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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.
Ada says
I'm not sure how I stumbled on your web site, but want to say this recipe was awesome. It's like a whole new world opened up. I made the chicken, it was good for 2 meals, and then left the carcass in and made stock. The next day I put the veggies and barley in, and we had soup. Thank you so much!
jackie says
This doesn't come out greasy?? I put pork ribs in the crock pot and covered with BBq sauce and they came out so greasy. I have that problem alot with thing in the crock pot
100 Days of Real Food says
It's a little bit greasy, but that's just a natural part of cooking cuts of meat like that.
Anna says
I want to cook 10 lbs of chicken leg quarters in my crockpot with rice to make a big pot of chicken and rice for the Superbowl tomorrow. Is this too much chicken to cook in the crockpot at one time? Please help. I am new to cooking things in my crockpot. Thanks!
100 Days of Real Food says
It sounds like I am too late...I hope it worked out!
Shayne says
How can I incorporate carrots into the crock pot and make sure they are not mushy?
100 Days of Real Food says
I would add them towards the end...maybe when there's only an hour or two left depending on how "done" you like them.
Brenda Lord says
Found you on a friend's board on Pinterest. My favorite way to cook. Always ready for new recipes. Thanks!
Genna says
Made this last night for dinner for the second time - delicious! This time, I left out the cayenne and cut a lemon in quarters and put inside chicken. Is the point of the onions on the bottom of the crock to keep the chicken up a bit out of the liquid it makes? I think I need more onion on the bottom next time :)
100 Days of Real Food says
No, it's okay if the chicken is in the liquid...but that's personal preference if you want to keep it up higher.
Fawnette says
Hi, I am enjoying this website since I found it and have been on trying new recipes pretty much daily! I was really excited to try this and bought a 3.75 lb Organic chicken from the grocery store. I left it on high for about 4.5 hours and it was falling off the bone. But it stayed in a little longer once because I was preparing the potatoes and salad. It came out pretty dry and mushy once we finally started eating it. Was that due to leaving it in too long and perhaps overcooking it? I can't figure out what went wrong. I am using the leftovers for enchiladas for tomorrow anyway and making stock in the crockpot as we speak. Thanks for all the great recipes and ideas, by the way!
100 Days of Real Food says
It sounds like it did get overcooked. Once the chicken is "done" I would turn the Crock Pot off. Hope it still worked for you in enchiladas!
Christine says
I don't know what I am doing wrong, but I've made the chicken twice and it's come out a bit dry particularly the white meat. Any suggestions on how to avoid that again?
100 Days of Real Food says
Did you follow the directions exactly (including the size chicken you used)?
Karen says
I love this recipe, but I never have good luck with it in the slow cooker. But, we LOVE the spice rub. So, I think I figured it out. Over the weekend I roasted a chicken without any salt or pepper. I made yummy stock with the bones and tonight we are going to have chicken tacos using the rub as the taco seasoning. I'm very excited! I already have the chicken "marinating" and I think I'm going to bake it for a few minutes or saute it. I can't wait! I've been looking to get away from packet taco seasoning!
Susan says
When you make the stock with the bones- do you use the drippings from the chicken that are already in the slow cooker, or do you start with a clean slow cooker?
100 Days of Real Food says
Yes, I leave everything in the slow cooker including the juices before making the stock. The only thing I take out is the meat.
Susan says
I'm confused...there is no liquid to begin with when you put the chicken in the crockpot?
100 Days of Real Food says
Yes, that is correct...no added liquid before cooking the chicken.
Joyce says
If I put two 3 lb. chickens in my large crock pot, how long should I allow (I won't be at home to watch them)?
100 Days of Real Food says
Hmmm...sounds like you have a big crock pot! I would probably check it after 6 or 7 hours, but I am not sure exactly how long two chickens would take together. Mine can only fit one.
George says
7 hours may have been bit long!! it started falling off bone as I s trying to get it out of the pot. Required absolutely no effort taking the meat off the bone.
Pam says
This recipe is amazing!! Made it for the first time last night with 3 large chicken legs. The meat was falling off the bones and so moist and good! My husband and I loved it! Will be making again soon!
George says
just how long on low for my 6lbs chicken? I am in 3.5Qt crockery cooker. I guess we could call this an older crockpot !!! I do need to get bigger ones, crockpot that is
Erika says
I would say at least 7-8 hours, just a guess. I've cooked a 5 lb chicken in a 4 qt crock for 11 hours and it never dried out; very tender. But I'm not sure when it reached proper temp. If you will be home while its cooking, I would check the temp at 7 hours. Otherwise, if you'll be gone all day, it should definitely be done at the 9-10 hour mark.
100 Days of Real Food says
Probably close to 8 hours, but you could check it sooner than that to be sure.
san antonio fitness says
Valuable information. Lucky me I found your web site accidentally, and I am stunned why this accident didn't came about earlier! I bookmarked it.
Dawn says
Love this recipe! So cheap and always good! It gumbo season here on Louisiana, which can be a long process but not if I use this recipe! I get all the chicken I need and stock with almost no effort! Thanks so much for sharing!
Stacey says
Made this for the first time on Monday and then made the stock (first time making a whole chicken and first time making stock). I cooked it on low for 8 hours. The chicken fell off the bone. The whole family gobbled it up. I haven't tried the stock yet, will be making a Spinach, Chicken, and Lentil soup tomorrow night with it. Can't wait to see how it turned out! Thanks for continuing to provide us with easy, family friendly meals. I get 99% of my recipes from your site!
Morgan says
I have made this several times now exactly as written. It is so simple and so delicious! I always make stock out of the carcass which also tastes fantastic. Thanks for this great recipe!
Ann-Margaret says
Hi, I have made this recipe twice now. I love it! It is super easy, the house smells amazing, and the husband and kids love it. Thank you so much for sharing. So many wonderful ideas.
Drew says
I followed this recipe last weekend with the following exceptions: I minced some garlic cloves, and cut back on the onion and garlic powder since I had fresh onion and garlic.
I, too, doubled the recipe for my 4lb chicken. In fact, after pulling the chicken, I strained the little bit of stock the chicken made, put the pulled chicken and stock back in the crock pot, and added a third dose of those spices (most of the flavor was in the skin, which we do not eat). This was the perfect amount of flavor for me, and my wife and toddler who can't do too many spices. I used this chicken for soft tacos with cilantro lime rice and guacamole, and the paprika-based chicken complemented the Mexican dish very well (I was afraid the tastes would clash).
I then took all the bone, fat, skin, etc. and added water to brew a nice stock for later :).
I am repeating my variation of this recipe today, except I'm substituting ground cumin for the paprika. I'm curious to see how this compares to the paprika based recipe.
Thank you very much for sharing this amazing recipe!
Kara says
This exact recipe is in my crock-pot now! Can't wait to try it and report back. Thanks!
Katie Fife says
Just tried the crock pot chicken recipe above today. I cooked for 8 hours on low and felt like my chicken was a little dry. I put carrots, celery and onion in the bottom and added 1 C water but still wasn't falling off bone and a bit dry. Did I have too much stuff in bottom of crock? Any ideas/advice?
100 Days of Real Food says
What size was your chicken?
Megan says
Just did this tonight to make chicken tacos. It was so good and put my dust collecting crock pot to use, and I had every thing on hand before I stumbled on your page. I threw it in before class, and it was ready to make dinner tonight. I'll have to check out the rest of your blog.
Megan says
Whoops put my link in wrong.. there it is.
Amber says
I usually buy about 2 pound chicken, give or take a quarter of a pound, depending on what the store has that day. Will cooking for the amount of time listed in the recipe cause a smaller bird like this to be more tender or dry out?
Thanks for your great site!
Amber
100 Days of Real Food says
I would cook it for less time if you are using a smaller chicken (maybe 3 or 4 hours on high)...check it after 3 hours.
Sarah says
This is a great idea, and chicken looks delicious, but I don't have a crockpot, any ideas for an alternative form of baking it?
100 Days of Real Food says
You could roast it in the oven.
kathleen says
Sorry - my husband did this to my chicken this morning. My house has stunk all day long and the chicken continues to stink while having nothing more than mere bland flavor to it . . .
Heather says
Great idea on the stock!
Kerri says
Hi all!!! I tried this recipe but I switched out some of the spices because I didnt have them - here's my additions
1 TSP Italian Herb
1 TSP Steak Spice
1 TSP Canvender's Greek Seasonings
And I still used the Garlic, Cayenne, Salt & Pepper
The chicken was so moist and delicious! My husband is not a chicken fan & he loved this - in fact he wants me to use this recipe on a weekly basis! We have a family of 5, so the healthy eating can get extremely expensive - I found my chicken at the local market 4.5 lbs & it was only $3.11!!! Thank you so much for all of your great ideas!!!
Kristin says
I don't have an onion this time around, do you think covering the bottom of the crock pot with carrots will be ok?
100 Days of Real Food says
Yes, that would be fine. They will be too mushy to eat by the end though.
Dana says
do any adjustments need to be made if the chicken is pasture raised and therefore leaner?
100 Days of Real Food says
No....that's what we use with this recipe.
Edee says
Oh the possibilities with this recipe! Stock for soup or rice, leftover chicken for tacos, yum! Question, though... Could I also do this on the low setting for 8 -10 hours or would that completely wreck the chicken? Some crockpot recipes can go either way, some only one way or the other. Thanks!
Erika says
Yes, Edee....I have made this twice and both times cooked it all day while at work...about 11 hours total, on low. I was worried it would be dry but it was awesome both times! My young kids loved it and my opinionated husband raved about it and there was plenty left over so he used it for sandwiches for a couple days. Very very tender and tasty and super easy! I smooshed a 4-5 lb chicken in my 4qt crock and it did well....just make sure the lid is on good. I do not put the onion in since hubby will not eat them, but that's the only thing I changed...I imagine it would be even more flavorful with onion. I may have been out of one of the spices so I added more of the others I think. Took about 6 mins to prepare before I went to work. It's also good if you put the rub on the chicken the night before, put the chicken in a huge ziploc bag (unfortunately did not fit into the gallon bags...found out the hard way, so I saran-wrapped the heck out of the bird instead :)) so all you have to do in the morning is drop it into your crock. I bet it makes great stock, though I'm too much of a novice to have tried yet. Awesome recipe....so easy, so idiot-proof (I'm a terrible cook). I am now incorporating it into our meals weekly. Especially since the cost per pound for a whole chicken is so much less than buying boneless. Good luck!
100 Days of Real Food says
Thanks for sharing that with us! Also, you could put the rub on the chicken in the crock pot the night before...store the whole crock pot container (minus the electrical part) with the chicken inside it in your fridge then all you have to do is start it before work. Couldn't be easier!
Jennie says
I love this idea! The recipe I'm used to has you rub on the spices and bag it up the night before, and I hate the waste/mess and using plastic. Your solution is simple and elegant! Thanks!
(P.S. The recipe I have was renamed "Woo Chicken" by a friend who made it for her boyfriend, and then got proposed to.)
100 Days of Real Food says
I have not tried it on low for longer, but I bet it would work!
Tara says
Unbelievably good! I find about only 1 out of 20 crockpot recipes are any good. This blew them all out of the water. Made for the 2nd time tonight. First time i made it I treated the onions as thought they were just there to add flavour during cooking and keep the chicken from sticking, so I didn't serve them on our plates. When my hubby went for seconds he couldn't believe I hadn't served them. So this time I served them up and omigoodness they are as good as the chicken! Next time i'll double the onion just to have extras!
I used thighs and drumsticks both times. Sooo good, tender, juice, falling off bone good. And the flavour. Ooooh. I can't wait to make this for company. Thank you for the best slow cooker recipe EVER
Priscilla Morse says
well out if all the other ways to make chicken in a crock pot im going with this one i am cooking this tonight cant wait to try it. Iam not a good cook so this reciept seems pretty easy for me . Thanks
karen says
This is how I always make my stock but I would suggest adding 2 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar. It gets more of the good stuff out of the bones :) and also when allowed to cook slowly overnight the bones become so soft that they are safe to feed to cats or dogs. They LOVE THEM!!
Gina says
I have this recipe in my crockpot right now. I am using leg quarters instead of a whole chicken. My hubby & son are very particular about their chicken. I usually love anything from my crock pot!
Susan says
I am looking at making this chicken tomorrow. I work full time and it is really nice to come home to a meal that is home cooked rather than restaurant cooked. I would like to include fresh vegetables in the same crockpot; i.e. red potatoes, carrots, green beans. Do you have any suggestions on how this can be done without the veggies becoming mush?
100 Days of Real Food says
I don't know if it would work for you (since you may be at work), but adding the veggies towards the end would be best!
Marsha says
So, I just finished this in the crockpot (smells delicious) and want to make stock. I see what to do when the chicken cools, but.. how long do you cook when you put the water in? Or do you? Do you just use the leftovers, bones and all, pour water over and call it stock? I am so confused? Sorry..new to this... :(
100 Days of Real Food says
After making the chicken I take out the edible meat and leave absolutely everything else in the crock pot. I then add water, celery/onion/carrots, herbs and then fill it to the top with water. I leave it on low all night and after straining out the veggies/herbs in the morning you end up with stock!
Rachelle says
I was wondering if you could use leg quarters with this recipe? If you did would you need to add a liquid?
100 Days of Real Food says
I think that would be fine...no liquid necessary.
Angie says
So glad I found this recipe, I'll be making it tonight. Based on the reviews, it sounds like it's a winner. Thank you :)
PS- I read the comment above asking for tips on use for the stock. I'd love to hear what you use it for as well.
100 Days of Real Food says
I just answered that comment, and I use it mainly for soups (I just posted 3 or 4 soup recipes over the last few weeks if you want ideas) and I use it for risotto as well. Good luck!