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Home Recipe Index Freezer Meals Freezer Slow Cooker

Crock Pot Whole Chicken with Gravy

By: Rachel TiemeyerPosted: 10/20/23Updated: 3/15/23

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This low-prep, budget-friendly Crock Pot Whole Chicken (with gravy!) turns out moist and flavorful every single time. The fresh herbs, garlic, and onion hidden inside the bird bring big flavor as they slowly marry with the chicken juices. The drippings at the end are used to create a delicious gravy to serve on top.

Cooking recipes low and slow in the Crock Pot is an easiest ways to get dinner on the table. One of the many reasons we love recipes like Crock Pot Pulled Pork, Crock Pot Marinara Sauce, and Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie. See all of our Slow Cooker Recipes here.

Chicken sliced from whole chicken on a silver serving platter. this …


 
Table of Contents
  • Benefits of Making Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot
  • Ingredients
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Tip: Make Chicken Stock
  • Make It a Freezer Meal
  • Side Dish Ideas
  • FAQs
  • Recipe: Crock Pot Whole Chicken with Gravy

Benefits of Making Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot

  1. The Crock Pot infuses flavor and keeps the moisture locked into the chicken.
  2. The Crock Pot doesn’t heat up your kitchen like Roasted Chicken and Vegetables does.
  3. You can freeze it and cook it later FROM FROZEN in the Instant Pot (if you have one). So be sure to prep two chickens at the same time, make one for dinner, and freeze the other for another day.

If you prefer to serve this as a whole bird, we’ll show you how to create a crispier exterior by placing it under the broiler at the end of the cook time. Serve it with some Bread Machine Dinner Rolls for a divine meal!

Ingredients

Only a few fresh, whole-food ingredients are needed for this healthy and flavorful chicken meal.

Ingredients for cooking a whole chicken in the Slow Cooker, laid out on a counter and labeled.

Ingredient Notes

  •  Chicken – We get our chicken from ButcherBox. Don’t forget to remove the giblets from inside the cavity before you get started.
  • Butter – You can substitute olive oil or avocado oil.
  • Herbs – Fresh herbs make a big difference in flavor. However, you can use dried ones in a pinch.
  • Gravy – To make the gravy at the end you will need butter, flour, salt, and pepper.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep the Bird

Season the outside and inside generously with salt and pepper and stuff the bird with onion, garlic, and fresh herbs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to help with even cooking.

Raw, seasoned whole chicken stuffed with herbs and vegetables in a baking pan.
Full mason jars labeled chicken broth.

Tip: Make Chicken Stock

Your whole chicken will likely have the neck and giblets inside the cavity. Remove these before cooking but don’t pitch them! You can make healthy, delicious stock using them and your leftover chicken carcass. Try our Chicken Stock recipe.

Chicken Stock Recipe

Slow Cook

Place the chicken breast side down in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked. (The chicken is done when it registers 165°F near the inner thigh, between the leg and breast.)

A whole, raw chicken in a crock pot with seasonings on it.

Broil Until Crispy on Outside

Transfer the chicken to a baking dish, breast-side up. Broil for 5-10 minutes, until crispy and golden brown, keeping a close eye on the chicken so it doesn’t burn. Tent with foil and let rest for about 20 minutes.

A whole, cooked chicken on a wooden cutting board with a knife and fork nearby.

Make the Gravy

While the chicken rests, make the gravy in a saucepan on the stove using the leftover juices, flour, and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This just takes a few minutes!

Chicken gravy being stirred with a wooden spoon in a saucepan.

Slice and Serve with Gravy on Top

Carve the chicken and serve with gravy. We love it on top of mashed potatoes.

Chicken sliced from whole chicken on a serving platter with a full gravy boat nearby.

Make It a Freezer Meal

Freezer meal prep is our specialty! (Did you know we’ve published two popular cookbooks with our best freezable recipes in them?)

The beauty of this particular recipe is that you can prep two chickens at the same time, make one for dinner, and freeze the other for another day.

Here’s how to make Crock Pot Whole Chicken into a freezer meal:

Freeze For Later: Follow Step 1 in the recipe below. Place the seasoned/stuffed chicken in a gallon-size or two gallon freezer bag (have someone help you by holding the bag open), or wrap it tightly in a few layers of plastic wrap and then a few layers of foil. Freeze.

Prepare From Frozen: Note: You will need to have butter, flour, salt, and pepper on hand to complete this meal. Thaw the chicken fully in the refrigerator for about 48 hours. Follow Steps 2-6.

A raw, whole chicken covered with butter and salt & pepper in a freezer bag.

Side Dish Ideas

Wondering what to serve with your chicken? Give some of these recipes a try.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes with diced chives on top.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Roasted broccoli on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Oven Roasted Broccoli

Autumn Salad tossed with apple cider vinaigrette in a white bowl on a wooden cutting board.

Autumn Chopped Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

A white serving dish filled with homemade cinnamon applesauce.

Crockpot Cinnamon Applesauce

FAQs

How long do I cook a whole chicken in the Crock Pot?

A (4-5 pound) whole chicken takes 4-6 hours in the slow cooker on LOW. (The chicken is done when it registers 165°F near the inner thigh, between the leg and breast.)

Can I cook a whole chicken on high in the Crock Pot?

Do not cook the chicken on high, as it will dry out the meat.

Can I cook a frozen whole chicken in the Crock Pot?

No. Make sure the chicken is fully thawed. According to the USDA, placing frozen food (especially a dense one like a whole chicken) can take too long to come up to the safe temperature, allowing bacteria to proliferate quickly. Here’s how to safely thaw chicken.

How can I make the skin crispy?

To get a crispy exterior, place the bird under the broiler at the end for a few minutes and rotate, as needed.

Can I cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot?

Absolutely! We’ve rigorously tested the Instant Pot version of this recipe, too. Check out our Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe.

How to Video

A whole, cooked chicken on a wooden cutting board with a knife and fork nearby.

Crock Pot Whole Chicken with Gravy

The slow cooker version of this whole chicken recipe results in moist, super flavorful meat and delicious pan juices for making a 5-minute gravy. This is one of our family’s favorite dinners, especially when served over mashed potatoes.
5 from 1 vote
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time:20 minutes mins
Cook Time:4 hours hrs
Total Time:4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
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Ingredients
 

For the Chicken:

  • 4-5 pound whole chicken
  • 1 tablespoon butter at room temperature (sub: olive oil)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • Handful of fresh parsley
  • 1/2 head of garlic, halved crosswise
  • 1/2 onion, cut into 2-inch pieces

For the Gravy:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (sub: 1:1 gluten-free baking flour)
  • Salt and pepper
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Instructions
 

For The Chicken:

  1. If necessary, remove the neck and giblets from the cavity of the chicken (save them to make homemade chicken stock, if you’d like). Pat the chicken dry and rub the butter all over the outside. Season the chicken generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic, and onion into the cavity.
  2. Place the chicken breast side down in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked. (The chicken is done when it registers 165°F near the inner thigh, between the leg and breast.)
  3. Position the top oven rack about 8 inches below the broiler. Preheat the broiler.
  4. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish, breast side up. Broil for 5-10 minutes, until crispy and golden brown, keeping a close eye on the chicken so it doesn’t burn. Tent with foil and let rest for about 20 minutes.

For The Gravy:

  1. While the chicken rests, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
  2. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. Increase the heat to medium-high.
  3. While whisking, use a ladle or a dry measuring cup to slowly add the juices left in the slow cooker. Whisk continuously until the gravy is smooth and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
    (Tip: To get super-smooth gravy, you may want to strain the juices before adding them to the pot.)

Carve the chicken. Serve warm, drizzled with the gravy.

    Freezer Instructions

    Freeze For Later: Follow step 1. Place the chicken in a gallon-size freezer bag, if it will fit (have someone help you by holding the bag open), or wrap it tightly in a few layers of plastic wrap and then a few layers of foil. Freeze.
    Prepare From Frozen: Note: You will need to have butter, flour, salt, and pepper on hand to complete this meal. Thaw the chicken fully in the refrigerator for about 48 hours. Follow Steps 2-6.

    Notes/Tips

    Instant Pot Method: Try our Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe.
    Oven Method: Try our Roasted Whole Chicken and Vegetables recipe.
    Gluten-Free Version: Use 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (like Bob’s Red Mill brand) in place of the all-purpose flour.
    Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves. Read my full ButcherBox review here.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 serving with gravy | Calories: 379 kcal (19%) | Carbohydrates: 4 g (1%) | Protein: 28 g (56%) | Fat: 28 g (43%) | Cholesterol: 124 mg (41%) | Sodium: 148 mg (6%) | Fiber: 0.3 g (1%) | Sugar: 0.4 g
    If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe!
    Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
    A whole roasted chicken on a wooden cutting board ready to be carved.
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    Rachel Tiemeyer

    As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!

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    1. Debra says

      Posted on 2/7/24 at 6:47 pm

      Do we feel like I could execute this in a 4 quart slow cooker? If I don’t put potatoes and carrots underneath it (like in another post), I just wonder if I could fit it; wondered if you guys have tried. thanks.

      Reply
      • Rachel Tiemeyer says

        Posted on 2/8/24 at 10:58 am

        Hi Debra. I only have a 6 quart slow cooker but I imagine this would work as long as the lid fits tightly. I’m not quite sure how it would affect the cooking time, so I’d suggest testing the internal temp a little sooner than this recipe calls for.

        Reply
    2. Margo says

      Posted on 2/28/23 at 11:38 am

      Thanks for such a thorough post on this! The recipe was super helpful and delicious!

      Reply

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