Crockpot Whole Chicken is a juicy and flavorful rotisserie-style chicken that is easy to make! You only need 5 minutes of prep time and a handful of simple ingredients to make in your slow cooker.

Be sure to try my Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken Drumsticks next!

whole chicken with sliced lemons and herbs in a crock pot.

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Why I Love This Recipe

  • Only 5 minutes of prep time!
  • Moist, flavorful, and juicy chicken.
  • Versatile dinner that can pair with any side.
  • Skip the store-bought; this is your homemade rotisserie-style chicken!

Ingredients For Crockpot Whole Chicken

You only need a handful of super simple ingredients to make a flavorful whole chicken in your slow cooker.

  • Whole Chicken – I use a 5-6 pound chicken. Make sure it’s one that will fit in your slow cooker. You’ll want to remove and discard the giblets.
  • Olive Oil – this helps brown the chicken, but you can also use melted butter instead.
  • Spices – Salt, Garlic Powder, Ground Black Pepper, Paprika
  • Sweet Onion – You’ll cut this into wedges and place them under the chicken to add flavor and prop up the chicken.
  • Water – this adds additional moisture to the chicken.
  • Whole Lemon
  • Fresh Poultry Herbs – Such as rosemary, thyme, and sage. You can also sub dried herbs and place in a seasoning bag.

Recipe FAQs

Can I cook a frozen chicken in the crockpot?

No, you can not cook a frozen chicken in a crockpot for food safety reasons. If your chicken is frozen, it needs to thaw in the fridge for a couple of days before cooking.

Does chicken need to be covered in liquid in the crockpot?

Chicken has a lot of moisture of its own, so it does not need to be covered or submerged in a liquid in the crockpot. The chicken will release moisture as it cooks. I like to add a small amount of water or other liquid to add extra moisture.

How long does it take to cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker?

A 5-6 lb chicken will take about 3-4 hours on HIGH or 5-6 hours on LOW to cook in a slow cooker. The exact cook time will vary based on the size of the chicken and your own crockpot. It’s best to use an internal thermometer to make sure the chicken gets to 165 degrees F and is fully cooked.

Serving Suggestions

A whole rotisserie chicken is one of the most versatile proteins that can be paired with virtually any side dish! Some of my favorite sides to pair with it are Garlic Green Beans, Easy Baked Potato Wedges, Roasted Red Potatoes, or a classic Caesar Salad.

chicken pieces with mashed potatoes and green beans.

Storage

Leftover chicken can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can enjoy the leftovers cold in a salad, or reheated in the microwave or oven. This round up of leftover chicken recipes has lots of ideas to repurpose the leftover chicken in new ways!

Pro Tips

  • Optional – Tie Chicken Legs – If you want the chicken to have a nicer presentation, you can tie the legs together with some kitchen twine.
  • Roasting – The roasting step is optional to give extra browning. Make sure that your crockpot liner is oven safe before placing it in the oven. If it isn’t oven safe or if the crockpot liner is too large, you can place the chicken to a baking sheet to broil.
whole chicken on a white platter in front of a slow cooker.

Crockpot Recipes to Try Next

Recipe

  • 1 5-6 lbs whole chicken, giblets removed
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 small sweet onion cut into wedges
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 lemon cut in half
  • 1 small bunch fresh poultry herbs a few sprigs of rosemary, thyme and sage

  • Prepare the slow cooker with a light coating of cooking spray. Set aside.

  • Coat chicken with 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.

  • Sprinkle the salt, garlic powder, black pepper and paprika over the chicken and rub into the oiled skin.

  • Distribute the onion wedges in the bottom of the slow cooker.

  • Place the seasoned chicken on top of the onion wedges and pour the water around the chicken.

  • Squeeze half of a lemon over the chicken, then slice the other half and place it around the chicken.

  • Distribute the fresh herbs around the chicken.

  • Finally, drizzle the remaining 1 Tablespoon oil over the chicken.

  • Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6. Internal temperature in the thickest part of the chicken should measure 165. When chicken is done, the juices will run clear and the meat should be falling off the bone.

  • Optional Step: Preheat the oven broiler and transfer the crockpot to a low oven rack, leaving 6 inches of space above the chicken. Broil for 5 minutes or until the skin begins to brown.

  • Remove chicken from the crockpot and serve.

  • Oil helps brown the chicken in the crockpot; you can also use butter. 
  • In place of water, you can use chicken stock or broth for more flavor.
  • Make sure your crockpot is oven-safe before broiling the chicken in the oven. 

Calories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 29gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 1507mgPotassium: 384mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 418IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg



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