Tender Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

This slow cooker whole chicken recipe delivers incredibly tender, fall-off-the-bone results with minimal effort. The long, gentle cooking time allows the connective tissue to melt into the meat, creating an impossibly silky texture that's hard to achieve any other way.

Prep Time5

Cook Time7

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Crockpot Whole Chicken, Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

Servings:

Author: Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

Ingredients

1 yellow onion sliced into rings
4 cloves garlic minced
3 to 4 lb whole chicken
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2¼ to 3 tsp kosher salt (3/4 tsp per pound of chicken)
1 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Layer the onion and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker to create aromatic base.
Set the whole chicken on top, positioning it breast-side up.
Drizzle olive oil over the bird and massage it into the skin. Combine the salt, paprika, onion powder, and pepper, then season the chicken generously, patting the spices so they adhere.
If you have giblets, you can add them around the chicken (it adds flavor to the broth!)
Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours.
The slow cooker whole chicken is ready when the meat pulls away easily and a thermometer inserted into the inner thigh registers 165°F.
Discard the giblets.

Notes

To brown/crisp up the skin: After slow cooking, let the chicken sit for 5-10 mins, then gently pat the skin dry with paper towels to prevent steaming. Place chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Broil, but watch closely as it can burn quickly! Note: The crockpot liner can't go in the oven.

To make a simple gravy from the pan drippings:

While the chicken is resting/broiling, strain the liquid from the slow cooker into a small pot on the stove and bring to a boil. (OR add everything, onions and all, and puree with an immersion blender).
Make a cornstarch slurry with by whisking 1 tbsp cornstarch into 1 tbsp cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk the slurry into the boiling liquid. It will turn into beautiful gravy in about 30 seconds. Whisk in a tablespoon of unsalted butter.

Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. If it's TOO salty, add 1/2 cup water or unsalted broth.

Repeat with more cornstarch slurry if you'd like it thicker.

Nutrition