Haven’t you tried a slow-cooked whole chicken yet?
You are missing a lot. A slow cooker whole chicken is one of the easiest and delicious recipes that you can learn and make at home. You’ll be astonished by the results and the juicy meat and veggies.
The slow cooker does most of the job for you, and it requires minimal efforts, simple instructions, and surprising results. So are you ready to surprise your family or friends with new skills you’ll learn?
Image by Julie via Thelittlekitchen.net
Can you cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker?
Freaking YES! First pick your chicken, better organic if possible.
You also want to choose a chicken that will fit inside your crock pot, because if not, that will be trouble. You can use a large or small bowl, make sure it will accommodate the size of your bird.
Second, you want to blend in all of the spices, use them to coat the whole chicken, then place it in the slow cooker. It is ideal to use a ring of foil on top, as it helps the steam to be directed to the chicken and has its juice.
How To Cook Whole Chicken in the Slow Cooker
First-time cooker?
You are welcome to join the club. The ingredients are as listed below.
First, you want to rub the chicken with garlic, then put the spices inside and outside of the chicken.
A secret tip here is to add a slice of lemon inside the cavity of the chicken and then lay the chicken on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover the pot, let it cook for 8 hours.
People often wonder if it is safe to cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker; the answer is yes. But for food safety purposes, it is recommended to cook the chicken on high heat for at least one hour.
Crockpot Whole Chicken Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 4 to 5 carrots
- 4 celery stalks
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 whole lemon
- 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds whole chicken
People often tend to buy pre-made food, as they are always in a rush, have no time, or are not good cooks. But, once you try this fabulous slow cooker whole chicken recipes, you will regret spending me on buying a rotisserie chicken from the store.
- 6 celery ribs cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
- 1 red onion peeled and cut into 8 wedges
- 8 ounces red potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
- 4 sprigs of rosemary
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more for seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper plus more for seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh
- 4 teaspoons olive oil plus more for brushing
- 4 to 5- pound chicken
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
To create a nest for the chicken, put together celery, carrots, onions, garlic cloves, rosemary, and thyme sprigs into a 6-quart slow cooker bowl
To make a seasoning paste, merge salt, paprika, black pepper, dried thyme, and olive oil in a small bowl
Remove the giblets and neck from the chicken. Dry the outside and inside of the chicken with paper towels.
Scatter the seasoning sauce over the chicken skin. Then change the position of the chicken breast side up on the vegetables.
Cover and cook on the “High” setting for 4 to 5 hours, or “Low” setting for 6 to 8 hours, or until the breasts reach an internal temperature of 160 to 165ºF, and thighs reach 170ºF.
Carefully transfer chicken to a foil-lined baking tray with a rack on top. Cover the chicken with olive oil and broil 10-inches away from the top of the oven until the skin is brown and crispy about 5 minutes. To further brown the vegetables, transfer to a foil-lined baking tray and broil 10-inches away from the top of the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Before carving, take out the chicken to rest for 10/15 minutes on a carving board
When serving, you are free to choose how to decorate the plate. Or you can add vegetables to a platter and place carved chicken on top.
Transfer chicken drippings to a fat separator. Heat a medium sized pan over medium heat.
Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in the pan and then whisk in 2 tablespoons flour. Once a pale roux is formed, turn the heat up to medium-high.
Gradually whisk in 1 cup defatted chicken drippings. Stir continuously until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add more chicken drippings for a thinner sauce season gravy with salt and pepper.
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