Roaster Slow Cooker Chicken practically cooks itself! Make this roasted chicken in the crock pot for a fantastic dinner that's flavorful and comforting. 
Whole roaster slow cooker chicken is one of those meals that I turn to when nothing seems to be going right. It's comforting to know that no matter how the day goes down, the whole family will be coming home to a delicious homecooked meal. (Shhh! Don't tell them it was SO easy to make!)
It's a Whole Roaster Slow Chicken Kind of Day
Did you ever have "one of those" mornings? The kind that you prefer not to remember?
I remember one in particular where there was traffic on the one-mile drive to school, my high school daughter's bus didn't come, and five minutes before I had to leave for work, I realized that I had no clean black dress socks. So, I snuck a pair of my teenage son's Nike Elite socks out of his drawer, and I drove both my kids to school. Who would know? Does it matter that I had black slacks with a dressy blouse and teenage boy socks on? Hopefully, no one would stare at my ankles throughout the day. Things were slowly moving along when all of a sudden, the gas light goes on. How will I get to the gas station and still be on time for my appointment?
Lucky for me, I did one smart thing that morning. Dinner was already being taken care of because before any of the commotion started, I managed to get this slow cooker roaster chicken all set so at least dinner would be taken care of.
Why cook a whole chicken in the slow cooker?
I often roast chicken in parts for faster cooking. But I thought that if I tried this method, I could have a whole chicken cooked to juicy perfection by the time I was home from my appointments that afternoon. This slow cooker roasting method worked great!
Cooking a roaster chicken in the slow cooker is awesome! The meat is juicy and flavorful, and my family loved it. I used a great big chicken that was over 7 pounds so we could use the leftovers in other meals throughout the week.
I was so glad I managed to get a beautiful roaster chicken in my slow cooker.
What can you make with leftover Slow Cooker Roaster Chicken?
I really adore leftover chicken! It makes my week so much easier knowing I can whip up a quick dinner, and roasted chicken in the crockpot is always so flavorful. Try out these yummy recipes:
- Buffalo Chicken Flatbread with Bacon
- The Best Chicken Noodle Soup
- Best Creamy Chicken Spaghetti via Call Me PMC
The leftover roaster chicken is perfect for soup, sandwiches, or salads! I also save the leftover stock. It's perfect for use in soups or any recipe that calls for chicken broth.
Pro Tip: Pour one cup of chicken stock into a freezer bag and lay flat to freeze. Every time you need a cup of chicken stock, just pull out one of the bags and defrost overnight in the fridge.
Slow Cooker Chicken Cooking Tips
- Don't Add Water - The chicken will put off a ton of juices as it cooks. Unless you want soggy chicken, don't add any water.
- If you have a large chicken, plan for the full 6-8 hours for this to cook and don't try to rush it. If the chicken is on the smaller side, it will take less time.
- Put the Chicken on Top - Place the carrots and onions on the bottom and put the chicken on top. They will impart flavor and help keep the chicken out of the juice.
How To Get Crispy Slow Cooker Chicken Skin
The chicken was so moist and flavorful, but a slow cooker isn't going to give you crispy skin.
The key to crispy skin is to pop it under the broiler for a few minutes.
Cooking chicken low and slow means it will tend to fall apart a little. Instead of pulling it out of the slow cooker whole, I sliced the chicken up and then crisped the skin under the broiler for a few minutes.
My kids end up taking the skin off anyway, so next time I probably won't even need to turn the oven on.
What Sides Go with Roasted Chicken in the Crock Pot?
This slow cooker roaster chicken pairs well with so many different side dishes. Pick your families favorites or try one of these:
- Mini Parmesan Truffle Hasselback Potatoes
- Cuban Cauliflower Rice and Beans
- Cranberry, Pecan and Blue Cheese Salad
- Braised Collard Greens with Turkey Bacon
- Irish Potatoes
- Sweet and Crunchy Broccoli Slaw Recipe
Well lucky for me, the day was made a lot better in the evening when I came home to a house smelling like roasted chicken. The bad morning was just a distant memory, and it reminded me that no matter what, it's always a good day for a whole roasted chicken in the crock pot!
If you like this recipe for Whole Roaster Slow Cooker, please give it 5- stars below.
Whole Roaster Chicken In The Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 large roasting chicken 5 to 7 lbs
- 3 large carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 medium onions peels and cut into 1 inch pieces
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the salt, chili powder, and parsley.
- Remove giblets and insides of chicken. Rinse and dry with paper towels. Rub seasonings all over the chicken pushing some under the skin.
- Put the cut up carrots and onions on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the chicken (breast side up on top) of the vegetables and tuck wings and legs in.
- Cook chicken for 6 to 8 hours on high. Remove when the internal temperature of the cooked chicken is 165 degrees.
- Slice chicken and put under a broiler oven for a few minutes if you would like the skin crispy.
Nutrition
First Published July 2019; Updated January 2021
Subscribe to Jersey Girl Cooks if you would like more recipes like this one. You can also order my Super Easy Cookbook for Beginners and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
Pam
I love that you wore your son's socks! Coming home to this delicious chicken would have made my day.
John
This was some excellent chicken!
vanillasugarblog
That first whiff of roasting chicken when you come in the front door after a long day is PRICELESS!
And second to that is: dinner is done.
Joanne
Whoa! Who knew you could stuff a whole bird in there!! Very cool!
Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen
I'm new to your site (popping over from Aggie's). I love Crock-Pot cooking ! It looks like this method yields a perfect result. Must save and try!
Carol at Wild Goose Tea
I have said it before and I going to keep repeating it-----My slow cooker is my dear dear
friend. Sooooooo much you can do with a chicken fixed this way. You can flat out
eat it as a main dish. Or you can bone it out and have lovely flavored chicken meat
for so many other dishes. And then there is the broth-----------OMG think of the soup!!!!
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living
This has been on my list to try ever since I saw it on Julie's blog - love the chili powder in yours!
Susan
There's nothing better (or worse) than smelling a chicken in the crock-pot all day. By the time it's done you need a bib for all the drool! Wonderful recipe!!
Edward Antrobus
I've been struggling to incorporate more crock-pot dishes into my menu because most of what I have is soups and stews.
Lilian
I want to try to make this recipe. I see some water on the crock pot. Is it from the chicken juices or you have to add some water?
jerseygirl
Hi Lillian. It is from the chicken juices. The chicken, carrots & onions will create it's own juice when it is cooked.
Diane
I would love to try this recipe. What size slow cooker do I need?
Tracy
This sounds wonderful, am trying it today. One question. You don't add water or chicken broth to bottom of crockpot?
jerseygirl
No need to Tracy. As the chicken cooks, it will create a bit of juice.
Chad
Im making this right now. I have a 7.4 pounder in a 5 qt slow cooker which was a bit snug for the first hour but has since settled in nicely into the slow cooker. I'm expecting being closer to the 8 hour time frame.
Susan
I borrowed my hubbys black socks the morning after our big move just to run snd get the car. Next thing I know I'm in the ER in a nice white gown. Lesson learned, Mom. The chicken melts in your mouth.
Eileen
Do you know if you can do this with just boneless chicken breasts? I got everything ready for the roaster and discovered I put the d... thing in freezer so that will another day ? This sounds just delightful can not wait to try it . thank you for posting.
jerseygirl
You can do it with chicken breasts however I would not do it this way. The timing would be different as boneless breasts cook much quicker.
shelby
I'm looking forward to doing this very soon. I've been thinking about it and one of the things I love about doing a whole chicken is making soup or other recipes with the leftovers!
David Gordon
The story talks about roasting the chicken long and slow taking the full 6-8 hours but then I was surprised the recipe called for setting the slow cooker to high. Is that correct?
lisa
Hi David. If it's a large chicken, it will take 6 to 8 hours to cook to be fall apart tender but smaller ones can be less. When I used the term long and slow, I meant comparably to cooking another method but I just reworded as to avoid any confusion. Because it's a whole chicken, you do want to use the higher heat setting. Good luck!
Winona
Sounds like a great recipe but I notice it says to cook your Roasted Chicken on "high" for 8 hours. I just want to make sure this is not a typo as most meals that cook for 8 hours in the Ninja Cooking System say "cook on low for 8 hours"
lisa
Yes, I cook mine on high because this is big chicken. It goes for 6 to 8 hours depending on how many pounds it is.
Tonya
My dear friend(6 qt. Slow cooker)from the eighties recently passed on the electronic coil, so I told my husband I wanted a new one that had the locking lid. So he goes online and buys me a 10 QUART monster cooker. In my head I see my self re-calculating every recipe to fit. This one is perfect. I just added a bag of small red potatoes and some celery. 7 and a half lb. Chicken....8 hours can't get here quick enough! Thanks.
lisa
Thanks for trying this recipe! I love all the leftovers!
Robyn Lattan
Can I put the ceramic part of my slow cooker in the oven to crisp the skin? It says it’s oven safe.
lisa
Hi Robyn,
It probably is safe but only up to 350 degrees. The way I would do it is to cook the chicken in the crockpot then carefully remove and put on a roasting pan. You can then broil in the oven for a few minutes and that should crisp up the skin. Good luck! Lisa