Using a slow cooker, or Crock-Pot, to cook chicken is a quick and easy way to make a tasty meal.
If you’re a busy mom, a working professional, or just someone who likes tender, tasty chicken, this way can be a game changer.
This article will explain how to cook chicken in a Crock-Pot, including recipes, cooking times, and safety tips.
How Long Does A Chicken Take To Cook In A Crock Pot?
Cooking a complete chicken in a crockpot (slow cooker) takes 4 to 5 hours on high.
The cooking time will vary based on the size of the chicken, the temperature of your slow cooker, and whether it is fresh or frozen.
How To Cook A Chicken In A Crock Pot?
Ingredients
Onions, carrots, and potatoes: Put these in the bottom of the slow cooker to keep the chicken away from the liquids and prevent it from getting mushy as it cooks. You can also use celery, carrots, or turnips instead of potatoes.
If you don’t want to use veggies, you can put a few balls of foil under the chicken to keep it from getting wet. If you want to serve mashed potatoes with your chicken, you can leave the potatoes out of the slow cooker.
Whole Chicken: Buy a whole chicken that will fit in your slow cooker but is not too big. My 5-quart slow cooker worked great for a 4-pound chicken. Chicken should be fresh or warmed, not frozen.
Seasonings: This recipe uses a simple mix of seasonings that is similar to what I use in my Instant Pot Whole Chicken dish. It tastes great, and the paprika in the spice makes the chicken look nice and red.
Olive Oil: Rub the chicken with olive oil to help the spices stick.
Lemon & Fresh Rosemary or Thyme Sprigs: Place the lemon and fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs inside the chicken to give it flavor while it cooks.
Butter and flour: You’ll need butter and flour to make gravy from the cooking juices.
Directions
In the slow cooker, place something under the chicken to keep it out of the fluids as it cooks. I use onion, potatoes, and carrots in this recipe to make a delicious side dish.
Pat the chicken dry before applying the olive oil and seasonings. Rub some seasoning under the skin of the breasts for the most flavor.
Fill the cavity with half a lemon and fresh herb sprigs. Kitchen twine can be used to bind the legs together if desired. This is just for show and has no bearing on how the chicken cooks.
No need to add water or anything else because the juices from the chicken will come out as it cooks. The chicken shouldn’t be sitting in water because that will make it soft.
Cook the chicken on high in your slow cooker to reach food safety faster. The slow cooker and bird size will determine the cooking time, however, it should be 4-5 hours on high.
Avoid lifting the crockpot cover while the chicken cooks to maintain heat. The chicken can be checked for doneness after the minimum cooking time. Use an instant-read thermometer to check chicken doneness. At the thickest section of the leg, not touching the bone, it should reach 165° F.
The chicken and veggies can be served right out of the slow cooker, but I like to brown them in the oven under the broiler. This makes the skin get crispy and brown, and the vegetables get sweet.
Put the chicken on a baking sheet with a rim to cook it. Place the veggies around the chicken and leave the juices in the slow cooker. For 4–5 minutes, broil. Wait 10 minutes before slicing and serving the chicken so that the juices can spread.
Tips
Place some foil balls on the bottom of the slow cooker, along with the additional half lemon that wasn’t placed into the chicken.
This raises the chicken so that the bottom does not sit in the liquid that gathers while it cooks. (Otherwise, the bottom legs and thighs will be a touch moist, which isn’t as appealing.)
You may also use a slow cooker rack insert if you have one. You can add some chopped onions or other veggies if you want.
Don’t be concerned if you don’t know how to truss a chicken before cooking it.
You don’t need any fancy tucking or tying techniques, especially because this is a slow cooker recipe.
Tucking the wings in and below the chicken to secure them is a simple truss for a complete chicken. Then, using a piece of kitchen twine, tie the drumsticks together to keep them together.
Using a Crock-Pot to cook chicken is not only easy, but also a sure way to get tender, tasty chicken. With the right cut, seasoning, and cooking time, you can make a variety of mouthwatering chicken meals that will impress your family and friends.
Thanks for reading. I hope you find it helpful.
