On our crazy busy days, I like to make something quick and easy and that is how I discovered how easy it is to make slow cooker whole chicken. I recently discovered that I can throw a chicken with a few veggies and seasonings into the slow cooker and have a delicious meal 6 hours later.
- One whole chicken
- Your favorite spices (I used garlic pepper, garlic salt and parsley but feel free to add whatever spices you like)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- Remove gizzards and place chicken in slow cooker breast side down.
- Sprinkle your favorite spices on top on the chicken (this is to taste so add as much or as little as you want).
- Add onion to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours. You do not need to add any water or cream soup as the chicken makes it's own juices.
- The chicken will fall off the bones so be careful when you pick it up.
You might also enjoy this Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings recipe.
Using a Slow Cooker not only makes preparing dinner easier, it also saves on your power bill because you don’t have to run the oven and heat up the whole house. Check out all the Slow Cooker Chicken recipes we have tried and be sure to share your favorites too!
Kelly says
I usually take two onions. Cut the ends off and then cut in half (so they are flat – four big thick circles) I then put those in the bottom. Place the chicken on top. Put spices, carrots and potatoes and about 4 pats of butter on top. Put it on before church and come home to a complete dinner after.
After dinner I pick the meat off for left overs (usually chicken salad). Throw all the bones (we save any we eat off as well). Add about 9 cups of water. Cook on low over night and then jar for bone broth.
christie lesser says
i place the chicken in the crockpot with water and salt and pepper. after the chicken is done you can let everything settle (bits of meat), remove the broth without the bits and then refrigerate the chicken broth to use other days.
Ellen says
You definitely can use frozen chicken in the slow cooker, just add an hour or two onto the cooking time (length depends on your slow cooker and whether you are cooking on high or low).
One of my favorite (and amazingly simple) ways to cook a chicken in the slow cooker is to put the chicken in the crock, along with a chopped up onion and maybe a potato, and then pour in a jar of korma sauce and cook for about 5-6 hours on high or 8-10 on low.
Another really yummy one is a lemony chicken. Slice up a couple of lemons and peel a head of garlic. Put about half the garlic cloves and half the lemon slices inside the chicken, put the chicken in the crock (I usually use a liner by the way), and scatter the rest of the lemon and garlic in and around the chicken. If you have fresh rosemary available (yum!) wash a bunch and put that in and around the chicken also. You can use dried rosemary instead; maybe two tablespoons. Other possible additions include salt and pepper (both inside the chicken cavity and rubbed into the outside – I use pepper but not salt, usually) and paprika (rubbed into the outside – gives the chicken a lovely color). Again, cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5-6 hrs. I generally serve this with rice and a green salad (and garlic bread just for overkill!)
jana sauce says
Can u use a frozen chicken
Kristin of Couponing to Disney says
I’m sure you can, it may just take a little longer to cook.
dawn says
I’ve cooked a chicken several times in a crock pot. It comes out wonderful! Very flavorful as the spices slow cook into the meat. I highly recommend. And that easy clean up and no fussing with the oven/stove make it even better!
Couponing 2 Disney says
Even easier clean up if you use the crockpot liners! Be watching for the recipes I’ll post this summer! It’ll be all crockpot inspired so we don’t have to use the oven which heats up the whole house!