Slow Cooker Whole Chicken and Veggies
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Between baseball games, multiple school drop offs and pick ups, working two part-time jobs, and pretending to keep up with laundry…I am ALL ABOUT my slow cooker these days.
The best meals we have at this life stage tend to be ones that require opening the slow cooker lid (and maybe adding a quick veggie, fruit, and some sort of quick starch to the table) at 5 p.m. That’s because I can enjoy my family during the dinner prep hour instead of getting frustrated at interruptions.
One of my family’s favorite meals over the years is this older Roasted Chicken with Veggies recipe. It’s to die for. Plus, whole chicken is one of the cheapest ways to enjoy chicken, especially when you try to buy the organic birds like I do. But, because of my infatuation with the slow cooker, I began researching what it takes to “set it and forget it”. Last night, I gave Slow Cooker Whole Chicken and Veggies a shot.
The chicken came out perfectly moist and flavorful! And the veggies were a bonus, as well. I tried a simple method of generously seasoning the chicken inside and out based on advice from Gimme Some Oven’s similar recipe, which took no time at all. And, the chicken juices made a nice sauce for the veggies, too. I can’t wait to try my original Roasted Chicken recipe with lemon, rosemary, and garlic in the slow cooker, too.
Now, one thing to note is that the Slow Cooker Whole Chicken does not come out with a nice browned crust like it does in the oven. So, I went ahead and broiled it in the oven for a few minutes at the end to get that texture on the outside. You can certainly skip this step, though.
Happy weeknight dinner to you!
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Slow Cooker Whole Chicken and Veggies
An easy and healthy weeknight dinner that can stretch a buck. Put this one on your repeat list.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (increase for more heat)
- 2–3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, diced
- 2 cups carrots, diced
- 1/2 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 (3-5 pounds) whole chicken
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Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Place the potatoes, carrots, and onions in the bottom of a large (5 or 6 quart) slow cooker.
- Remove the neck and other parts of the chicken that are inside the cavity. (Be brave!) Place the chicken, breast side down, in slow cooker. Rub the spice mix all over the bird, inside and out. Wash your hands well.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, until chicken is cooked through. (Chicken is done when it registers 165°F near the inner thigh, between the leg and breast.)
- If the veggies aren’t soft enough, turn slow cooker to High and cook another 30 minutes or until softened.
- OPTIONAL: To get a crispy skin on the chicken, remove the chicken from the crock at the very end of the cooking time and place in a baking dish. Place under a preheated broiler for about 3-5 minutes. Keep a close eye on it so the chicken doesn’t burn.
- Cover chicken with foil and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. (I recommend carving on a large wooden chopping board.) After carving, place on top of veggies in slow cooker or on a platter.
Notes/Tips
- Save all the bones and leftover juices (and even the neck!) to make chicken broth in your slow cooker. Throw all the bones/leftover juice, along with some onion, celery, carrots, and a bay leaf back into the crock. Set to LOW and let cook overnight. Strain out the vegetables and bones. Cool and freeze the broth for later use.
- To ensure that the vegetables cook evenly, be sure to dice them the same size. I would also suggest cutting them smaller than I did in this picture! My carrots were still a bit too crunchy, but the potatoes were perfect.
Comfort food to the max! Love this recipe and all the ways you can use leftovers.
Curious where the high salt content source is? 2 teaspoons salt=1369 mg or 57% of daily? My father is on a low salt diet.
Thanks!
Each teaspoon of salt adds 2,300 mg of sodium. There are two in this recipe. I think you would be fine to cut that in half.
Washing / rinsing poultry is unsanitary and an easy way to spread illness.
Yes, you’re exactly right, Laura. Thank you for pointing that out. This is an older blog post that I will update right now!
Have you ever tried rubbing the seasonings on and freezing it all before cooking? I’m having surgery and I’m trying to fill my freezer with meals that can just be put in the crockpot. Thank you!
Yes, that will work great!
Just be sure to thaw the meal before putting it in the slow cooker, according to the USDA. You can, however, cook it from frozen in the Instant Pot. We recommend 6 minutes per pound in the Instant Pot (plus add 1-1 1/2 cups of broth or water to the bottom).
We have a small family and often have a lot of chicken leftover. Can this chicken be frozen to be used in another recipe later after being taken off the bone?
Yes, absolutely! Just make to sure to freeze in an air-tight, freezer bag. I do this all the time.
Thank you for the recipe. I’m making it this morning and letting it cook while we are at church. Looking forward to a great lunch for my husband and teenage sons 🙂
How did it turn out??
Do the veggies get soggy from the chicken juice?
They aren’t the same consistency as roasted veggies, but they weren’t soggy.
Tried this tonight and it is SO good! Just wondering if you’ve ever tried this with any other veggies as well? Or if you have recommendations for ones to try that may cook well in the crockpot for that long. Thank you! I love your blog!
Sweet! I haven’t tried other veggies yet, but really any root vegetable should work in the crock for that long. Ideas: blue potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets.
add brussel sprouts about 2 hours in!
Yummy. Sounds delicious! I am doing that next time.
I often cook whole chicken in the crockpot, and it falls apart when I take I out so I shred it. How do you get the chicken to stay “whole” so you can carve it? Thanks
Two things that may have made a difference: 1) I cooked it on top of veggies. 2) I took it out a little early and finished it in the oven under the broiler. I also used tongs and carefully held it together. Hope that helps.