The Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot ⋆ 100 Days of Real Food

[ad_1]

212 Reviews / 4.7 Average

I’ve tried a ridiculous amount of crock pot chicken recipes, and this is by far the best (and easiest) slow cooker whole chicken recipe that keeps the meat super moist and falling-off-the-bone delicious — plus it’s a great way to switch things up if you usually only make chicken breasts!

& downarrow; Jump to Recipe

Cooked whole chicken in a crock pot — Finished whole chicken in a crock pot

The outcome is so much better (and better-for-you!) Than the standard grocery store rotisserie chicken. And if you have a well-stocked spice cabinet, you’ll hardly have to buy anything to make this dish.

the best whole chicken in a crockpot — This recipe is a staple in our house… here’s a vintage photo from 2010!

How to Cook Chicken in a Crock Pot

Chicken rubbed with spices and ready for the crock pot

Simply combine a few basic herbs and spices, rub them all over the chicken (I even season inside the cavity and under the skin on the breasts), add the onion and chicken to the slow cooker, and cook on high for 4-5 hours . That’s it! No liquid is needed.

Chicken and chopped onion, ready for slow cooking

Once the chicken is done, it is flavorful enough to eat by itself as the main dish, or you can incorporate it into something else like pasta, chicken salad, chicken pot pie, or a casserole (I’ve listed some of my favorite ideas. below). You don’t need anything fancy, we use a very basic crock pot that can be purchased on Amazon for about $ 40.

Make Overnight Chicken Stock (Optional)

Another great trick (that I learned from a friend!) Is that after you pick off the good chicken meat you can leave the bones in the crock pot to make some stock overnight while you are sleeping — see more on that in the FAQ below.

Overnight chicken stock is great for soups and sauces! We make it almost every time we cook a whole chicken at our house.

Featured Comment

Wow !! Mind blown! Thank you so much for this recipe. I had to call my mom and my mother-in-law about this recipe. The chicken is perfectly cooked. We are cooking the stock right now and I’ll make homemade noodles to go with it. Way to go!

– Bridget

Ideas for Your Leftover Chicken

More Crock Pot Chicken Recipes

FAQ

Can I cook a frozen whole chicken?

Due to food safety reasons, you should not cook a frozen whole chicken in the slow cooker. Make sure to thaw it out completely before cooking (see how to safely defrost meat for more info). The ideal way to defrost meat is in the fridge overnight. If you think your chicken is still a little frozen in the middle you will need to increase the cooking time.

A small chicken (5 pounds or less) can usually defrost in 24 hours or less

A large whole chicken can take 2-3 days to safely defrost in a refrigerator

Is it safe to cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker?

Absolutely! If you want to be extra cautious you could always be sure to cook the whole chicken on high heat for at least the first hour (if you also plan to cook on low). Since we give an option to cook it on high the entire time for this recipe, this requirement is met.

How long to cook chicken in a crockpot?

For a typical 3-4 pound chicken, you’ll want to cook in your slow cooker for about 4 to 5 hours on high or 7 hours on low. Timing may vary based on the size of the bird as well as your individual slow cooker and how tender you want the end result.

Cooking Tip: Once it’s about done, you can then check for doneness by shredding a few pieces with a fork and seeing how easily it comes apart. The end result should not be tough at all.

Do I need to add water to the crockpot?

There is no need to add water because the chicken and onion will create their own juices while cooking. Adding water will just produce a soggy chicken in the end.

How to get brown, crispy skin

If you’re a fan of crispy chicken skin, you can still achieve this by placing the chicken on a rimmed baking sheeting after it’s done and placing it under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Be sure to let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.

How to remove meat from a whole chicken

How to make overnight chicken stock

See my Overnight Chicken Stock Recipe for details, but here is how it’s done:

Once you are done picking off all the meat, throw the carcass and bones back into the crock pot (leaving the onion and cooking juices in there as well) so that you can make chicken stock. It’s a great way to not waste any part of the chicken.

I usually start the chicken stock after dinner by filling the slow cooker to the top with water and then adding whatever I have on hand… bay leaf, carrot, celery, onion, parsley, and thyme. Even if I’m missing parsley or celery I still make it anyway, and it always turns out just fine.

I keep it on low all night and then in the morning, I strain it into wide-mouth jars (without shoulders) to store in the freezer. It works great and couldn’t be easier.

[ad_2]

Source link