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Cooking a whole chicken is easy and produces tender, versatile meat that can be used in tons of recipes. Make this whole chicken in your slow cooker or electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot).

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Updated 2019 with Instant Pot instructions

The rotisserie maker I received years ago was my second favorite wedding gift. Behind my slow cooker. I loved my rotisserie maker but I just didn’t use it enough to justify it taking up the counter space. I sure do miss the rotisserie meat though. Nothing like a whole rotisserie chicken, it reminds me of Sunday dinners with my family. Since I don’t have my rotisserie maker anymore, of course the next best thing is to use my slow cooker or Instant Pot.

The Homemade Rotisserie Seasoning

Of course you can always use your preferred seasoning for this whole chicken recipe. But if you’re looking for homemade rotisserie seasoning, below is my homemade blend. This is enough for up to a 6 pound chicken without having to make any adjustments to the measurements. Anything larger you might want to use more seasonings.

It doesn't have to be Thanksgiving to appreciate this paleo, whole30, and low-carb turkey legs recipe. Made in the slow cooker so it's super easy too.

homemade rotisserie seasoning

Homemade Rotisserie Seasoning Mix
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne

Picking A Whole Chicken

Fryer or roaster chicken? A fryer (broiler) chicken is a chicken that is approximately 7 weeks old with a weight of 2.5 to 4.5 pounds. A roaster chicken is between 8-12 weeks old with a weight of 5 pounds or more. The good news is that since this is a slow cooker or electric pressure cooker recipe, 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. The chicken I used, the one you see in the pics was a roaster chicken weighing a little over 5 pounds.

Other chicken recipes you might enjoy:

Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Whole Chicken Dinner (Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30)

Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Balsamic Cranberry Chicken (Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30)

Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Chicken & Artichokes (Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30)

Adding The Chicken To The Slow Cooker

In the video you will see that I added a trivet to the slow cooker and put the chicken on top. This is optional; the chicken can go directly in the bottom of the slow cooker. OR you can crumble up a couple of balls of aluminum foil and put the chicken on top of the balls. All the trivet does is allow the grease to drip off the chicken while it cooks.

ball of aluminum foil

Slow Cooker vs Electric Pressure Cooker

Having made this in both appliances, to me there’s no difference in taste. With the electric pressure cooker, the whole chicken needs to cook for approximately 6 minutes per pound. Since my chicken was 5 pounds, I cooked it for 30 minutes. You will need to adjust the cook time for the weight of your chicken. Some whole chicken Instant Pot recipes will tell you to first brown the skin using the saute function. In my version, I do not take the time to do this. If you want to, you absolutely can. I don’t because I broil the skin afterwards. Regardless of whether you use a slow cooker or electric pressure cooker, if you want crispy skin on your whole chicken, you will need to remove it from the appliance and broil it in the oven after it’s done cooking.

raw whole rotisserie chicken in the slow cooker

before (slow cooker)

No Liquid Is Needed

You’re seeing that correctly that there’s NO liquid added to the slow cooker. Just the rotisserie-spiced chicken. With the electric pressure cooker, you will need 1 cup of broth or water for it to pressurize. I like to add extra-virgin olive oil to the chicken before adding the seasoning. You don’t need to use oil if you don’t want to. You can add the seasoning directly to the chicken. I sometimes stuff my chicken with citrus, either an orange or lemon. My Mom taught me to add citrus to the cavity of a whole chicken or turkey to keep the meat moist. Does it really work or is it an old wives tale? I’m not sure but when I can remember to, I add it since that’s what I was taught.

cooked whole rotisserie chicken in the slow cooker

after (slow cooker)

How To Use The Meat

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.

Slow Cooker Whole Rotisserie Chicken VIDEO:

Broiling The Skin

The only downfall of cooking a whole chicken in the slow cooker or electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot) is that the chicken will have soggy skin. There’s no getting around it. If you want to crisp your chicken’s skin, you have will have to remove it from the appliance and place it in your oven under the broiler for a few minutes. Optional step of course.