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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.
Heather says
I'm a total novice cook and I have to thank you! I've never cooked a whole bird, and have used my crockpot once. I never knew you could get so much meat off of a chicken and this recipie was so easy and fun. I enjoyed getting my hands dirty and the stock is cooking overnight right now! There is something very fulfilling about getting to use the whole chicken. My husband loved the chicken and he didnt even realize he was eating "real food"! This chicken was falling off the bone and more tender than any bird I've ever had! I have portions of the leftover chicken in the freezer for soup and alfredo.
Katelyn says
I have a chicken in the crockpot as I type this. I've done whole chickens in the oven before, but hadn't tried in the crockpot. The crockpot is an especially nice option over the oven as the weather heats up (since we don't have A/C.) I'm interested in how this particular spice mixture tastes. I also stuffed the inside with chopped onion and lemon. My husband really enjoys chicken salad made with the leftovers - although I'm trying to think of a possible alternative to the mayo I normally use to mix everything together - my favorite has HFCS (sad face.) Anyone have any suggestions for a mayo alternative in a chicken salad recipe? Maybe yogurt or sour cream with a spice mixture? Hmm. I'll have to do some taste tests.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Katelyn. You may want to check out Lisa's post on "real food condiments". You can find it here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/04/17/real-food-condiments-do-they-exist/. You can always try to make the mayonnaise homemade as well.
Frances criswell says
Where can a person get organic chicken for a reasonable price?
I read on one of your posts that someone got chicken for 99 cents a pound. I would love that. None at Sam's.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Frances. I don't know that I've seen them as low as 99 cents a pound, but, I do know that Trader Joe's carries organic whole chickens. I also read that Costco is increasing their organic meat offerings, so you may want to check there as well. Keep us posted if you find a good deal out there!
Lizzzy says
How do you feel about using oven bags? I do a chicken recipe similar to this one but in an oven bag to keep the meat juicy and cooking time down. I've looked around trying to find if there are any health concerns linked to bag cooking. Do you perhaps know of any? I love using the bags for a range of crockpot style recipes. I get the same results with a quarter of the time and no extra oils are needed to keep things juicy.
Assistant says
To be honest, we have not done any research at all in regards to oven bags. BPA is usually a concern when things are heated, so, try calling the oven bag company and asking if there are any known issues.
Justyna says
I forgot to post about this when I made it a couple of weeks ago. Let me just say that my husband absolutely hates chicken with bones. He likes boneless, skinless and that's it. Not anymore! He said I could make this any time and my three boys devoured it! Usually, we get three meals out of a whole chicken, but this time we only got two! Thanks!
Jen says
I must admit this was the first time that I made a whole chicken. I was a bit grossed out about the preparation (and my hubby left the room), but I am just starting to learn about real foods. I was so happy that I made it as I ended up getting sick this afternoon and had to spend the day in bed. My hubby said that it fell off the bones as he tried to get it out. Perfect. We all loved it. I am planning on trying to make the broth tonight if I feel good enough to get out of bed. Thanks for your recipes and inspiration!
Robin says
So simple and amazing...followed the directions to a T and it came out so moist and delicious. Literally fell off the bone, like you said! What an easy way to cook a bunch of chicken for the week and save money by buying a whole chicken! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
cara says
Made this for dinner last night & it was a hit! I also followed your suggestion & made the stock overnight. Wow; amazingly flavorful. I don't think I'll ever use store bought again. I froze the broth in muffin pans. That way I can pull out as much/little as I need. Thanks for the recipe!
Ray says
Has it been tried with boneless chicken breast?
100 Days of Real Food says
I haven't tried it with chicken breasts myself, but if you do I would not cook it as long.
Shawna says
Tried this recipe for the first time today. Was very skeptical since I have tried skinless white meat chicken breast in the crock pot more than once that turned out terribly dry. This was the moistest fall off the bone chicken and so easy. My husband and 22 month old daughter loved it! Next time I'd love to try a lemon pepper version. Great easy recipe I am so thankful for. Thank you for sharing.
Kellie says
My family is not a fan of whole chicken. They would prefer not to know where their food comes from and isn't that the problem. People do not know where their food comes from. Most preschoolers think hamburger comes from a fast food burger restaurant. So, as part of out real food transformation I have started to cook whole chickens. At first it started because I really wanted to make my own stock. But after cooking the first one I was hooked. I can make 3 meal from one 5 lb. chicken for my family of 6. First of course we have a chicken dinner, then for lunch the next day we have chicken quesadillas, and for another meal we have tortilla soup (made with leftover chicken and the stock), plus I get four quarts of stock. Cha-ching. Thank you for your website, recipes, and encouragement.
Kellie says
My family has never been a fan of whole chicken. They would prefer not to think about were their food comes from and well a whole chicken is kind of in your face. But that is part of the problem. People do not know where their food comes from. If you ask the average preschooler were hamburger comes from they will certainly list of one of the big burger chains. So, as part of our transformation to real food we now eat whole chicken and reap the benefit of not having to buy stock. Yeah!!! Whole chicken is so economical. We can easily get 3 meals out of a 5 lb. chicken and we are a family of 6. Out of one chicken my family gets chicken for dinner, chicken quesadillas for lunch the next day, and tortilla soup another day...plus four quarts of stock, cha-ching!!!
Donna says
I made this once before and am making it again tonight! It is great, I cannot say enough how good this is for such an easy prep for chicken. I also made chicken soup afterwards with the bone and drippings left in the crockpot and it was by far the best chicken soup I have ever had. I want to do that again even with the temp being so warm this week. It was that good!
Definately cook it on low.
Courtney says
I have recently become a crock-pot addict, and bought a whole chicken the other day with crockin' it up in mind. Although I had most, but not all of the suggested seasonings, I used what I had and this is by far the best chicken I have ever eaten. I will never bake a chicken again. This crock pot has helped me save time and money, and improve my eating beyond belief. It's also made me much more creative & successful in the kitchen. Will be back to visit again VERY soon!
Robyn says
Anyone try this with just skinless, bone-in chicken breasts? If so, what amount of time, and hi or low? Thanks in advance!
Amy says
When making the broth, do I leave all the drippings from the bird in the crock pot and add the bones and water to it or do I discard all the chicken juice and start with just water? Thanks
Susan B says
I should think it would depend upon what you used for seasoning on your chicken and if you want your chicken stock to be seasoned as such. If you don't dump the juice and start from scratch with the bones. If you do, then add water to the juice already in the pot. Just a suggestion.
100 Days of Real Food says
Leave it all in there to start the broth...good luck!
Amy says
I did it! This chicken stock turned out AWESOME! And it made so much. I will never buy chicken stock at the grocery store again. Thank you for this post. I LOVE this site!
Jennifer says
I tried this tonight for the first time and it was Ah-mazing!! I didn't have any onion powder, but it was still delicious!
Stephanie says
How would this be if I replaced the Chicken with a Turkey bird? Would you change anything? Thanks! :)
100 Days of Real Food says
I think it would work...give it a shot!
liacsinbloom says
I put sliced lemons & oranges inside the cavity, then I add tarragon, pepper, poultry seasoning, & onion.
Verlene says
I am trying this tonight and it is in the crock pot now. I didn't have cayenne pepper, but had cayenne paprika, i also chopped fresh rosemary, sage and thyme, so let's see how it does.
LynnS says
Have used this recipe with organic 4 lb chicken a few times now..and it is delicious! It is one of our favorite, and easiest recipes. Comes out great every time. Key is to not overcook..Thanks for this winner!
Shannin says
Okay: I see in step 4 that the crock pot is set to high. I just tend to look at the cook time in recipes first when I am planning dinner...and there are a lot of recipes that do not clarify which setting to cook on.
"Why do so many crock pot recipes say cook for...hours, without clarifying the setting: low, medium, high? Am I missing something? Is it assumed to be high unless stated otherwise? Thank you in advance."
Shannin says
Why do so many crock pot recipes say cook for...hours, without clarifying the setting: low, medium, high? Am I missing something? Is it assumed to be high unless stated otherwise? Thank you in advance.
Meghan P. says
I read the reviews on this recipe and they were all genereally very good so I decided to try it out. Many people said it made their house smell but I thought it smelled good the whole day :) When I was taking the chicken out of the crock pot, it was so tender I had a hard time taking it out without it falling apart :) I used a 4 pound chicken and cooked it for 5 hours. It was very moist and tasty and it literally fell right off the bone! I will definitely be using this recipe in the future. It was delicious 4.5/5
sstave\ says
I do a recipe similar to this often;
I add half a stick of butter - I put some under the breast skin, as well as on top/rub a dried shick with. I then use a steak rub seasoning on the chicken which tastes amazing.
I put tiny mixed potatoes, celery, onion, carrot in the bottom of the pot and placed the seasoned chicken on top, as well as stuffing he cavity with as much celery, potatoes, onions and carrots as can fit.
I season with salt pepper and thyme, as well as a bit of "steak rub" seasoning.
The only problem I have with this recipe is how the chicken falls off the bone and makes lots of tiny bones to remove.
Jennifer says
does it have to be thawed?
100 Days of Real Food says
Yes, definitely.
Cathy says
I love roasting chicken but have never done a whole chicken in the crock pot.....wouldnt it be a bit greasy. This is why I am hesitant
Lee says
I actually struggled a bit with this recipe. The chicken was juicy, which was great, and the chicken skin was flavorful... but the chicken itself was really bland. Did I do something wrong? Is there anything I can do to liven it up a little?
Thanks! (Love the site and the recipes!)
Lee
100 Days of Real Food says
Did you follow the recipe exactly? Where did you get your chicken from (was it organic/local or conventional)?
Donna says
I might suggest stuffing the cavity with some citrus fruit and onions and maybe any fresh herbs if you have on hand.
whitney says
Cooking in crock out, smells delicious...but seen feathers still on it. I bought my chicken at whole foods. I jagger no clue what I am doing! Lik
Michelle says
I cooked this chicken in the crock pot on high for 4 1/2 hours (it was a 3lb fresh whole chicken) and it tasted chewey and mushy. My son said it was 'sticking too much to his teeth to eat :)'...Any suggestions on what I did wrong?
100 Days of Real Food says
Sounds like it went a little too long...some crockpots can heat differently than others.
Joe says
I've used this recipe regularly since January, switching and mixes spices and herbs to suit my whim of the day. The recipe as given is great, and yes, the intensity of the paprika and cayenne pepper lessens as cooking progresses. I use a 6.5 pound Perdue over stuffer roaster, which just fits into my crock pot. The Perdue birds have more meat per pound than other brands carried by my local super markets. For a 6.5 or slightly larger bird, the cooking time is 8.5 hours or a little more on high in one of the original 1970s Rival crock pots (which still works just fine). This recipe is a winner!
Teresa says
I give this recipe an A++. My 17 yr old son is anorexic and I was very pleased that he ate 3 bites of the chicken. That alone makes this recipe a winner. I cooked it for 8 hours on low and the meat just fell off the bone and was very tasty. I will be making this twice a week from now on. Thanks so much.
Raquel Brown says
THANK YOU THANK YOU, nothing was left on the chicken , we are a family of 6 with four kiddos under 8, I am so thankful for stumbling across your website, I felt like a CHEF tonight .... and I am trying the stock as we speak hoping it turns out as yummy as the chicken was.....FROM a very thankful SAHM
Dyan says
Has anyone tried making with boneless/skinless chicken? I have a 3 year old and bones can be annoying...
100 Days of Real Food says
It falls off the bone very easily once it's done.
Donna says
Yes, I've made boneless skinless before and wouldn't make them any other way now. You can even put the chicken in frozen. I use a bed of celery and onions and about half a cup of chicken stock. It's fantastic every time.
wendy says
This is so perfect for me to try out. I bought a whole organic chicken last week on sale, amazing price of .99 per lb and couldn't pass it up. I'm stuffing mine with a quartered onion and 1/2 of an orange and putting cut up potatoes on the bottom.
Fingers crossed as this is my first crock pot dinner.
Brenda says
Just noticed the repeat question, sorry.
Brenda says
If I remove the skin, how will this affect the taste? I have tons of rosemary I am eager to use- what do you think? Any suggestion for crock pot and rosemary? I think you are awesome!!
100 Days of Real Food says
I would remove the skin after it is cooked (since it adds flavor)...and I think rosemary would be a great addition (fresh or dried)! Thanks for the comment :)
casey says
I want to try this during this week. Here is my question though....I would like to put it on before I go to work in the am but I am at work for about 9 hours. Should I put it on low for that long or would it overcook? Any other suggestions would be great. thanks!
100 Days of Real Food says
Yes, try it on low if you need to cook it twice as long.
Drew Stafford says
I followed this recipe the first time exactly, then strayed the second and third times. Doing it a fourth tonight. I am not the best cook, but competent. This recipe is an AMAZING starting point. I substitute paprika for Goya adobo seasoning now when making Mexican dishes, but the paprika version still works good enough. I also do other variations based on my preferences (I love garlic and onion) but the point is I couldn't have succeeded so well without this recipe.
I read one comment about the house stinking. I found the first time I did this recipe, the paprika smell was almost overwhelming in the first hour or two of cooking, and I thought I used too much. However, the smell evened out during the last half of cooking and the flavor was very balanced. With so many spices, it's very easy to nix ones you don't care for too much and replace with ones you like more.
Thanks a lot!
Kristina says
Love, love, love this recipe! Found your site via Pinterest! Made this chicken this morning...cooked on low for 5 hours (my slow cooker gets really hot) and it fell off the bone as I was taking it out! Making broth now! Thank you for sharing!!