Forget bland boiled chicken – this easy set-and-forget slow cooker method makes incredibly moist, tender whole chicken while you’re at work. This Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot recipe is a super easy way to make juicy chicken. With simple ingredients and low-effort prep, this easy chicken recipe is the perfect easy dinner idea.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Whole Chicken Cooked in a Crock Pot?
- Crock Pot Chicken Ingredients
- How to Make a Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot
- Girl Carnivore Expert Recipe Tips
- What to Serve With Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
- Leftovers & Reheating
- More Chicken Recipes
- Save This Recipe ✉️
- How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot Recipe
- Recipe FAQs
Ever wondered how to cook a whole chicken recipe? Sometimes, you want to make a whole smoked chicken or cook it in a cast iron skillet like our cast iron chicken. But sometimes you want to come home to a meal with hardly any prep or effort. For this slow cooker recipe, we’re whipping out the trusty crock pot, a.k .a. the slow cooker, for a truly hands-off easy meal.
This slow cooker chicken cooks the chicken low and slow in chicken broth and veggies for an easy meal with minimal effort. It’s the perfect dish if you want a whole chicken ready when you get home from work with little cleanup.
What Is a Whole Chicken Cooked in a Crock Pot?
It’s exactly what it sounds like. This easy recipe involves putting an entire chicken in a crock pot to cook low and slow for 4-6 hours.
Cooking a whole chicken in a slow cooker is super easy and convenient. You just season the chicken, put it in the slow cooker, and let it do its thing. It’s great for busy people because you don’t need to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
The slow cooker keeps the chicken moist, so it turns out really tender and juicy. Plus, the long cooking time of this recipe lets the flavors blend, making the chicken taste rich and delicious. This method is perfect for anyone who wants a simple way to make a tasty meal without a lot of effort.
Use leftover slow-cooked chicken in different dishes all week long. Make slow cooker chicken noodle soup or curry chicken salad with the pulled chicken, giving you options for meal planning throughout the week. It’s a smart choice if you like easy cooking, tender chicken, and flexibility in your meals.
Crock Pot Chicken Ingredients
Make sure you’re using a large slow cooker, as you want the whole chicken to fit without it being too snug.
- Carrots, Celery, & Onion
- Head of Garlic
- Shallot
- White Wine
- Chicken Stock
- Bay Leaves & Tarragon Sprigs
- Salt and Pepper
- Whole Chicken: Make sure it’s fully thawed before cooking.
- Whole Lemon
- Heavy Cream
- Cornstarch
How to Make a Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot
First, set your slow cooker to saute if it has that setting; otherwise, use a large skillet. Add oil and let it heat up. Next, toss in the carrots, celery, and onion, and saute them for 5 to 7 minutes until they start to caramelize.
After that, add the garlic and shallot, cooking for an additional minute. Now, deglaze the bottom of the slow cooker or pan with white wine, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add chicken broth, bay leaves, and tarragon.
Moving on, take the chicken out of the package and pat it dry, including the cavity of the chicken. Cut the top ¼ of the head of garlic, slice the lemon in half, and place both in the chicken’s cavity. Secure the legs with kitchen twine.
Season the outside of the chicken with a good amount of salt and a lighter sprinkle of pepper. Then, nestle the chicken, breast side down, into the slow cooker.
Let the chicken cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F with an instant-read thermometer.
Then, carefully transfer it to an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Preheat the broiler. Spoon the veggies onto a platter, and set the slow cooker to the saute setting again.
Add heavy cream and lemon juice, tasting for salt and pepper. Now, create a slurry by mixing cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water in a small bowl. Stir it in as the liquid thickens, taking about 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, place your chicken under the broiler to brown the skin, rotating it for an even color every few minutes.
Finally, serve the hot chicken on a platter with the veggies and the cream sauce on the side. Season it with a pinch of salt and black pepper and carve it immediately.
Girl Carnivore Expert Recipe Tips
- The cook time may vary depending on the size of your chicken. Always check the internal temperature of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer. Chicken is cooked at 165 degrees F, according to the USDA.
- Because it’s cooked in a slow cooker, the chicken skin does not get crispy. If you love crispy skin, we recommend our Dutch oven chicken for better results.
- Use a sharp knife to carve the chicken into breasts, thighs, wings, and legs for easier storage.
- Play around with other fresh herbs. Fresh rosemary and thyme would be great in this recipe as well.
What to Serve With Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
This is a classic comfort dish that pairs great with your favorite side dish recipes, like roasted green beans or broccoli. To add some carbs, try pairing it with Dutch oven mac and cheese or air fryer corn on the cob. If you want even more vegetables, serve up some air fryer vegetables on the side.
Leftovers & Reheating
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Add your leftover chicken to a baking dish with a little bit of the creamy broth. Cover the whole dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
You can also reheat your leftover chicken in a skillet on the stovetop. Or pull it from the carcass and use the leftovers in a variety of recipes like enchilada soup, nachos, burritos, hot brown sandwiches, and more.
More Chicken Recipes
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Skillet Lemon Chicken
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BBQ Chicken Breasts with Grilled Granny Smith Apples
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Instant Pot Pulled Chicken
Poultry Recipes
Sheet Pan Chicken
This easy slow-cooker meal is a great option for those who don’t have a ton of time but still want to enjoy a delicious meal. The low and slow cooking allows the chicken to become super juicy without drying it out.
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How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 carrots diced
- 2 celery diced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 head of Garlic plus 4 cloves, minced
- Shallot
- ¼ cup White wine
- ½ cup Chicken stock
- 2 Bay leaves
- 4 Tarragon sprigs
- Salt and pepper
- 4 – 5 lbs Whole chicken
- 1 whole lemon plus the juice of one lemon
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- 1 tsp Cornstarch
Instructions
Prep the veggies and chicken
- Set the slow cooker to saute if your model has that setting. Otherwise, use a large skillet.
- Add oil and preheat.
- Then add the carrots, celery, and onion and saute for 5 to 7 minutes until just starting to caramelize.
- Add in the garlic and shallot and cook a minute longer.
- Deglaze the bottom of the pan with white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits.
- Add chicken broth and bay leaves and tarragon
- Remove the chicken from the package and pat it dry with paper towels. Make sure to dry the cavity as well.
- Remove the top ¼ of the head of garlic and slice the lemon in half and place them in the cavity of the bird.
- Secure the legs with butcher’s twine.
- Season the outside of the bird with a liberal coating of salt and a lighter sprinkle of pepper.
- Then, nestle chicken, breast side down, into slow cooker.
Slow cook the chicken
- Cook the chicken for 4 to 6 hours on low.
- After the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F with an instant-read thermometer, carefully transfer it to a baking sheet lined with foil.
Brown the skin
- Preheat the broiler.
- Using a spoon, transfer the veggies to a platter.
- Then, set the slow cooker to the saute setting.
- Add in the heavy cream and lemon juice, tasting to see if it needs more salt or pepper.
- Make a slurry by combining the cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add the slurry to the simmering liquid and stir as the liquid thickens 5 to 7 minutes.
Serve
- Meanwhile, place your chicken under the broiler to brown the skin, rotating every few minutes for even color.
- Serve the chicken hot on a platter with the veggies and the cream sauce on the side.
Notes
- The cooking time may vary depending on the size of your chicken. Always check the internal temperature of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer. Chicken is cooked at 165 degrees F, according to the USDA.
- Because it’s cooked in a slow cooker, the chicken skin does not get crispy. If you love crispy skin, we recommend our Dutch oven chicken for better results.
- Use a sharp knife to carve the chicken into breasts, thighs, wings, and legs for easier storage.
- Play around with other fresh herbs. Fresh rosemary and thyme would be great in this recipe as well.
Nutrition
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Recipe FAQs
4 to 6 hours on low or until a digital thermometer reaches 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh for it to be perfectly cooked.
You can buy a frozen whole chicken, but we recommend completely thawing the chicken before adding it to the crock pot.
No, you do not need to cover the chicken in liquid. The moisture of the chicken in the slow cooker with the other ingredients is enough to keep everything succulent while cooking.
