Cooking a whole chicken in your slow cooker with a rotisserie style seasoning is an easy, hands off method to preparing this delicious meal. This slow cooker chicken is so versatile and can be used in a variety of ways, from serving as a main dish with vegetables and potatoes, adding to soups, and as a filling to taquitos and enchiladas, among others.
Table Of Contents
Slow Cooker Whole Chickens turn out fall apart tender, juicy, and delicious when basted with butter and rubbed with a generous amount of flavorful seasonings and herbs. You can make only the tasty rotisserie style chicken or add vegetables like carrots and potatoes to make it a one pot meal like I do with these Instant Pot meatloaf and crockpot meatloaf recipes.
One of my favorite ways to use the juicy rotisserie seasoned whole chickens I make in the crockpot is in place of any recipe that calls for a rotisserie chicken, such as this white chicken chili and hearty chicken and rice soup. There are so many ways to use this simple recipe!
Ingredients
To make this delicious slow cooked rotisserie chicken you need:
- 4-5 lb Whole Chicken: the skin should be left on and the chicken including the legs left intact but remove the inside giblets.
- Butter: unsalted melted butter tenderizes the chicken as it slow cooks and helps the seasonings stick. You can use olive oil too.
- Seasonings: paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt and black pepper. In total, you'll use about 3 tablespoons of seasoning for a 5 pound chicken.
Cooking A Whole Chicken In The Slow Cooker
STEP 1: Remove the inner giblets from the chicken (if included). Drain any juice from the inside and pat chicken dry. Place into the slow cooker. Brush with melted butter, making sure to get into all the crevices.
STEP 2: In a small bowl, combine the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle evenly over the chicken.
STEP 3: Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 165℉. The chicken will easily peel from the bone when pulled with a fork and the juices will run clear.
Optional: ½ way through cooking add vegetables such as chopped carrots or potatoes to make a full dinner.
STEP 4: Carefully remove chicken from the crockpot to a serving dish. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Chef's Tip
A 5 pound chicken fits in my 8 quart crockpot perfectly. You can use a larger chicken if it fits in your slow cooker, but you will likely need more seasonings and it may need to cook for longer. Always cook until the innermost temperature reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
How To Store
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze in freezer safe bags for up to 6 months.
Ideas For Using Leftover Chicken
There are so many ways to use leftover pieces of a whole chicken. It can be used to make chicken salads, sandwiches for lunch, soups and more. These are some other ways to use your leftovers:
- In chicken noodle soup, chicken barley soup, Italian tortellini soup or wonton soup.
- In place of the ground beef in this spaghetti and meat sauce recipe.
- As the stuffing for homemade taquitos or crispy fried tacos.
- Added to a healthy Mediterranean quesadilla or classic cheese quesadilla.
- Added to air fried chilaquiles or on top of a delicious homemade pizza.
- Make a loaded sweet potato topped with shredded chicken and cheese.
Recipe FAQs
A 4 to 5 pound whole chicken takes about 7-8 hours on low to cook in your crockpot. On high it will take 4-5 hours. I recommend slow cooking your chicken on the low setting for a longer amount of time, as the long and slow process produces a more tender and juicy final product.
There is no need to add water or broth to a crockpot as you need to do in a pressure cooker.
Your chicken is done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the chicken easily falls off the bone when pulled with a fork.
A whole slow cooked chicken will not become crispy as it would if air fried, broiled, or oven baked. If you'd like it to have crispy skin, put on a sheet pan once cooking time is complete and broil for 5-10 minutes.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb whole chicken innards removed
- 2 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Remove the inner giblets from the chicken (if included). Drain any juice from the inside and pat chicken dry. Place into the slow cooker.
- Brush the chicken with the melted butter, making sure to get into all crevices.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle over the chicken.
- Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 165℉. The chicken will easily peel from the bone when pulled with a fork and the juices will run clear. Optional: ½ way through cooking add vegetables such as chopped carrots or potatoes to make a full dinner.
- Carefully remove chicken from the crockpot to a serving dish. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Lisa
This is a great way to make chicken! I make this once per week then use the leftovers for salads, tacos and burritos!
Shelby
This was SO easy and so delicious! My entire family was raving about how good it was. I love the fact I didn't have to pay attention to it while it was cooking and leftovers made excellent sandwiches!
Kristin
So easy and delicious! The chicken was tender and juicy and practically fell off the bones as I was serving it. Plus we had leftovers which I used to make a chicken pot pie and everyone raved over how delicious it was. Great recipe, thanks!
Kathy
This is such a great idea for an easy meal! The chicken has so much flavor and leftovers are perfect for another meal!
Giangi Townsend
Great recipe! My husband loved to use his slow cooker and he made this for us. It was amazing. Tender and juicy, we ate the whole chicken in one serving.
I was looking forward to leftovers, but I guess I will have to make it again for that.
Thank you for the recipe.
Sharon
I was looking for a slow cooker recipe for chicken, and I'm so glad I found yours. It was delicious and easy, and I love that you included ideas for leftovers. It's just me and my husband, and we were able to get three meals out of it, and I have the carcass in the freezer to make chicken stock. Thank you for sharing
colleen
First time making a whole chicken outside the oven for me. It came out flavorful and juice, thanks for the easy recipe!