Slow Cooker Roasted Chicken practically cooks itself! Make this roasted style whole 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!)
Why cook a whole chicken in the slow cooker?
- It's easy and works great! - 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 especially if you just want to set and forget it.
- Juicy and flavorful chicken - My family loves it. I used a great big chicken that was about 7 pounds so we could use the leftovers in other meals throughout the week.
- It makes it's own homemade chicken stock. - The juice from the chicken turns to a flavorful broth. Just be sure to remove the extra fat or grease before using it.
- Perfect for large or small families. - Use a larger sized chicken to cook for a large families and a smaller one for dinner for just a few people.
Ingredients
- whole roaster chicken - I use a 5 to 7 pound chicken. Make sure the size of the chicken you buy matches the size of your slow cooker.
- seasonings - This chicken is seasoned with salt, chili powder and dried parsley but use any seasonings you like. I also change things up and use poultry seasoning, and garlic powder.
- vegetables - Onions and carrots give the whole dish flavor.
How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Crockpot
- In a small bowl, mix together seasonings.
- Remove giblets and insides of chicken. Rinse and dry with paper towels. Rub seasonings all over the chicken pushing some under the skin.
- Place the cut up vegetables 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 serve. You can also put the whole chicken on a sheet pan under the broiler oven for a few minutes if you would like the skin crispy.
See recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and instructions.
Leftovers/ Storage
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 using leftover chicken:
- 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.
Store your leftover chicken in the fridge or you can freeze it. Learn how long leftover chicken can sit out and more safety tips HERE.
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.
If you like this slow cooker chicken recipe, also try my Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Legs.
Equipment
I prefer a basic Crock- Pot Manual Slow Cooker to cook all my slow cooker recipes in. They are economical and I've had several that last years and years. If you want something a little more sophisticated and programmable, this Crock- Pot Cook and Carry Slow Cooker is a great option also. I am not into a lot of bells and whistles but if you are, there are so many great choices available.
How To Get Crispy Skin On Your Chicken
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.
Serving Suggestions
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
- Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes
- Cranberry, Pecan and Blue Cheese Salad
- Braised Collard Greens with Turkey Bacon
- Sweet and Crunchy Broccoli Slaw Recipe
My evening is always better when I came home to a house smelling like roasted chicken. I love making a whole roasted chicken in the crock pot!
If you like this recipe for Slow Cooker Roasted Chicken, please give it a 5- star rating below.
RECIPE
Slow Cooker Roast Chicken
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
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Pam says
I love that you wore your son's socks! Coming home to this delicious chicken would have made my day.
John says
This was some excellent chicken!
vanillasugarblog says
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 says
Whoa! Who knew you could stuff a whole bird in there!! Very cool!
Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen says
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 says
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 says
This has been on my list to try ever since I saw it on Julie's blog - love the chili powder in yours!
Susan says
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 says
I've been struggling to incorporate more crock-pot dishes into my menu because most of what I have is soups and stews.
Lilian says
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 says
Hi Lillian. It is from the chicken juices. The chicken, carrots & onions will create it's own juice when it is cooked.
Diane says
I would love to try this recipe. What size slow cooker do I need?
Tracy says
This sounds wonderful, am trying it today. One question. You don't add water or chicken broth to bottom of crockpot?
jerseygirl says
No need to Tracy. As the chicken cooks, it will create a bit of juice.
Chad says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Thanks for trying this recipe! I love all the leftovers!
Robyn Lattan says
Can I put the ceramic part of my slow cooker in the oven to crisp the skin? It says it’s oven safe.
lisa says
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
Debbie Watson says
Thank you for specifying you were cooking a big bird because I had read a crockpot recipe that had cook time on low for 5 hours and I'm partial to large 7 - 7.5 roasters and they always have a pop up timer but it's not too good to keep opening the lid and pulling the breast side down bird to see if it's timer has popped. So with your tips I was prepared for 7 hours at the least!