Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

Slow cooker whole chicken is an easy recipe that produces tender, versatile meat. From holidays to Sunday dinner, this succulent chicken will impress any crowd. All you need is chicken, simple seasonings and oil. Then set it and forget it, allowing the slow cooker to handle all the cooking. Perfect for busy weeknights or weekend when you want a delicious meal without the fuss. Serve this whole chicken meat with your favorite side dishes or reuse it in other recipes. Instructions to make this healthy whole chicken in the Instant Pot are also included. 

Ingredients For Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

• Whole Chicken
• Oil
• Seasonings: salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne
• Water or Broth (for Instant Pot only)

How To Cook A Whole Chicken In The Slow Cooker

Prep The Chicken

1. If your chicken came with a bag of giblets inside the cavity, remove it.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Drizzle the oil evenly all over the chicken.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the seasonings. Season the chicken evenly and all over with the seasoning.
4. Proceed to slow cooker or Instant Pot steps.

Slow Cooker

1. Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray.  Add the prepared chicken (see above).
2. Cook HIGH 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8.
3. Remove chicken from slow cooker and let it rest for an additional 10 minutes before slicing.

Instant Pot

1. Place the trivet in pressure cooker. Add the chicken broth. Place the prepared chicken (see above) on the trivet .
2. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook 6 minutes per pound of chicken. When cooking time is complete, naturally release the pressure for 5 minutes then quick release any remaining pressure.
3.  Remove chicken from pressure cooker and let it rest for an additional 10 minutes before slicing.

FAQs & Tips

How do you pick a whole chicken?

Picking a whole chicken is simple – find one that fits. A 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot will hold a whole chicken between 3-6 pounds. 

Should you use the Crock-Pot or Instant Pot?

Having made this in both appliances, to me, there is no difference in taste. With the Instant Pot, the whole chicken needs to cook for approximately 6 minutes per pound. You will need to adjust the cook time for the weight of your chicken. Some whole chicken Instant Pot recipes will tell you to brown the skin using the sauté function. In this version, I do not take the time to do this.

How do you serve this?

What to do with this meat? More like what can’t you do with it. First off, you can freeze the cooked meat. Once it’s done cooking, the meat should be so tender that it’s falling off the bones. Remove the cooked meat from the bones and freeze it using your preferred container. I like to use a zip-lock freezer bag. Second, you can re-use the chicken in other recipes like tacos, enchiladas, soups, and salads. Of course you can slice the whole chicken and serve it plated with your favorite sides!

Will the whole chicken have crispy skin?

The only downfall of cooking a whole chicken in the slow cooker or Instant Pot is that the chicken not have crispy skin. There’s no getting around it. If you want to whole chicken to have crispy skin, you have will need to remove it from the appliance and place it in the oven under the broiler for a few minutes. This is an optional step.

Do you have to use the seasoning in the recipe box?

Nope! Substitute your preferred seasoning for this whole chicken recipe. 

How do you store leftover slow cooker whole chicken?

Store leftover chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or the freezer 3 months. 

What size slow cooker did you use?

I used a 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot for this recipe.

Chicken Recipes 

• Whole Chicken Dinner

• Balsamic Cranberry Chicken

• Lemon Chicken & Artichokes

• Chicken With Apples & Honey

• Honey Garlic Chicken

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

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Slow cooker whole chicken is an easy recipe that produces tender, versatile meat. From holidays to Sunday dinner, this succulent chicken will impress any crowd. All you need is chicken, simple seasonings and oil. Then set it and forget it, allowing the slow cooker to handle all the cooking. Perfect for busy weeknights or weekend when you want a delicious meal without the fuss. Serve this whole chicken meat with your favorite side dishes or reuse it in other recipes. Instructions to make this healthy whole chicken in the Instant Pot are also included.

• Author: Shannon Epstein
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 10 mins
• Yield: Serves 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 to 5 pound whole chicken
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water (for Instant Pot only)

SEASONING

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

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Instructions

Prep The Chicken

1. If your chicken came with a bag of giblets inside the cavity, remove it.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Drizzle the oil evenly all over the chicken.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the seasoning. Season the chicken evenly and all over with the seasoning.
4. Proceed to slow cooker or Instant Pot steps.

Slow Cooker

1. Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray.  Add the prepared chicken (see above).
2. Cook HIGH 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8.
3. Remove chicken from slow cooker and let it rest for an additional 10 minutes before slicing.

Instant Pot

1. Place the trivet in pressure cooker. Add the chicken broth. Place the prepared chicken (see above) on the trivet .
2. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook 6 minutes per pound of chicken. When cooking time is complete, naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes then quick release any remaining pressure.
3.  Remove chicken from pressure cooker and let it rest for an additional 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees in the thickest part.

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 107
• Sugar: 0.2 g
• Sodium: 620.1 mg
• Fat: 8.4 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 2 g
• Fiber: 0.9 g
• Protein: 6.7 g
• Cholesterol: 28.9 mg

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