy recipe!! Still working on becoming fully on the real foods challenge but we are getting there!
Marla says
Can't wait to try this! My biggest complaint about slow cooker food is that often the recipes aren't healthful or lowfat. This looks great!
joyce says
I made this on Thurs and my husband loved it! The skin was crispy! I had it on low for 6-8 hrs. I didn't use the whole chicken, just drumsticks.
Thank you for this recipe. I can't cook so this recipe made me feel like a chef!
Robin says
I'm trying this tonight! After reading Nourishing Traditions cookbook a few years ago, I started making my own chicken stock in the crockpot as well (also because I wanted to get my money's worth out of the pricey organic-free-range chicken that I could!) For an even richer stock, use the bones from an oven roasted or grilled chicken.
marykay says
This looks great. Does the skin get crispy?