I am convinced that buying a whole chicken is one of the best values for your grocery budget. I regularly see whole chickens on sale at various grocery stores for about a dollar a pound. Take the work out of dinner prep by cooking your whole chicken in a crock pot.
The problem with whole chickens is that no one wants to touch them, or mess with them until they are cooked. I was like that too, but then I realized how much money I could save buying whole chickens instead of pre-packed parts and I quickly got over my “whole uncooked chickens give me the heebie jeebies” thing.
Update: If you have a minute, read through the comments, my readers have added some awesome tips and ideas for cooking whole chickens. I have also posted a whole chicken in a crock pot video tutorial for those who are interested.
How to Cook a Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot
First unwrap the chicken, remove the bag of innards from the cavity, and give the chicken a quick rinse. (Read the comments for ideas on what to do with the innards from the chicken). If you are exceptionally grossed out by this step wear gloves.
After rinsing the chicken place in a crock pot that has been sprayed with non-stick.
You do not need to put any liquid in the pot, just the chicken.
Then sprinkle your favorite spices on the chicken. I usually sprinkle garlic and paprika.
Place the lid on the crock pot. I always start raw meat on high, then reduce the temperature to low after two hours. Depending on the size of your chicken, 6-8 hours later you will have a beautiful cooked chicken ready to serve for dinner.
Remove the chicken from the crock pot. (Remember do not throw away the broth in the crock pot)
Once you have removed all the meat from the bones, put the bones back in the crock pot and add four to five cups of water. I also put the skin back in the crock pot since my kids won’t eat it.
If you do not want to serve the chicken for dinner, allow the chicken to cool and then remove the meat from the bones. You can use the meat like you would any other cooked chicken, in casseroles, chicken salad, chicken pot pie, pastas, etc. You won’t believe how easy it is to cook a whole chicken in the crock pot.
How to make chicken broth
Set the slow cooker
on the low setting and cover. Let it cook overnight. In the morning you will have a crock pot full of bones and chicken broth, and your house will smell like Boston Market for the next day or two.
Strain out the bones and you have homemade chicken broth for free!
Not only is it free, it is free from all the preservatives, salt, and other junk you find in some of the store bought chicken broth. I store my broth in large yogurt containers.
I got about 50 ounces of broth from one chicken. After you put the broth in a container, place in the fridge to cool. When the broth has cooled a layer of fat will be on the top.
Scrape the fat off with a spoon and the broth is ready to be used or can be stored for up to six months in the freezer. Don’t throw away the fat, it can be used in other recipes. Also, see How to Reheat Chicken Broth.
Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot Meal Ideas
Meal #1 (served 7): Chicken and Mashed Potatoes
- Chicken
- Mashed Potatoes
- Veggies
- Biscuits
Meal #2 (served 7): Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Chicken (use leftover chicken)
- Rice
- Cream of Chicken Soup
- Veggies (I used chopped broccoli and carrots)
- Spices
- Cheddar Cheese
Cook rice according to the directions. Chop leftover chicken, and veggies. Mix with cream soup and add spices. (I used garlic, minced onion, and red pepper flakes). Combine the cooked rice with the chicken mixture. Spread in a 9×13 casserole dish, sprayed with nonstick. Bake covered for 15 minutes at 350 degrees, then uncover, top with cheese and bake until the cheese melts.
Tip: If you want to use brown rice for this recipe, replace half the water with your chicken broth. Even your pickiest eaters will love it.
By purchasing one chicken I was able to make two meals and get about $3 worth of chicken broth from a $4 chicken.
More Chicken Recipes to Try:
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken Tetrazinni
- Mexican Chicken Skillet
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Tortellini Soup with Chicken
Wondering what to make for dinner? Check out my family’s favorite crock pot recipes for great dinner ideas!
angie says
I do this all the time- cheap and easy- i usually make chicken salad with the leftovers- just add mayo- perfect for lunch the next day and yummy.
Geri@heartnsoulcooking says
I love to make chicken tacos with the leftovers. Geri
Snow White says
I think you’ve convinced me to give it a try.
Since I’ve never picked a whole chicken out — is there something I have to look for when I buy it from the store?!
TheHappyHousewife says
I don’t think so, I try to buy ones that are free of hormones and such, but other than that they are about the same. I would just look for a good sale.
Kristin says
I do always make sure to buy the biggest chickens they have. The carcasses are really not that much bigger, so all the extra weight you are getting (above that of the smaller chickens) is going to pretty much be just meat.
Rotisserie chickens from the deli weight about 2 1/2 pounds and cost at least five dollars. I can buy two of those for my family and be out ten bucks, or just buy a 5+ pound chicken (at .69/pound) for about $3.50. I actually cook two chickens at a time because I have six kids (plus hubby’s a big eater), but that gives us enough leftovers for chicken soup or chicken salad or whatever.
Allyson says
Awesome! I love making my own broth too. I haven’t done it is so long though, now I’m inspired to do it again. 🙂 The wheels of pondering are starting to turn in my head. . .we have thought about hosting the family (extended) Thanksgiving this year. . .I wonder if I could do the Turkey in the crockpot. Hmmm. Something to ponder and measure.
Candy says
I do this a LOT. Sometimes once a week, especially in the winter.
When you scoop off the fat, don’t throw it away; use it to make gelatin, which is ultra healthy.
Yes, I often cook a whole chicken, and save back a cup or two worth of meat back, and we have the rest of the chicken for supper.
I then make the stock – the same way you do, but I also throw in a little bit of carrots, garlic, onions, and celery, and they add more flavor and nutrients to the stock/broth.
The next day, I use a cup of cooked chicken, and the homemade broth, and make up a big crock pot of chicken and rice soup. I chop up some more veggies, and sometimes add peppers, and it’s GREAT. REAL chicken soup, LOL. 🙂
Day three – I use the left over soup (if any) and the remaining cup of chicken, and I use the crock pot ~again~ and make black beans and rice. I cook it with whatever is left of the chicken soup, and throw in the rest of the leftover chicken.
One chicken – three meals – all in the crock pot – YEAH! 😉
Lynn says
Please don’t mind my asking. How do you use the fat to make gelatin? And what is the gelatin used for? I just don’t know if it is something that is in the prepackaged kinds of foods that I have been using. I am really loving making most everything homemade and blessing my family and myself with nutritious and even delicious food.
Janice says
Thanks. Fry’s (Kroger) has whole chickens for $.49/lb this week. I’ve never made broth, I’ll try it.
Bree says
I am stocking up on this sale too! I go and get the limit 4, then send my husband to get 4. I am usually happy when it is .69 1b! but .49 WHOO HOOO!
Rachel @ Life in #3 says
I’ve never bought a whole chicken before- because they scared me, yes! Thank you so much for this post- I am buying one the next time I go to the grocery- you can’t get any easier than the crock-pot!
Beth says
I do this all the time since I bought a crock pot. Love it!
Tonya says
Great idea. I’ve never cooked a chicken in a crockpot. I usually boil a whole chicken then set aside, using the broth to start a soup. I put about half of the chicken in the soup toward the end and use the other half for chicken salad.
JennaG says
This is exactly what I do!
Smockity Frocks says
EXCELLENT advice! I do this a lot, but had never known to cook the bones on low overnight for extra flavorful broth. Great tip!
I am also glad you posted the cost per person for the meals. I was just thinking today that when people eat out, they probably don’t think much of spending $10 for their meal, but do they realize they could make the same thing for $1?!
Thank you for this!
Tabitha says
If you add a splash of vinegar to the bones in the crockpot, you will extract more minerals from the bones, making for a richer, healthier broth. It makes the BEST soup.
Emalee Hall says
was thinking the same thing about the vinegar!
Amber says
When I do the chicken in the crockpot, I prop it up on some balls of aluminum foil. It ends up tasting more like a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store! You can affect the crispiness of the skin by drying it off and then rubbing it with (a healthy) oil.
Be careful with the whole drying/rubbing procedure though as it can be a great way to spread germs all over the place!
honda4fun says
I’ve been researching as I’m planning to buy my 1st slow cooker. I’ve also heard about the foil balls. It’s to keep the chicken off the juices it produces. Another alternative is to lay the chicken on a bed of potatoes Another smart person said to cut celery to fit in the base!
Becky says
The timing of your post couldn’t have been better!
I just bought a whole chicken because it was 69 cents/lb., and we are completely out of money for the month. (That’s another story: hubby’s tooth broke in half unexpectedly, my car tire was punctured, and I got my first traffic ticket in years, all the same month.)
Anyway, I bought this chicken, having no idea what to do with it, just knowing it was cheap. I googled whole chicken recipes and wasn’t finding anything that caught my attention.
Then I went through my blog RSS feeds, and saw your post. Now I know what to do! Thank you!
Brenda says
This is so much better than buying the precooked chickens because you get the broth as well. And its almost effortless.
Monica says
This is great…thank you so much for posting it! I’ve never purchased a whole chicken because I had no idea how to cook it. And I guess I wasn’t motivated enough to figure it out myself (i.e. use google). But this looks so easy to do!! I’ll definitely be trying it!
Rebecca says
I have started doing this as well. In fact I will gross myself out and cut up the chicken into it’s respective parts and use them in a recipe and then make broth with the uncooked carcass. Last week I bought a 7 lb. chicken for $5 and made chicken pot pie, chicken soup, chicken sandwiches and 10 cups of broth…that’s 5 cans! It was fantastic 🙂
Elizabeth says
Maybe I should have checked my feed reader BEFORE I started my day by putting a chicken in the oven :/
I’ll still do the bones and broth this afternoon in the crockpot…sounds better than doing it on the stove top 😉
Thanks Toni!
Moms Sanity is making a comeback says
I make whole fryer chickens alot but have never tried it in a crockpot, Im going to try this very soon. Thanks!
Jules says
That is awesome. Thanks for the really clear directions! – Jules
Laura V. says
This is exactly what I do with my whole chickens and I also make my broth in the crockpot (I add carrots, onions and celery for extra flavor)!! I was so delighted a year or so ago when I realized I could make the broth overnight in the crockpot and not have to worry about it simmering all day on the stove!
Kelly says
We raise and butcher our own chickens. One year the freezer quit working right after we butchered. I had to cook off 14 chickens in a hurry. We picked them all and froze the meat in 1 lb. bags. Loved having the pre-cooked meat available for soups and casseroles. Best mishap I ever experienced!
Nancy says
Thanks for the reminder. I have 2 whole chickens in my freezer. One of them will get cooked like this for sure. Plus broth.
Rita @ Creatively Domestic says
I just gave this a try on Friday, and it worked so well I’m planning on doing this every week. I was struggling with storage for the broth, but I have a ton of yogurt containers that size – great tip!
Lisa says
You could also store the broth in freezer bags after cooling completely. Lay them flat in your freezer.
Rachael says
I love roasting chickens in the crockpot. 🙂 I normally add an orange inside the chicken while cooking. It adds great flavor and makes it juicier.
MJ Martin says
Do you add the orange whole, or peel it first? I’m such a loser when it comes to cooking meat! My hubby is a vegetarian! lol
TheHappyHousewife says
I think it is a whole orange, but I could be wrong….
Rachael says
I slice it in half, but don’t peel it. 🙂
Lisa says
Does that affect the taste of the chicken and/or broth?
Stacey Sims says
I always cut the orange or any citrus in half and put them into the chicken or turkey.
Stacey Sims says
I always cut the orange or any citrus in half and put them into the chicken or turkey.D’t worry about peeling it, the peeling gives it x-tra flavor!!!
LyRae says
oh so did not think of that. I did that with my turkey this year at Thanksgiving (orange and apple in the cavity), but never thought about it with the chicken in the crock pot thanks for the awesome tip!
Tiffany says
What spices/seasoning do you put on the chicken if you use an orange? We have a ton of oranges that need to get used and quick so this is a must for us this week. Thanks for posting!
Phoebe @ Cents to Get Debt Free says
I do mine this way, as well. Except, I do not spray my crockpot–I just throw the chicken in.
I’m really weird about bones in my food, so I always strayed away from whole chickens. When I realized just how frugal they were, and how much I could get from them–I gave it a go. Now, if I could only be more effective in getting the small bones out of my food! Finding one in my mouth is enough for me to be done with dinner, right then!
TheHappyHousewife says
Have you tried pulling the meat off when the chicken is cold. I find it is easier, and I don’t have a problem with bones. The one time I did it when it was hot, I did find a bone later…
Although I was also in a hurry…
arleen says
My son is the same way with fish
Sherrie says
Hi!
Great ideas and recipes! Thanks for sharing. Have a great day!
Amy says
I use my roaster and cook two at a time. I figure that way I will have plenty of leftovers. I need to see if I can use the roaster to make the broth, also. Any ideas if it will work in there, too? The roaster makes the meet incredibly most, also.
A few years ago we tried several different ways of cooking our Thanksgiving turkey including brines, oven bags, and the roaster. We found the roaster makes the best flavor of anything, so that is how we cook our turkey, too.
Alicia says
I’m wondering what size of chicken this was? I often see chickens on sale though it’s rare that I see a whole chicken for around $4 (usually I only see them for around 6, and when you compare that to the pre-cooked roasters for $7… i often will just get those).
TheHappyHousewife says
The chicken was a little over 4 pounds. I think the price at the commissary was $0.89 a pound, so I paid $4 for the chicken.
Toni
Amanda says
This is about the only way we do chicken, except for when we are craving chicken wings. A whole chicken has a thousand uses. I love to add some apples into the cavity when cooking either in the crockpot or the rotisserie (a gift). Very good, especially when you make some of the chicken into a good old southern chicken salad.
Amanda
Maria says
I used to avoid whole chickens too, until about a year ago, when my husband was laid off. I started doing this because it was cheap and you could get so many meals out of it. I have more broth/stock in my freezer than I can come up with uses for! With the leftover chicken I usually make chicken pot pie, chicken noodle casserole, chicken burritos, or some kind of soup such as chicken chili monterey-yum!
monica villarreal says
I really want to start doing this too! I think I have the crockpot part down…wondering if you could give me some of those recipes for the chicken afterwards!? I could use as many chicken recipes as possible. Thanks!!
Felicia says
I would love to have some of your recipes too! They sound yummy and I could really use some new recipes to expand my chicken repertoire.
Joyful says
Thank you for posting cooking a chicken in a crockpot. I am trying to be more frugal, this is going to help.
Thanks,
Joyful
Ashly Lowe says
I agree, I buy them because of the cost. I use one chicken for about 2 dinners. I also always cook them frozen.
Sarah says
How do you cook them frozen, do you take the bag out before you freeze (the giblets, etc)
Ashly Lowe says
I don’t take the bag out first. I freeze them right from the store packaging. Take it out of the packaging place in the crock pot w/ no water. Season like you would if thawed. It is amazing how it cooks the same.If I’m cooking chicken breast I put them in frozen. I also do this w/ my roast. I’ve been cooking your shredded beef tacos. When I cook the roast, pour everything over top of the frozen roast (don’t add water)and let it cook away!!! BTW, my family LOVES them!!! OH, when cooking them frozen I always cook on high. Let me know if you try it, and how it works for you!!!
Angela says
I’m cooking my first frozen chicken in the crock pot right now on low. I started it at 7am and I will get back home around 5. I hope that it is as good as I’m hoping it will be.
Noema says
I’ve never cooked a chicken in the crock pot and am looking forward to trying now. I love the tip about making the broth next. I often use leftover chicken to make white chicken chili and with your crock pot recipe I could also use the broth in the chili the next day too.
Lisa@blessedwithgrace says
Great tip about making your own chicken broth. I like the chicken in a crock pot too!But, I have been wasting that good juice. I will start making my chicken broth too! Thank you!
Shirley Dunn says
Thanks for the tips about the broth. I love throwing a whole chicken in the crockpot and usually save the left over broth, but I’ll try it this way now. I enjoyed reading all the reader tips too.
Cara says
I just started cooking whole chickens recently, but I haven’t tried it in the crockpot yet. This sounds so simple and mess free! Thanks for sharing!
Christina Taylor says
I always make my whole chickens in the oven, I will have to try the crockpot next. I use my broth to make rice all the time, adds some extra flavor.
I also use that tiny bit of leftover chicken that doesn’t seem like enough for a meal in chicken quesidillas. Tortilla with refried beans, chicken, veggies (whatever you have), cheese- fold in half and heat in oven or microwave. This is a great meal for those nights when everyone is in and out with activities. Make them early and everyone can heat their own when ready. My littles like to dip them in sour cream or guacamole.
Linda says
Very good tips. I don’t like picking crabs or other kinds of foods, but the benefits of cooking whole chickens has had me picking chickens for a long time for my large family. If you have never tried it….go for it.
One tip-take out the paper baggie thingie before freezing. It helps to thaw faster and more evenly. Sometimes I preseason the outside and inside of the chicken and vacuum seal it.
Good eating!
Wendy says
I love my crock pot to cook whole chickens! I use this recipe, it’s called Rubber Chicken because you can stretch 3 meals out of it. Roast chicken one day, chicken and bean enchiladas the next and finally soup. It’s great stuff. I also like how it suggests to stuff the inside with carrot, celery and onion. It’s unbelievable how much flavor the chicken picks up from the veggies. Of course, the veggies are then bland and just get thrown away. lol
http://www.leanneely.com/2009/rubber-chicken/
Susie G. says
I believe you, Wendy, about the vegetables, because I recently boiled chicken and added veggies for the stock and it was SO MUCH BETTER than when I had done it without. I am excited to try the crockpot techniques from HHW!
Becky L. says
While reading this, I have chicken cooking in the oven for tomorrow night’s dinner. I’m cooking it almost completely tonight then finish when I get home so I won’t have to wait almost an hour before I eat dinner after work.
I cook whole chicken in a crockpot but have always put water in it. I thought you had to or it’d burn without water. I’ve since learned that I can make more broth by cooking the bones later. Adding veggies sounds good as well.
I’m half a notion to buy a bigger crockpot since the older one has problems getting whole chickens to fit any more.
Take care and thanks for all the ideas!!!
http://grandmabeckyl.blogspot.com
Jamie says
I love the old 1970’s orange crockpot. I too wanted a larger one so now I have two and often use both at the same time. Big crockpot for meat, and the smaller for beans.
deedee says
i started cooking chicken like this about a year ago. what i usually do though is, throughout the week as im cleaning veggies for meals, i keep the stray carrot peels, celery ends, zucchini bits and whatever else i have and shove them in a bag in the freezer.
by the time im ready to make the chicken broth, i have a bag of veggie scraps to throw in with it to give it a little flavor. you can also just use the veggies by themselves to make a veggie broth.
frugal and healthy ^_^
cheers!
lindy says
I was going to say we do the same thing! Glad I’m not the only one 🙂 We keep celery ends, onion tops, etc in a bag in the freezer and use them when I’m making chicken stock – it works GREAT! Thanks for the crock pot chicken idea…I’ll be using it next time we have whole chicken…I had been using the oven – but the crockpot would save so much electricity. And making the stock in there is brilliant too – cheaper than the stovetop! Thanks for helping us all save money!
Heather S says
I have been wanting to do this and with the weather starting to change and get colder was getting ready to search for a recipe! Now I don’t have to!! THANK YOU!!!
Emily says
I do this at least once a week.
I will also cut up potatoes and carrots and put those on the bottom.
Alice McD says
I’m inspired to do more of this.
I hate picking the meat off the bones, but tolerate it by using gloves. I put on thick rubber gloves (not disposable) and begin by washing them with antibacterial soap, just as I would my hands. If the phone rings or I need to do something else in the kitchen I can just slip off the slimy gloves to change tasks, then put them back on when I return!
Erin says
Thanks for the great idea! I usually cook my chickens in the oven but they make a huge mess and then to make stock I have to dirty other pans. I am so ready to try cooking my chicken in the crock pot next time around.
Valerie Wilson says
I have also put in a frozen chicken at night before I go to bed and in the morning it is done! It usually just falls off the bones and I lift out the little bag of “stuff”. It’s been a little while since I did it, and I can’t quite remember if I put it on HIGH or LOW. I probably put it on HIGH at first then turned it down to LOW a little later. I think you could do it on LOW and in the morning if it isn’t done yet, crank it up to HIGH for a little longer.
Jennifer says
I do this all the time. I even buy chicken thighs and debone them and save the bones, in the freezer) until I have enough to boil them down. There is still a little meat on the bones so it adds to it. Once it is chicken broth I use a large muffin pan (the ones used to make really big muffins) and put the broth in there and freeze it. The fat comes to the top so it can be taken off. Then I end up with 1 cup portions of chicken broth to use in other recipes.
Alice McD says
I LOVE the muffin pan idea!
If I have to wait to thaw an iceberg (or remember to do it ahead of time) I’m more likely to reach for a can instead of what I stored. I do that with cilantro and water in ice cube trays to keep it on hand for a favorite soup recipe — but never thought to translate that to broth!
Jennifer says
I LOVE THIS!! I’ve always felt overwhelmed with the thought of cooking a whole chicken. Our local grocery store had chickens on sale this week for .59/lb., so I decided to give your crockpot recipe a try. I just finished cooking the chicken & it is delicious!! Thanks so much!!!
Trista Laborn says
I Loved the way you take the pictures of each step, it is so clear and understandable. I LOVE to shop at the commarrisary (Please excuse my spelling!!) but I’m always looking for cooking ideas on what would work for my family and My Husband loves chicken and this is just another way for me to try to cook chicken!!! 🙂 Thank you so very much!!! 🙂
stacy says
I did this today. Made the house smell wonderful and I love having the extra meat and broth!
Gina says
I tried this out tonight because of your post. It turned out great!!! Thanks so much. I left it in the crock pot a little longer than 7 hours more like 10 cause I had to, but it was still fine. broth is now cooking for the morning. LOVE this!! Going to go read comments to see what else everyone said to do.
Nic says
For those who don’t like dealing with the innerds, you can do as I did and buy a Kosher bird which come without for some reason.
fern says
I love cooking a whole chicken in the crockpot-I like to prop it up on foil balls so it is not sitting in the juices. I have also done this with a bone-in turkey breast. Very moist!
Melanie says
I add whole garlic cloves and dried rosemary. It smells heavenly.
Tara says
One fun and only slightly twisted thing I like to do before I put it in the crock pot is to hold it by it’s wings and “dance” the chicken. It doesn’t do anything at all beyond entertain the kids for a minute! 🙂
Allison says
I do this all the time, though I make gravy out of the original broth. I also save veggies scraps, primarily onions to have on hand when makeing broth. I also open the giblet bag and put that in the broth. The organ meats are full of nutrients and they are imparted to the broth. The neck is full of more meat. You can often get more than one batch of broth from a set of bones.
I also save various beef bones from chuck roasts or such, and throw them in a bag in the freezer. When I have enough, I put them all in the crock pot to make beef broth.
Gretchen says
Don’t throw out the bag of “stuff” inside the bird! Pour it into a saucepan, add water, (try to not pour in the “juices” ie blood)…and simmer it on the stovetop for about 10 – 15 min. Let it cool and pour the broth over the dog’s kibble and chop up the stuff that can be chopped (ok, wear rubber gloves if you think you need to), which means do not chop the neck – it is too boney. Give the chopped up delicacies to the dogs or the cats – whoever is wrapped around your legs while they smell this cooking! Just don’t think about body parts, ok? The pets will love, love, love this – and it is SO good for them too! (Throw away the neck)
Melessa says
I already did this, but the comments gave me some new ideas to try. I like to put a lemon sliced in half into my chicken cavity and season with garlic, salt, and lemon pepper.
Kate says
What a wonderful discovery! I just tried this recipe out tonight and it was perfect. The chicken just fell off the bones and was delicious. I had never made a whole chicken before in my life and this was a great introduction. Thanks!
Shirley Dunn says
I was so happy to see this post and previously posted a note about trying this. I cooked a whole chicken yesterday and let the broth cook all night long last night. The broth is now cooling in the fridge so I can scrape off the fat. Wow – I don’t think I’ll ever buy chicken broth again! Thanks again for this post.
Phillip says
I like your site. I appreciate what you are trying to do (get more people to realize that a two-income household is NOT mandatory).
When cooking with a crockpot – you may want to always start with one hour on High. It gets the ambient temp in the pot to a point where germs can’t grow (a very cold chicken would take hours to get up to temperature on the inside and would be making a nice batch of Salmonella). Also – you didn’t mention it in your article, but ALWAYS when cooking with crockpot; open the top only a couple of well-planned times. Every time you open it up the ambient temperature inside drops precipitously and takes a while to get back up (this is less true with soups and stews since they have lots of liquid to keep in the heat).
Great site – keep it up.
Phillip
TheHappyHousewife says
Thanks for the extra tips! I don’t open my crock pot at all, but thanks for pointing that out!
Toni
WileyR420 says
I’ve done this a lot since I can get chickens cheap most of the time. I do add the organ meat (I’ll eat liver, heart, gizzard) or will freeze it until I have enough to fry them for a meal. I vary the spices and herbs, slice either apples, onions, pears or pineapples in the cavity and layer them over the chicken (put the breast down and it’ll always be moist) and usually use fresh Rosemary sprigs except for pineapple. I use garlic with sliced onions, or if I’m just using spices and herbs, but not with fruit. I use mixtures like Mrs. Dash or Old Bay, grill rubs or barbecue rubs at times to give the chicken different flavors. Soy sauce or Worschester sauce can improve the flavor as can terriaki sauce.
If you want to skin it, but don’t like messing with the skin and fat, stick it in your freezer for about an hour, or wait until it is almost thawed, or cook it, then let it cool and skin it after cooking. After the first meal, I let it cool enough to de-bone it, package the meat, then add water and more of the seasonings I’ve already used, the skin, bones, innards, neck and let them reduce until the flavor is intense, then strain it and either put it in the fridge or freezer for later use, or (in winter)combine it with the leftover meat, cook rice or noodles with mixed veggies for a super chicken soup.
Serena says
I finally tried this! (And posted about it on my blog tonight…lol). How amazing! Very yummy, and so easy! Great idea… thanks!
Alexis says
A whole chicken is on the menu for dinner tomorrow and will definitely be making broth with the bones and leftover juices. Thank you!!
Janet says
We raised our own chickens (meat birds) this past fall. When I first tried to cook one of the whole birds I was stuck. I didn’t know what to do with it. I tried this and it worked great. I just put it in the pot and left it. I love chicken, but my husband is not a big fan. He really enjoyed eating my crock pot chicken. Thanks for all of the suggestions, too.
Paula says
We love the chicken in a crock pot. One of our family favorites is to prop the chicken up on the balls of foil and add bar-b-q sauce. Mmmmmm
Jeni says
I just got two whole chickens at the store this morning, and I’m excited to try this!
Michelle Reed says
If you use the parts in the bag (taken out of bag) and the neck of chicken in about 4 cups of water in a medium pot and boil them. Next you skim off any dirty foamy stuff off the water after the water and parts have boiled for about 15 mins. Use this as your water you would use to make your stuffing. Best if stuffing is placed in the bird and cooked as you specified but can be done out of the bird also. This makes even the driest cheapest boxed stuffing on the market seem so much better. Stove Top brand name chicken kind is the best it just melts in your mouth and has the most savory flavor ever. Feel free to add this to your recipe if you like after you test it for yourself. My Grandpa taught me this from a young age and I would like to see it passed around to make family meals more tasty without too much more effort. Oh and take a spoon and scoop the stuffing out as you cut parts of the chicken or turkey away it makes it much easier and I myself stuff both ends of the bird it seems to make the bird more juicy.
Wiley Rutledge says
In the Crockpot is about the only way I’d cook stuffing IN the bird–the
long, soaking heat cooks everything, not just the outside like a faster,
higher temp. method. The boxed stuffing is ok, but making stuffing from
biscuits, cornbread, pepper, sage and salt, using the broth as Ms. Reed
suggests makes an AWESOME and relatively simple dressing. When you have
leftover biscuits and cornbread, you can freeze it all in a large bag and
use the frozen stuff for the dressing.
sophie says
Do u cook it on low or high?
Allison says
So fun reading about this. Im excited because I just did my last 3 posts on 3 things to do with 1 chicken. Roast chicken, then chicken noodle soup, then chicken pie. But I have not ever put the whole chicken in the crockpot. Just the oven or the boiling pot of water. I love the crockpot, so this will be my next thing. And I too was so averse to handling a slimy chicken, but I got over it after I realized all the fantastic, inexpensive meals that could be made. Like grandma used to make 🙂 Thanks again!
Smockity Frocks says
Thanks for adding this to my CrockPot carnival, Toni!
Cheryl@SomewhatCrunchy says
Making broth in the crock pot is brilliant!
Ashley @ Just Another Mom of 2 says
I’m not sure if I’m brave enough to attempt this, but it sure looks like a great idea! I love that you got three good meals out of it too!
WileyR says
Don’t be a chicken!!! Just jump in–you might be surprised how many ways a chicken can be made delicious once you have the basics down.
katadata says
just got done eating dinner! the chicken was a little dry but i will play around with that next time! i’ve already got the bones and skin back in the crockpot for broth…i cant wait for soup! you rule!!
TheHappyHousewife says
I am so surprised the chicken was dry. My chickens are always so juicy. Maybe my crock pot cooks at a lower temperature. If you want a juicier chicken, maybe cook it a little less next time?
🙂 Thanks for the feedback!
Toni
katadata says
i cooked it until the internal temp was 180..i am going to try the orange in the cavity next time. chickens are on sale for 49cents a pound so nows the time to stock up!
TheHappyHousewife says
Wow, that is an amazing price! Great time to stock up!
Toni
WileyR says
Next time if you will put the chicken breast down and cover it with thinly sliced apples or onions (depending if you want sweet or savory) it’ll be juicy.
Charlotte says
Thanks SO much for sharing! I have added this to my meal plan for this week and will use any leftover chicken for the casserole too (that is, if there is any left!) and will definitely come back to comment after I make it! 🙂
Joanna Linsley-Poe says
Thank you,
your recipe was just what I was looking for! I have cooked chicken wings in a crockpot but that was years ago and I have never cooked a whole one! I was going to give up on buying whole chicken but now I’ll have to revise my plans. The broth is an added bonus-as i use alot but hate the added salt in the canned variety.I just found your site but will visit more often.
Caitlin says
Save the “guts” and throw those in the pot too! Another good tip is to save the ends of carrots, onions and celery sticks in a bag in your freezer. Then when you go to make broth dump it in there as well. I usually fill my pot with cold water to get all the good stuff out of the bones and then turn the pot on after about 15 minutes and leave it for about 10-15 hours. mmmmm. So yummy!
When I cook chickens in my crock pot it only takes 4 hours on high and its done. 7 hours seems a bit overkill.
Lisa@Destination Seaborn says
This is a great post. I’ve been wanting to try chicken in a crockpot but didn’t know how. Thanks for the broth tip. I’ll be back to read your reader’s comments! Lisa
Sandra says
When you put all the stuff back in the crockpot, you can add the “innards” back at this point for even more flavor.
Melissa's Thougths says
My brain is fried. I always cook a whole chicken like this, but then I THROW OUT THE GOOD STUFF IN THE CROCKPOT. Thank you for minding us to keep going.
Missy @ It's Almost Naptime says
Hey Toni!
I do this too, only I just put a ton of Tony Cachere’s and about 5 drops of Tabasco. YUM.
I also make two foil balls and set them in the bottom – keeps the chicken from burning.
Kristy says
I’ve done this a few times and love that we get a few meals out of it. I will almost always use the broth and extra chicken to make Chicken Tortilla Soup…yummy!! I have a question though, why do you skim the fat off the broth? Isn’t that somewhat beneficial to have some fat in it? Also, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea about freezing cilantro in water in the ice cube tray! I love cilantro but I never use the whole big bunch and it kills me to throw it out. Now I won’t have to! Thanks to everyone for the great tips!
Coyote says
For those who aren’t sure what to do with the giblets (the gross little paper bag of chicken organs hiding inside your whole chicken…
You make gravy. Often, the giblets will include the liver, the heart, sometimes the gizzard, and if you are really, really lucky, the neck.
Take all these out of the bag, and rinse them off a little. Put them into a little saucepan, and add maybe 2 cups of water.
Add a few tablespoons of minced onions, or even better, a medium-sized minced shallot. Nothing beats shallots, and you don’t need as much as when you use onion.
Add a splash of wine. Don’t use “cooking wine.” If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it either. If you don’t like wine (you weirdo), use a tablespoon or less of worcestershire sauce instead.
If you like herby flavors, you can also add a little marjoram, sage, rosemary and thyme (or any combo you like). I also like to add a little bit of black pepper at the very end of cooking, but other herbs go in at the beginning.
Simmer (medium or low heat) them for a long, long time, until only about half the liquid or less remains. Strain out the solid bits, and discard them.
Turn the heat up so that the liquid will come to a boil.
Into a small cup, put a tablespoon or two of corn starch. Add a few tablespoons of _very cold_ water, and mix with a fork until the mixture is smooth (if you use warm water, you get lumps).
Stirring quickly, add the cornstarch mixture to the giblet stock. In a few moments, it should begin to seriously thicken. When it does, remove from the heat.
You will now have about a cup of one of the richest, most delicious, chickeny-est gravies you’ve ever had. Nothing beats giblet gravy.
And, needless to say, this is a good use for turkey giblets as well.
Margaret Robertson says
Gosh…here I am, an Irish-woman living in Scotland, and was trawling through the ‘net for slow-cooker ideas for chicken , and lo and behold I came across this for a whole chicken in a crockpot (as my US friends say). I’m delighted ! Hubby bought me a 6.5litre slow cooker for Xmas, to replace my old earthenware one, and I had thought it was too big for every-day use. Now, I have learned that I can slow-cook a whole chicken, with no fuss, no mess and no standing by the oven for ages watching that it doesn’t burn. Thank you so very much. You learn something new every day! I’m very grateful for the tip and even now have a chicken defrosting in readiness. I’m still a little bit scared to try and cook it from frozen. Many, many thanks….Margaret, originally from Co Cork but now living in Central Scotland.
happymommy2 says
I did this and I’m hooked. Thanks so much for posting this. I somehow only got about 8 oz. broth, maybe I overcooked, but this is my favorite way to make a whole chicken now. 🙂
kim says
Making the chickie today. I haven’t done it in the crockpot before, but when I’ve made broth I freeze it in muffin tins and ice cube trays then when its frozen solid take them out of the trays and store in freezer bags. That way the broth is pre-measured in amounts that you can vary more easily than the huge chunk from the yogurt cup.
My only problem is that a whole chicken only lasts about 1.5 meals. but it still is a wonderful easy way to cook a chicken.
Coyote says
By the way, I forgot to offer kudos to you for telling people about cooking the bones, bits and skin to make broth! Nothing beats stock you make yourself when other recipes call for it.
Tracy says
I’ve been having alot of trouble lately trying to get my meat in the crock pot not to be dry =( . I’m guessing by the reviews this recipe won’t cause the chicken to dry out? I bought my first whole chicken at the store this week. I’m really hoping this will turn out well…
TheHappyHousewife says
I don’t think you will have any problems with the chicken drying out. It is always moist when I make it.
Toni
Tracy says
thanks for the affirmation! I’ll have to get back on and let you guys know how it turns out when I make it =)
TheHappyHousewife says
Definitely- please keep us updated on how it turns out!
Tracy says
so I just tried it and it turned out dry. I was very disappointed =(. Next time I try it maybe I can put the orange in it like the other girl suggested.
TheHappyHousewife says
I am shocked, I have made this hundreds of times and it has never been dry. Does your crock pot run hot? Sometimes that can cause the meat to over cook. 🙁
Tracy says
I suspect that my crockpot runs hotter than normal, because I have done a few other things since making the chicken and they also have turned out dry. I’m going to try using the warm setting next time instead of low.
Tracy says
I finally got brave enough to try this again and I put the crock pot on Warm for 6 hours instead of on low and it turned out perfect!! I’m so glad that it was my crock pot’s fault and not mine =)!! Thanks so much, Ladies!! =)
Jody says
I just tried this and loved how it turned out. Question: Is it normal for the broth to become totally gelatinous upon refrigeration? Also, how long will the broth last in the fridge before it goes bad? Thanks so much!
TheHappyHousewife says
Yes, that is normal. I usually add a cup of water for each cup of broth when cooking because it is much stronger than store bought broth. I am not sure how long it lasts in the fridge. If I am not going to use it within a week I usually freeze it.
Toni
nmhrn says
I just made this tonight. It was amazing! I did put a cut up onion in the cavity. I also put some EVOO on a paper towel and wiped it over the entire chicken. Then I added the spices-salt, pepper and paprika. When the chicken was put in the crockpot, I did then put enough water in the bottom to make about 1/4 inch. The chicken fell off the bone and I have the stock cooking right now with celery tops and ends of the onion. Smells terrific! Thanks so much for this.
janice says
When I have made chicken stock from a store bought chicken I wrap the bones and skin in cheesecloth. When you’re done simmering the broth just pull out the bones wrapped in cheesecloth and throw it away. I use butchers twine to wrap the cheesecloth up. There’s no need to strain the broth of bones. Using the crockpot to simmer the bones for broth is a great idea.
TheHappyHousewife says
What a great idea Janice! Thanks for the suggestion!
Toni
Jessica C says
I have always ruined any bird I’ve tried to cook. If it has a carcas, I can’t cook it. Until now. I spent the better part of Friday reading your blog, watching your video, checking on all the comments people made and by 4:00pm I was ready to tackle it. I went to the store, bought the bird and decided to cook in the oven because I was too excited to wait over night to cook in the crockpot. It turned out delish! The best part, however, was that I rendered about 8 cups of chicken broth – NO SODIUM!! That bird was enought for dinner for the hubby and ds, lunch for me and now chicken salad for Sunday lunch…Thank you for sharing and thank you to all your readers that commented and made it feel so easy! I might even attempt the turkey this thanksgiving. I have been married 14 years and the first year I ruined the bird and I wasn’t brave enough until year 12 and I ruined that one…*maybe* this year.
Good Luck with your move “sister in arms”. One mil spouse to another!!
Matthew Hector says
What to do with the inards?
ANSWER: dice them in to about 1/8 inch pecies fry them in a pan with a little butter. In the meantime make your favorite stove top stuffing, once they are done frying add them to the stuffing. I also like to add apples,spicy sausage, onions white and red to the other pecies while they are frying. Once this combination is done cooking add it to the stuffing season to taste then stuff the chicken, or surve as a side. This adds geat flavor and it is a quick and easy way to spice up any old stuffing mix.
sherry parsons says
I usually save the innards in a ziploc bag in the freezer…every time I use a chicken I collect numerous ones and when I make fried chicken I thaw the innards(gizzards & livers) and dip and fry them along with the other chicken they make nice snackers while we wait on the chicken and even the kids love them:-)
jonte says
I use the inner baggies of goodies(lol) for my dressing….
Donna says
Okay, read all the post and tried this. It turned out great except I put an orange inside and realized while taking the meat off the bones. I’m not a fan of the orange taste with chicken. It sounded good. You might want to think about if you think you will like that taste or not. Who knew? Otherwise, it smells wonderful and the couple of bites I took were moist and tender. I now have the bones and juices with some celery and onion cooking on low. I may add a bit of garlic too. Thanks for posting this. I’m reading your story of your first years together. Bringing back memories of our own start. 🙂
Jenny says
I use this recipe all the time! What a simple tasty healthy thing! I do the chicken the first night and then make soup the next night which is way more than we can eat so it ends up being at least 3 dinners! Thanks for the tip!
karla Osburn says
The “bag of innards” were once called “Giblettes”, thus, giblette gravy.
I boil all of the contents in water till it is all cooked. Except for the kneck, I chop it all up and find a dog owner, ang give it to them to add to the canines’ dinner. Cats love it, too. It must be minced for cats.
Save he knecks and freeze them until crabbing season, let them fester in the sun a couple of days, then go crabbing- same method works for catfishng, too.
The cooked giblettes are also good for mincing and adding them to stuffing.
Broth from the parts are also for gravy,soup,etc.
Kathleen C says
It’s also healthier to buy a whole chicken. Because of the way factory chickens are raised and treated, you are less likely to have a damaged chicken when you buy it whole. When you buy only the pieces of the chicken i.e breast, thighs, legs, etc. there is a greater likelihood that other parts of the chicken were damaged (sores, tumors) and even diseased. Pretty gross when you think about it. That and it’s just a heck of a lot cheaper to buy a whole bird. I can get 3-4 meals out of one.
Thanks for the post because I have never cooked one in the crock pot and wasn’t sure if I had to do anything special. 🙂
Lynn says
I am a big fan of cooking with a slow cooker and using the whole chicken. When a local grocer puts a whole chicken on sale for 66 cents a pound – well you gotta take advantage of it. Chop up some garlic and or onion….or some paprika as you suggest…..i mean really. It is so easy and it is a shame that the slow cooker has gotten a bad wrap in some circles.
I also use the cooked chicken to make chicken pot pie! Delicious and cheap!!
David E.Maines says
I need to be able to print recipes
TheHappyHousewife says
If you click directly on the post link, you will see a little black and white printer at the bottom of the article. If you click on that you will be able to print the article.
Toni
Nichole says
Lordy, I’m late to the party on this one. ;D What an ingenious idea; I know what we’re having tomorrow. And the next day (pesto chicken salad sammiches). And the day after that (soup)! YAY!!!!
katey says
This is also how I make cat food. We eat what we want off the chicken, then I let it cool. Pull the rest of the chicken off the bones and throw the bones away. I put the chicken right back in to the pot with the liquid and add leftover rice and veggies. If I don’t have any leftovers to add, I will cook up some frozen veggies and rice. I tried sending it thru a food processor, but they actually didn’t like it as much. They absolutely love it. Even mister fussy-butt!
Vianka says
I recently bought my 1st crock pot & a little cook book. Most of the recipes in there require a lot of ingrediants I never have in my kitchen. I loved this recipe. Easy to follow and directly to the point, great idea w/the step by step photos. Thanks from San Diego!
miquel says
You can boil your giblets(inards) until they are done, then chop them real fine, add back to the broth. Take about a eighth of a cup of flour add hot water and stir until you can get as many of the lumps out as you can. Then turn your broth and giblet mixture on medium / med high dep on your stove and slowly add the thickning(flour mixture) This will make a great gravy. may need to add more flour water mixture if you want it thicker. Also can chopp the giblets as fine as you wld like them in your gravy…almost forgot….salt and pepper to taste add sauteed onions and bell peper if you want to get jiggy. 🙂
Judith says
If you use cornstarch and COLD water you don’t get the flour taste and it thickens well.
Renee says
Maybe I’ve overlooked it but I’m planning to cook a whole chicken I recently bought that is already cut up. Can I plan to cook it the same as you would a whole chicken in the crock-pot? I’m wanting to cook down the meat for a pot-pie.
Thanks!
Tina says
Got a crock pot and used it for the second time today. I wish I had looked for a recip0e before I tried a whole chicken…. I put carrots, celery,. onions, parsley and bay leaf in the bottom of the pot with the chicken on top but added some stock and ended with a steamed the chicken. … will try it without the broth the next time. It did make good stock for soup. I always put the gizzard heart and neck in a pot with more of the same veggies with any of the fat, skin and occasionally add the wings (if I don’t want to present the chicken on a plate as a whole) add water and simmer to make stock for soup. When cooked cut the gizzards very small, clean the chicken from the bones.add rice or noodles to the broth with the veggies. (more veggies could be added) and a the soup is ready. If there is time cool the broth to remove the fat from the broth and the meat from the neck and wings. Some left over chicken is a nice addition.
I fry.the liver….my favorite part of the chicken. When we were younger and wouldn’t eat liver mother after roasting it with the whole chicken pushed it through a sieve added tomato paste and some broth and served it over noodles or rice.
Judith says
When ever I plan on cooking a whole chicken, I clean my chicken and then dissolve 1/4 cup of salt in water and brine my chicken overnight. Then drain it well, put onions and garlic on bottom of crock pot and follow above directiions. Some times I use a rub on my chicken, whatever herbs and spices you like and just rub it on.
Laura says
Currently soaking my whole chicken in warm water to thaw the rest of it out that didnt in the fridge. I have a small crock pot so i use a small chicken. this was very nice to see. i never thought to use peprika on my chicken. i usually use my “usual” spices. i use a touch of garlic some mrs. dash table blend, seasoning salt, onion powder, and some pepper and rub that into the chicken. tonight i will try to rub some peprika instead. sounds like a wonderful idea.
jt says
WHAT A GREAT TIP!! I’m always searching online for crockpot whole chicken recipes and absolutely love your tips to create chicken broth. Since I love soup from the Chinese restaurants, I usually save the quart plastic containters so I’ll use them to store the broth. Will try it tomorrow. Thanks!!
Karen says
My grocer had chickens on sale for $.69/lb & I will be crock potting mine too. I love to add dried mushrooms to my broth as well…makes for a wonderful stock. A great use for the innards: add them to the stock. When I make my broth, I add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf, pepper & the innards and cook overnight in the crock pot. After the stock is done & strained, I pick off whatever meat is left on the bones, put in a blender or food processor along with the cooked innards & some of the carrot & I blend/process it into a paste. It makes a few cups of paste & I put it in snack size baggies & freeze. What do I do with the paste? I add it to add to dry dog food for my 2 boxers. I put a tsp of paste to 2 cups water and add that as ‘gravy’ for 2 boxers. They love it & it’s healthy for them- this way I’m getting all I can out of a whole chicken!
Nicci says
I’m trying this right now. However, my chicken’s innards were NOT in a bag. Just loose in there. I nearly died.
TheHappyHousewife says
Yuck! I hope everything else went okay.
Toni
Courtney says
Well i moved in with boyfriend and im only 18 and i found a chicken on sale and i was worried because i didnt know how to make it. so thank you im going to try it!
Hayden13 says
If the Chicken is frozen and i want to eat at 7pm What time do i put in the bird??
Julie Van Orman says
ill try do that.. i hate to cook because i dont understand how to cook. Please give me easy and quick recipes. I plan to put carrot, onion and celery, that sounds yummy…
Angela C says
I love doing this. I do not strain my “chicken juice” after I take out the chicken. After I remove all the bones, I pour it all into a jar, let it cool a bit, and then put it in the fridge. The next day I spoon the chicken fat off the top. It is easier to spoon off the fat completely after it has separated and gelled in the fridge.
I then put the juice back in a pot with carrots, celery, onion, some spices, and a bay leaf, and let it simmer all day. At the end of the day, I strain out the veggies, and I have beautiful and nutritious chicken broth. Put it in baggies and freeze for later use.
Beth says
We boil the organ meets from the bag of goodies too…then we use that in the broth as well.
Shaunda says
In our family we don’t eat the skin. It always comes out of the crockpot soft for me and we are trying to be more healthy. So I always skin the chicken, then season it and cook on low. I never add water or broth, just the chicken and I still have plenty of juice for broth. Plus the chicken taste more seasoned, instead of the seasoning being wasted on the skin (since we don’t eat the skin.)
Katie says
I have a 18Month old Son with polycystic kidney and liver disease. Low sodium is a MUST for the health of his kidneys. Thank you so much for teaching me how to make my own broth it truly is a life saver! =]
Tammi says
You can cook & chop the ‘innards’, then feed them to your dog or cat in small portions.
Jennifer says
This is the best post I have read recently!! Thank you so much – I wanted to cook a chicken in my crock pot but wasn’t sure if my chicken was too big (7 lbs.). I stumbled upon your post and did the chicken today (delicious!) and the broth is going as I write. What a perfect, easy, inexpensive little process. Your instructions were great – so practical and easy – love it! Oh, and I also got a bonus: 6 servings of homemade baby food using some of the leftover chicken 🙂 Thanks so much!
Bridget says
I Love to cook and it never occured to me to do a whole chicken in the crock pot. So I have one in there today!! Woo hoo!!! It’s 10am and I’m already pretty well prepared for dinner 🙂 That’s a plus for me 🙂
I did see on a previous post that they skimmed the fat off the broth to make gelatin. Does anyone know how to make the gelatin and what they use it for? It’s nice to have some fresh ideas once in a while and this caught my attention. Thanks!!!! 🙂
And Thank you for posting this!!
QponCutie says
I’ve done this twice in the past two weeks! Delish! However, my stock never really gelatinized, and it usually does when I make it on the stovetop.
Should I try an concentrate it down, or do you think it’s OK to use as-is?
Thanks for the tips!
Kelly Robinson says
You had a question about what to do with the stuff inside the chicken? Give it to your husband and tell him to go fishing. He will like it three times as much when your crock’n your whole chicken making great food on the cheap and actually telling him to go fish’n!
George says
Here’s a use for the “innards”; which, by the way are usually the neckbone, liver and heart. Add them to the chicken stock you are making; after you’re done picking the bones clean on the chicken you just ate. And to really make things convenient, use the crockpot to make the chicken stock. Just take the “innards”, the leftover chicken carcass, a few raw veggies (onions, celery, carrots, shallots, garlic, etc. whatever you have), put them in the crockpot with the remaining “juice” from the chicken, and add water to fill the pot. Put on low and let it slow cook for at least 12-18 hours. Season to your taste. I limit my salt intake so I don’t usually add salt, but add whole peppercorns, whole springs of rosemary, thyme and sage (or dried herbs, if that’s what you have). Don’t worry about all the bits and pieces in your stock; you’re going to strain it all later.
bree says
This was such a helpful website! I made the chicken last night and it was delicious!
dan says
Trying this out tonight. If it’s as good as everyone’s saying, i’m checking out all the other crockpot action you got going down 4 reals.
Jenn says
Thank you so much for this VERY easy, clear recipe! I am not a great cook by far but my husband loves these and I’d heard you can do them in a crock pot, this is the easiest meal I’ve ever done!! Def bookmarking this site to use for more recipes!!! Thanks again!
Jonathan Hutchinson says
Crock pot cooking is my favorite way to cook.
I am cooking my 1st whole chicken right now.
Thanks for the recipe. I had no idea it was
so simple.
Positively!
Lynette says
I’m going to try this as I bought a couple on sale and am a “clueless” cooker. When i do buy the chickens already cooked at the store, I pull off the remaining chicken from the bones and make chicken salad for sandwiches. Chicken, chopped up apple, grapes and mayo….its a great lunch sandwich or even a snack for celery or crackers. So now I can do my own…Thanks!
Christine says
I am trying this recipe today! I will also try the overnight broth idea. had no clue you could keep the juice and bones and make homemade broth. Thanks for the great recipe and will let you know how it all turns out.
Christine says
I made my chick in the crock pot last night for dinner and then left it on all night to make the broth. Awesome idea, who would know. I am really happy that I came across this recipe about making homemade broth. Much much healthier. I got about 50 ounces of broth and its in the fridge cooling right now.
My question is: If I use this 50 ounces of broth for soup, do you add water to the broth?
Another recipe we do is egg dumplings which we usually use water and chicken boulion cubes(my hubby’s recipe). so how would we know how much chicken broth to use and do we add water to that also.?
Thank you!
TheHappyHousewife says
I do add water to my broth. I find that homemade broth is much stronger than broth from the store so I go about 50/50.
For the egg dumplings I would substitute half water/ half broth for the total amount of water you normally add to the recipe.
shelby m says
Thanks! Got more info than I knew I needed! 😀 Very easy and helpful.
Theresa says
I know you posted this a long time ago, but I just found it about a month ago. I tried this once and am now completely hooked! I cook a whole chicken every other week now and get 2-3 meals out of it. Fantastic! youre the best!
Carrie Ayars says
Hi,
My broth was very gelatinous. There was a small amount of white fat to scrape off the top, but the remainder of the broth was cloudy and gloppy. Any suggestions? I can’t imagine that I would use it in a soup as is. Thank you!
TheHappyHousewife says
Was the broth gelatinous when it was warm or after it had cooled?
jack says
Thanks I’m a guy first time cooking a chicken…. basic instructions… perfect helped out alot thanks again didn’t want to embarrass my self asking the cute girl next door how to cook one, well maybe I should invite her over for dinner now lol thanks again!!!
Alison says
My mom uses the gizzard of a turkey to make gravy. Just chop them up, add to broth, add some flour to thicken it, and cook on the stove. It’s pretty good.
Gina DeBruler says
This is the second time that I have followed this super easy recipe. Thanks for teaching me a way to make life simpler…and cheaper! Now I’m not afraid to buy whole chickens ’cause I know exactly what to do with them! I got 6 whole chickens on sale for $.49/lb! 5 are in the freezer and one is in the crockpot. Thanks dear!
Christie says
If you really want to stretch that chicken out, you can even make a 2nd batch of broth from the bones…. strain out the first batch of broth, add more water (I usually just fill up the crockpot) and some more veggies (carrot, onion, celery). Mix the 2nd batch of broth half and half with the first batch, and it’s just as good. I usually get 8-9 quarts of stock from one chicken.
Stacy says
Is the chicken thawed or frozen when you put it in?
Elaine says
I work from 3 – 7, 2 nights a week teaching art to kids. I usually do something in the crock pot, but it’s not my strong point in cooking… This is awesome. Thanks!
Callista says
are you cooking a frozen chicken in the crock pot or has it been de-frosted?
TheHappyHousewife says
I usually have it defrosted. But I have cooked it frozen a few times. It just takes a little bit longer.
Tonya says
I can’t believe I have never done this. Thanks for the “recipe”. When I boil chicken, I save all the broth and freeze it as well, but in glass mason jars generally. AS for the innards, you can boil them like turkey innards, then chop them up (after they have cooled). Add one can of gravy from the store and one hard boiled egg, sliced. Makes delicious “homemade” gravy. I only do this at Thanksgiving with turkey giblets since I’m not a big gravy lover.
P.S. I like to eat the chicken liver myself. 🙂
Candice says
I LOVE the tips. I have a nice yard sale find rotisserie, and it makes amazing chicken. I’ve been boiling down the bones, but sticking in the crock pot makes more sense! Thanks for the vinegar tip, going to try that…and saving veggie scraps, what a way to get extra nutrition! I live in Alaska, expensive and not always great produce, so I am excited about the veggie scrap idea! We eat lots of fish and game so my 2 huge deep freeze are often full, so I’ve started to can my chicken broth, sometimes adding noodles, so it can be stored in the pantry.
Paula says
Deedee and Tabitha mentioned my two best tips about using the veggie “strays” for broth and adding a splash of vinegar to make the broth more mineral rich. I’ll add that the giblets (the stuff in the bag inside–heart, gizzard, liver) and neck if there is one can also go in the broth, and you can strain them out if you don’t want to eat them. I promise it doesn’t make the broth taste wierd. My mom made her turkey gravy by simmering the giblets and neck with some onions and celery tops, and people raved about her gravy. My grandmas chopped up the giblets and added them to their gravy, but my mom strained them out. Cats and dogs love the giblets!
You can also make flavorful, mineral rich beef broth/stock this way, and should definitely do it if you are purchasing grass fed beef…it’s easy and you get more for your money.
And here’s a lesson from one of my cookbooks: Broth is made from the meat, and when you simmer the bones it becomes “stock.”
jessica says
Tyson chicken, have you seen food inc! really really horrible company!!!
Bill Ahlman says
Well, I don’t know whether this qualifies as a good suggetion or not, BUT.. as far as what to do with the bag of WHO KNOW WHAT inside the chicken.. I chop it all up, and fry it.. THEN.. give it to the dog with his regular dry dog food.. The liver and heart are very rich, so I only give him a little bit at a time over a few days. HE LOVES IT!
Rachel says
I always make stock and then chicken n dumplings with leftover store bought roasted chickens… going to try this tomorrow since I bought a whole chicken tonight. Love that the stock would already be made. I also add extra veggies whenever making stock…. and for a shortcut on the dumplings, we like to use canned biscuits (if you don’t make your own)
Julia B says
My husband is from Serbia and my mother-in-law makes excellent (clear) soup from those chicken parts in your aforementioned bag. I’m pretty sad that you can’t buy them separately here or that they are sometimes missing from the chicken! Use the neck as well as any innards and add one un-cut peeled onion (just take the hard skin off down to the white) some whole carrots cut into -inch pieces, a couple of parsnip roots, quite a bit of salt or Vegeta (a seasoning in a blue bag at some grocery stores here, or the alternative, which I think is just chicken bouillon?). Put all in a large saucepan/pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer 1 hour-1 1/2. Strain stock into separate pot. The cooked veggies and such can be eaten hot at that point or with your meal. For the strained stock, put back over heat when you’re about ready to eat and allow to boil. You can add little thin pasta or just have it clear. Add a pinch of pepper at plating. It’s excellent and extremely healthful due to the minerals in the broth.
Lisa Stice says
One of my favorite anytime meals. In fact I am throwing one in the crock pot today.
Lisa says
I’ve been a crockpot owner for years and I only made a whole chicken once in the crockpot. I never thought about saving the liquid and making broth either. What a way to save money. Thank you!
Ashley says
Thank you for an easy way to make a delicious meal (multiple even). My sister raises chickens and we have several whole frozen chickens in the freezer that always get looked and scowled at. I hate messing with raw chicken so the amount of working with raw chicken that goes into cutting it into the carious pieces was too much. Now this is something that I can do. Plus I love chicken stock but hate buying it. This will definitely be used this week.
Suzanne Moreton says
Is there a printer friendly version of this whole chickenm in the crocopot?
TIA
TheHappyHousewife says
Click on the printer at the bottom of the post.
Melinda says
I’ve always heard that it’s not really safe to put a whole chicken in a crockpot because the chicken stays in the ‘danger temperature zone’ too long. Is it better to use chicken pieces, instead? Thanks!
TheHappyHousewife says
I’m curious where you heard this. I always start the crock pot in high and no one has ever been sick from eating it and we eat it all the time.
Robert says
You have a great website, but I prefer to cook the chicken breast up. It makes it easier to get out of the pot, and makes the breasts more tender. Bravo!
Bob
Dawn says
I’m trying it tonight! Can’t wait to see how it turns out. Thanks for the post and all of the ideas.
Steve says
I love the Idea of cooking a whole chicken with no liquid, I’m going to try it and I like to have all the broth after to make a stew or such. Thanks again
Steve ,Saskatchewan
epalm says
I’m cooking my chicken in the crockpot but I added a cup of Good Earth tea for more flavor.
Shanners says
Thank you so much – this is exactly what I needed. I am trying to do *something* with a whole chicken for the first time today.
Jasmine - This Moment Events says
I am so glad I found this! I’ve got 2 chickens in my freezer from sales this past Spring and I wanted to cook them without heating up the whole house! Now I can- and I know my hubby and son will just LOVE the homemade chicken broth! I’ve got an idea for dinner tomorrow- THANKS so much!!
Krista says
This is great. But just a tip, reserve the inards (neck and liver usually) that you pull out of the chicken and put it in the crock pot with the bones and skin to cook for the broth. more flavor and nutrients are added this way, and less waste. Waste not, Want not!
Definitely do not throw the gelatinous substance away. This is VERY healthy. I put it in a bowl at the front of my fridge and add a scoop to whatever I am cooking, even eggs (seems kind of wrong cooking chicken and eggs together. LOL!)
Shery Sullivan says
I appreciate finding your information so fast. This is after I searched a lot of my cookbooks with no luck for crock pot whole chickens. Glad to see I did everything right. I was guessing at 7 hours and that was right too. Keeping my kitchen cool on a hot 90 degree day is what I was striving for. Thank you for the additional info on cooking the bones overnight. I never did that, but will tonight.
Carleen says
I boil the stuff in the bag then chop it up. I put it over my cat’s food for a great treat for her!
Kitty says
Take the neck from the bag you remove from the inner cavity, and rinse the neck. Put it in the saucepan in which you make the gravy. Let it simmer while the gravy thickens. Adds great flavor. Discard before serving.
murdock says
This seems very easy. I am on weight watchers and was looking for something other than baking. I love grilled chicken but it is a hassle to fire of the grill (huge) for 1 chicken. This is the answer I have been looking for.
Andrea says
I save the ends of my onions, celery and carrots in a bag in the freezer, and add to chicken carcass when I make broth. Also add the innards to the broth for lots of extra nutrients. This makes the yummiest broth, key to many amazing recipes. You can even skip the cream of chicken soup in chicken and rice. Just add some flour to thicken the broth, and a little cheese melted in if you want. No sodium and preservatives.
Denise K says
I will sometimes stuff a quartered apple and an onion (as much will fit) in the chicken. If I want the chicken to hold together a bit better for carving at the table I will place about 5 paper towels under the crock pot lid to catch the condensation.
Mary Beth says
Hello,
I used your recipe today and so far my house smells great! My question is after you freeze the stock and you want to use it. Can you take it from the freezer and like mircowave it to thaw or do I need to set it out for it to thaw? Just wondering.
Thanks,
Mary Beth :o)
Belinda Dominguez says
Made chicken in a crock pot tonight….It was a huge success. Once it cools I am going to do the broth. Thank you so much. I have been using lots of your recipes and each and every one has been a keeper. My husband always complained that we eat the same stuff all the time and he no longer complains.
Thank you,
Belinda Dominguez
Jessica says
Ladies, this is absolutely AMAZING. I hate to sound like everyone else but I have never known how to cook them either! I have a whole one thawing that I will stuff in the crockpot before work tomorrow and I will be picking up more at the store tonight. Great Ideas everyone. Keep the ideas coming!
shawna says
just curious as to what the weights of your chickens are usually? I know they are the young chickens and mine are between 5 and 6lbs. making BBQ chicken today and havent made it in a long time, so kinda forgot how to do it. Thanks for your help!!
TheHappyHousewife says
Mine are usually about 4 lbs. When I make bbq chicken I cook the whole chicken in the crock pot and then shred the meat after it is off the bone. I then mix in BBQ sauce and either cook it in the crock pot (if I have all day) or heat it on the stove.
Erin says
Just made the chicken- a 4.5 pounder. 4.5 hrs on high. Turned out wonderful!
Athena says
Love this post and the website! Just thought I would add my own tips to the list!
For a crisper skin I wash and dry the bird then rub with butter. Placing it in the pot breast up I then place a kitchen towel across the top and clamp the lid down. (My crockpot has a locking lid with steam vents!)
For the stock I also add veggies into the “chunky bits and bones” for more flavor, but I stuff everything bones and all into a new and washed knee high stocking. I keep these on hand in the kitchen for storing onions and garlic storage. Place an onion in the foot pull tight knot and repeat.. keeps onions for up to 6 months in a cool dry place! Just cut one off below a knot as needed! Using it for the stock the stocking works as well as cheesecloth but at a MUCH cheaper cost!
Thanks for this blog and all the great comments and tips!
Sue says
When the chicken is done, I transfer the broth to a big pot and add more water and celery salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and take 2-3-4 cans of cheap biscuits, cut in fourths and drop in the broth. This is how I make chicken and dumplings. I make enough for two nights.
USClawMommy says
I was googling for how to cook a whole chicken in a crockpot and luckily found your website! Thank you for the recipe and ideas/suggestions from you and your readers about what to do with the chicken and broth! I forgot to add the extra water to the broth while simmering overnite, but when I’m ready to make chicken soup with it this week (especially since it’s going to get cold outside!), I’ll add it then along with the chicken, rotini and vegetables, should be okay, right? I still can’t believe how much chicken we have! I think the days of buying pre-cut chicken are over, when you get so much more for your money this way, and it’s less labor-intensive (hard to make dinner when 2 & 5 year old need a referee in the playroom). Thanks so much and I admire the work you have put into your website.
TheHappyHousewife says
That should be fine. Glad it worked for you!
SunnyDay says
This sounds so easy. I got a free chicken from church, and now I have it in the crock pot for supper!
Gary Green says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe and for all the suggestions from your readers. Going to have a happy family eating chicken tomorrow.
catrina says
thank you so much for this article!!!!!!! i bought a 2whole chicken and my sister told me to put it in my crock pot, i had NO idea what to do after she left and the chicken thawed :/ im so excited rt now!!! im going to “get cooking” right now!!
thankfully yours
Catrina, single momma of 2 🙂
Kelly says
A tip I learned from my mom is to freeze the cooled broth in ice cube trays and when they’re frozen pop them into a freezer zip-lock bag. That way you can add a “splash” of broth to whatever you’re cooking without having to deal with a big bag/container full of broth (no one likes chipping away at frozen blocks of broth! lol.) Thanks for the crock pot tip, I think I’ll give it a try!
SHEILA CONCITIS says
THE CHURCH GAVE THE KIDS AND I A WHOLE CHICKEN FROM THE FOOD PANTRY AND MY OVEN DOESN’T WORK SO I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET FOR HELP ON HOW TO COOK IT IN THE CROCKPOT. THIS WAS THE FIRST SITE I CLICKED ON. THANK YOU, NOW THE KIDS AND I HAVE DINNER FOR TONIGHT AND LEFTOVERS FOR AFTERSCHOOL AND WORK THIS WEEK. COULDN’T BE MORE THANKFUL FOR YOUR ADVICE.
Jennifer says
This is an awesome recipe! Thank you so much for posting it. I can’t wait to try it! :0)
– jen
susan says
Whole chickens in the crock pot is the way to go! Tonight I’m putting pre-packaged pot roast veggies from Krogers complete with four red potatoes, baby carrots,fresh cloves of garlic, one quartered onion and fresh thyme and rosemary. Then I added my own celery, and fresh whole mushrooms along with, season salt and Krogers zesty seasoning blend.Thank goodness for managers specials!! The pre-packaged veggies can be exspensive but I picked them up for $2.49 (4.99) and 2.5lbs. of mushrooms for $2.49 (4.99). Good deal for my boyfriend and I. So much cheaper than buying all of the above in regular packages that might go bad before I can use them. This all works well for crock pot roast also !! Just add a package of dry beefy onion soup and let the slow cooker do the rest!!!! Tonight I’m going to take some of the chicken broth and make stuffing with it. Yum!!!
katie says
Thanks for the recipe and for idiot proofing it with pictures and instructions on how to do it and not just what items to use in it.I got a whole fryer chicken for free from the new Earth Fare by my house in Cleveland coupon online).
Carla says
This is a great tip! I’ve been cooking whole chickens in my crock pot for awhile, but I hadn’t known exactly what to do to make the broth right. Thanks! Today I made a chicken, so tonight I’ll be stewing the broth. I’m excited! Do you ever brine your chickens before cooking them? I have brined my turkeys for the past couple of Thanksgiving, so I used the same idea with the chicken I did today. It came out great!!! I boiled a couple of cups of water and added 1/2 cup of salt until it was disolved. I also added a wedged and juiced lime and orange, and some wedged shallots. I soaked the chicken in that combo with some added cold water until it covered the chicken. (I just put it all in my crock pot bowl and put it in the fridge) I soaked it that way for about 24 hours, then drained and rinsed the chicken. Then I didn’t season it at all when I cooked it. The chicken tastes fabulous! I’m hoping the broth is just as great!
Judy says
We winter in texas,in a rv. Useing a crock-pot is much easier,then in a small oven. This is so good ,and it does make the whole inside smell good. Thanks for the great recipe. Endless ways to use leftovers. Thanks again
Hannah says
great tips. I like the one about adding some vinegar to increase the nutrients! I also add veggies to the broth. (carrots, celery, cabbage, onion, mushrooms, whatever you have and think sounds good in broth) After all the veggies are soft put them in your blender with some hot broth and blend. This can be used to thicken any soup/stew, plus gets that veggie past your loved ones eyes and into the gut without them knowing it 😉
Sara says
I have always been intimidated of the whole chicken, but this makes it sound easy… I am going to attempt it tomorrow. Wish me luck! 🙂
Sarah W says
I tried this the other night and it turned out WONDERFUL! And I’m trying to make the casserole tonight to finish off the leftovers. Thank you so much! I love your website! Going to use a lot of these tips when *I* become a “Happy Housewife” myself just next year! 😀
gadgetman says
I told myself let me buy the whole chicken this time. Made the whole chicken today N it was the best I’m never going to cook it any other way again just going to come up with different tastes. Yes I cooked it for the whole seven hours on low. I’m going to find a bigger crock pot so i can cook two of them at once.
Jessica says
I’ve been cooking chickens in the crockpot for a while but love your broth tips. I plan to try that tonight! Thanks also to the other commenter who suggested putting the broth in ice cube trays. That’s a great idea! Sometimes I cut the skin off my chicken before I put it in the crockpot. We don’t eat it when it’s rubbery anyway, and it saves some calories. I find the chicken to be really moist even without the skin, and I like to add a splash of lemon juice and that adds some moisture, too. Thanks for the site and for the ideas!
Catie says
I like thr sound of this. I have several things left over from when I made my sons baby food, so, I will freeze the broth in one ounce servings, and transfer to a gallon zip top bag add an ounce as I need it! Great tips here!
Dawn says
Thank you so much for posting this recipe, along with all the helpful step-by-step photos. My family bought a larger Crock Pot a couple weeks ago to make slow cooker carnitas (delicious!) and I’ve been trying to figure out what else to put in there. At Costco I found two whole chickens for $7. Then I found your recipe and, Voila! One very happy family. The chicken just fell apart when I took it out, it was so moist and flavorful. I’m trying the broth portion of the recipe tonight. We love using chicken broth instead of water to make rice, but the canned stuff leaves it sort of bland. This seems like it will be amazing. Thanks, again. This is the first time I’ve seen your site, I’m looking forward to seeing what else you’re cooking up.
Kort says
Thank you thank you thank you!! The chicken was so delicious! Doing the broth part of the recipe tonight for chicken and dumplings on Monday.
Laura says
Just found this site while looking a whole chicken crockpot recipe. I definitely found more than what I was expecting! Now when I’m not planning on using the chicken juice to make gravy, I will make it into broth. 🙂 Thanks!
John J. says
Looking for a way to use my crock pot with a chicken I came across this website. I was excited to see it but I am confused now how to do it. Reading the recipe it says to put chicken in the pot on low temp for about 7 hours. Watching the video it says to put the temp on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. OH NO!!!!!!! Which do we do….
Honkus Grogana says
This was so easy and so delicious. The whole family was thrilled. I had every intention of cooking for 7 hours but I miscalculated and cooked it for 6 instead. I put an onion inside, seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper. I also sliced 4 or 5 apples and threw those in on top. I was afraid they would be mushy and my texture-sensitive hubby wouldn’t eat them, but I didn’t say anything. They were indeed NOT mushy, and nice and tart, and he commented that the apples were cooked perfectly. 🙂
Chris says
I buy whole chicken that are about to expire per Grocery Store expiration dates. Sometimes I cut them up into pieces (breast, thighs, legs, et cetera). I tried this and it worked great. Actually, it very easy to do. The only thing I did different was brine the chicken. That is putting it in cold water with lots of salt and 1/2 cup sugar. The meat was delicious!
Lynne Day says
Absolutely amazing recipe and video for cooking the whole chicken in a crockpot. Many thanks to you. I plan to visit your website often for more ideas and cooking tips.
Sandy says
Love this site. I just bought 2 whole fryers for .79/lb and was planning on using the crockpot to cook them when I googled and got this site. I think the idea with the bones is great and will be giving it a try. Thank you for helping us stretch the dollar.
Janice says
I prepared the crock pot chicken and it was fantastic! I then prepared the broth. I put it in the fridge in the garage to cool and forgot about it. It has been in the fridge for 1 week. Is it safe to freeze it now or should I dispose of it?
TheHappyHousewife says
My motto is, when it doubt throw it out. I have stored mine in the fridge for a week with no problems so it is up to you.
Rhonda Halsell says
This is awesome way to save money and eat GOOD, HEALTHY and inexpensively. I HAD to cook a whole ham and turkey at the same time…Put turkey in the oven and whole ham in crock-pot…overnite….ooohhhh the yumminess…
Catie says
Cook in crock pot with Tony Cacheres cajun seasonings. Prepare broth as described above and remove the meat, use 4 cup broth, 4 cup water, add sauteed onion, bell pepper, and celery, ladle over rice and you have a simple gumbo.
Drew Elaine says
I found your recipe on Pinterest, and made it tonight for the first time…. And I know I will be making this many times in the future!! It was easy and delicious! And, I’m making the stock tonight for wild rice chicken soup tomorrow! Thanks!
Amy Luycx says
I’ve been doing “crock pot chicken” for years now. My family’s favorite way for me to make “leftover” chicken is to make “chicken pot pie,” which is similar to your chicken and rice dish. I use a can of cream of chicken, potato, onion, or celery with a can of milk, and frozen mixed veggies. Mix, put in a casserole and put in the oven to heat through. Once it’s heated, pop open a can of refrigerated biscuits, layer on top, put it back in the oven until the biscuits are done.
Similarly, you can make chicken and dumplings by adding frozen veggies to the chicken and the broth and then dropping biscuits into the boiling broth, cover with the pot top for about 5 minutes until the dumplings have cooked through.
Jalene says
A comment on the “no salt or preservatives” part of the chicken stock. Unfortunately this is not correct due to the fact that many chickens bought at the store contain up to a 10% salt and water solution that is injected into them. This is to offset the taste of the chlorinated water that they sit in between processing and packaging. If you really want a chemical free bird, the best bet is to check the label of the bird and / or grow your own. The taste of a real free range chicken is above and beyond that of any store bought bird.
Mull says
I’m not sure what I did wrong, but my chicken was dry and overcooked. I’m going to try to save some meat by turning it into croquettes or a spread. :/ I cooked a free range bird on low for 7 hours overnight; my slow cooker switched to warm for two hours until we woke up.
Christie Madden says
Hi Mull, you probably didn’t do aything wrong. Chicken bought from the grocery store has so much done to it to make it big that it has a high fat content. Free range chicken is much leaner. You could try adding a little broth to the bottom and/or rub olive oil on it to seal in juices.
Liz says
Made this today & the family loved it!! Definitely a “keeper”! Thank you!
Sandra says
Forgot I wanted to put a whole chicken in the crock this morning. While the family got ready for church, I Googled “Whole chicken in crock pot” and found this. Took about 5 min. to pop in the crock, and set it on high for 4 hrs. When we arrived home from church, I whipped up some instant brown rice in the nuker, heated up canned green beans as well as a can of cream of mushroom soup for gravy, and we sat down for a great, hot Sunday lunch 30 min. after arriving home. Broth is simmering now. Thank you!!!
Sspags says
I also put 4 chicken bullion cubes, potatoes and carrots in mine. When it’s done after 8 hours I put the chicken in the broiler for 5-10 min to make the skin crispy 🙂
Holly says
I’ve been cooking whole chickens in the crock pot for years now. I don’t even buy pre-cut chicken anymore unless it’s a wild good deal. What I like to do is buy a 7lb bird and once cooked automaticly freeze half of it for later uses.
I’m also a huge fan of leftover cooking as I like to call it. This is what I usually do with the half a chicken-
meal 1-
chicken
special mashed potatoes (omit milk,use sour cream,add fav spices)
vegis
meal 2-
chicken fahitas (chicken seasoned with garlic and peprika, chopped onion and tomatos, on a whole wheet tortila loaded with rice.add sour cream and cheese as desired)
meal 3a-
bbq chicken (cover shreaded chicken in bbq sauce,heat on stovetop until bbq is thick.)
corn on the cob
corn bread
meal 3b-bbq spicy quesadldias (follow first step 3a-add hot sauce and a1 sauce)
place on tortila. Cover with sour cream and shreaded cheese
meal 4- chicken pot pie
meal 5a-chicken green salad
lettucemix
cucumbeer
onion
cottege cheeze
meal 5b-chicken saled with crackers
chicken
mayo
musturd
onion
pickles
mix and serve on crackers.
with this much varity no one gets sick of eating chicken! Plus I like to mix it up,one day chicken for lunch, the next chicken for dinner.
so you get 5-7 meals from half a 7lb chicken, so really it’s 10-14 meals.We have a family of 5+ one due in sept.
dale says
just wanted to know if taking the whole chicken right after its done and the crock pot bowl its in and putting it in the fridge right away to cool down and then removing the meat the next day is ok
Lynn Fry says
I made this last night for dinner tonight and may I say “OMG” it was delicious. I squeezed honey all over the inside of the cavity along with my seasoning I used McCormick’s Grill Mates Montreal Chicken, Ralphs Chicken Fajita Mix, Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning mix and Gordon’s Grub Rub. It was beautiful I cooked my on low from about 7pm till 6:30 am and left it on warm all day today. All though I’m from TEXAS YA’LL I’m going to serve it with chicken Rice a Roni my favorite San Francisco treat. I hope that ya’ll will try mine sometime I will definitely be cooking this again. Happy Cooking : ) : ) : ) : )
Tammy Davidson says
This is one of the most awesome recipies ever!!! I have used your site for this meal so many times. I keep checking back to see if other comments can give me cheap and easy meal ideas. I am so glad you have posted this because it is delicious! Thank you so much. This recipe is also one of my go to meals for Sunday dinner after church. Yummy!
Erynn says
This posting is for DALE!!!
Sorry Dale, that is NOT a good idea to cool the chicken that way. It needs to reach an internal temp of at least 40 and below in less than 2 hours for it to be safe. If a chicken has been exposed to some kind of bacteria in it’s life or if it wasn’t cooked to at least an internal temp of 165 in the thickest part of the chicken, then the likelihood that it can start growing that bacteria again and multiply is very high. Cool your chicken by first taking the peices apart; pull the legs, thighs, wings and breasts off the chicken and place them in a dish that isn’t hot from cooking. It’s important that you not cover it while it’s still hot, that way the heat isn’t trapped in the container with the chicken. Next place the pulled apart chicken pieces in their container in the freezer (only for a short time like 30 min’s) ;or in the fridge to cool. Cover chicken when it’s cooled to the right temp.
I know thats a lot Dale, but thats the safe way; and you or your family can get very sick if ANY food is not cooled properly. Especially if you’re eating that food cold later.
Jo says
It looks like the chicken is breast down. Is that correct? Or does it matter?
Kealy says
I just had this for lunch and it was incredible! I used a local, free range, hormone and antibiotic free bird from Whole Foods and had no trouble with dryness after about 4 hours on high. After I prepared the bird I put a couple of pieces of quartered onion and orange in the cavity. I laid the remaining onion quarters in the bottom of the crock pot. I squeezed the remaining orange quarters into the pot and then put them in, too. The I put in several sprigs each of fresh thyme, oregano, and marjoram. I placed the bird on top of this little “bed” and added a touch of salt and pepper. I’m making the stock now and it smells fantastic! Thanks for sharing such an easy way to prepare chicken!
aaron says
these recipes have got to be one of the best money savers. my brother and i are both bodybuilders well over 200lbs each and feeding us is a challenge. being able to get all the protein and calories for the day in good clean food for under $10 a person? didnt think it was possible before. keep the idea coming
Nicole says
I’d like to try your recipe but you did not mention the weight of your chicken. Isn’t that a factor that would affect the amount of time the chicken needs to cook?
TheHappyHousewife says
Yes, but the type of crock pot also can alter the cooking time. I use a 4-5 pound chicken.
Toni
GregoryForret says
So i’m trying cooking a whole chicken in general for the very first time, and picked this article to guide me. Just turned the slow cooker on. I’m wondering what I should do with the fat off the top of the broth at the very end; you said not to throw it away. Granted, I haven’t looked very hard, but I’m not sure what I can use it for. Have any ideas?
Gregorio says
Just threw the chicken in the pot and set it on low (girlfriend gets home at 11:30 or later, so right on time) with some Italian seasoning and fresh grated lemon peel on it; we’ll see how that turns out. I plan on following your steps up to the broth, because I’d like to try making some risotto within the next couple days, but i’m curious about the fat you took off the top…you said you save for other recipes? what can i do with it?
TheHappyHousewife says
Sometimes I use it for frying things, but I usually throw the fat away.
PlunderBunneh says
I can never remember how long to cook my crockpot chickens for, and google led me here.
I love crockpotting whole chickens, it’s so easy. My favorite way to use the chicken is shred it all up with a fork when it’s cooked, and then coat it in bbq sauce, cooking on low for another twenty-thirty minutes. I usually portion out half of the chicken to use for salads and sandwiches, and then add the bbq to the rest of it. So easy, but travels great and tastes like you spent all day on it.
Thanks for the notes about turning the leftover juice into broth, I will try that this time!
Kamron says
I want to try this tomorrow morning. My crock pot has an 8 hour setting then goes to warm…I’ll be gone to work then a ball game for 12 hours. Do you think I’ll be ok? Also, I found no giblets..checked both ends, is that common for a fryer chicken?
Carrster says
What a great idea! I’m totally getting inspired for my upcoming MEGA-COOKING-DAY (trying for 30 days worth of meals) coming up next week. I hate touching raw (whole – gah!) chickens! This is a fabulous idea.
Silvia says
Do you let the chicken thaw before prepping and puting it in the crock pot or right out of the freezer?
Bethany says
I cooked the bones and skin overnight on low, then chilled the ‘juices’. When they were chilled, I scraped the fat off, and there was jelly underneath. Is this supposed to happen?
TheHappyHousewife says
Yes, it should thin out once it is heated.
JC Konecny says
This is my first Crock pot chicken.. in the pot now! Thanks foir making it so easy for me to take he plunge!
Pediabrown says
Thank you HH! 23 years of cooking, and you showed me something new. The broth along with it’s fat makes perfect gravy. Just mix Tbl cornstarch with about 1/2 cup of water, and add enough to the simmering broth to thicken. Don’t forget salt & pepper! Also, you will want the fat when using broth for chicken and dumplings. That’s how we Okies do it, anyway. :p
Darryl says
Thank you! Thank you! This was the easiest chicken recipe EVER. The meat was tender, juicy and the flavor was outstanding. I seasoned with garlic powder, paprika and S&P. I cut the top of a head of garlic and stuffed it in the cavity, sandwiched in between two halves of an onion. it was a 6 lb bird and cooked for 7 1/2 hours. When I checked it, the bone came out of the drumstick clean. Simply amazing. All 4 of us agreed it is in the primary rotation. MY Mom said she could have that once or twice a week, which of course, made me feel good. I have the stock on now and will use it tomorrow to cook up a pot of beans. Oh, and more thing…since the garlic and onion cooked in the chicken fat, it was great mushed up together and mixed with some smashed potatoes. Thanks again! *hugs*
Kris says
I am so happy to have found this!
We raised meat chickens for the first time this summer. I now have a bunch of whole chickens in my freezer and I want to make sure I cook them properly. I am so excited to try our homegrown birds!!
Kay says
I have been cooking crock pot chicken for many many years. I have always added water and seasonings of various sorts to a cut up chicken or chicken parts (legs, breasts etc…) and we have really enjoyed the meals. I have never tried a whole chicken before, but I have a feeling this may be the only way I will ever cook crock pot chicken again! It is so moist, tender and tasty! I had a 6lb bird and cooked it on high for 4 hours. I only used salt, pepper and onion powder. (Husband likes almost bland food!) He loved it and is talking about making chicken and dumplings! I will cook one tomorrow for my lunches at work next week with lots of seasonings! I am cooking the bones and skin down now and my house smells wonderful. This idea is really great for summer time in Texas, which we are still having! It was 101 today! Thanks for making a part of my life a little easier!
Rose says
Hi there!
I just saw your post on pintrest. I will try this chicken in a crock pot recipe. Have you ever tried a frozen chicken??? I have a few in my freezer. Also, you can make your own homemade cream of chicken soup for recipes with your homemade broth. (Did you ever check what they put into that coagulated stuff in a can?) Just add a little flour or arrowroot powder, a tsp. or so of better than boullion and a little salt and pepper to your homemade chicken broth (about 2 cups) and you’ve got yourself delicious cream of chicken soup. It sure tasted great in a chicken pot pie!! Have a great day and thanks!
Abra says
Thanks for the idea! I’m going to try this today. We don’t have air conditioning and it’s been too hot to turn on my stove lately. Tip for getting a healthier (especially if you are using factory farmed chicken) and more aesthetic stock, make sure you clarify it as outlined by this blogger:
http://www.asageamalgam.com/2012/01/chicken-stock-clarified.html
kelly h says
THANKS for this!!! I used a “natural” chicken, threw round onion slices, lemon quarters, & thyme in the bottom, stuffed the bird with the same plus a little evoo & s&p. Then placed the olive oil & s&p rubbed bird on top, threw more onion, lemon, thyme, & s&p in, cooked for 4 hrs on high & OHMY – YUM! It was fab. Would be great with pilaf. Flavorful enough for us, while not too strong of a flavor for our picky little ones! THANKS AGAIN!! This ones for sure on the rotation!
Jamie says
Ive made this before. Great, easy recipe, thanks! Wondering how to incorporate noodles into this equation so my husband and I can enjoy a meal from when we were kids. Homemade chicken and noodles. After we let the chicken stock cool, then scrape off the top layer, could I just throw the noodles in and let them cook n the crockpot?
Stacy says
I cannot thank you enough for this! I simply googled “cooking a whole chicken in a crock pot” and this came up. I love reading everyone’s recipes! I marinated mine in beer and other spices overnight in the fridge then put it in the crock pot with some more seasoning and just a little bit of broth. I let it cook on high for about 5 hours then on low for a couple more. When I went to take it out I couldn’t get the whole thing because it all just fell apart. It was literally falling off the bone everywhere it was so juicy. Oh and it was a 3lb if that helps. I boned it off and will be making pot pies and some other stuff. I’m making broth from the juice, bones and skin now. Thanks so much! 🙂
Courtney Plaza says
Wow! This was the first time I have visited this site and it was absolutely nice hearing tips and recipes from an outside perspective. It all sounds like its an awesome way of saving money and opened my eyes that most of the food that my kids won’t even think about eating, this site just makes me excited about cooking for my family …
Thank you sooooo much, and trust and believe I will be back to check out more recipes and share with my grandmother ……thank you so much! Love this site!
Margie says
I love a whole crockpot chicken. Someone mentioned theirs dried out? May I suggest this? Try to fit the chicken to the crockpot. A crockpot cooks from the sides (on most), so you want your chicken to fit. I use a 3-4 lb chicken in a 2.5 quart crockpot. It fills it very well. I turn on before work on low, and come home 9 or so hours later to find liquid almost covering it.
I have a 6 quart crock (for soups, stews), a 3 quart normal one, a 2.5, and a 1 quart. I know, I know. Overkill. My fave for our very small family is the 2.5 size.
Gabi says
This was great! I never knew that slow cooking a chicken could be SO easy. I added some onions, apples, and garlic for some flavor, and my husband was so impressed.
Karen says
All I can say…”YUMMY”… I can’t get over how juicy and tender my chicken was. Unbelievable easy, it tasted like I basted every half hour, which I didn’t. Also the 7hrs on low was perfect temp. I loved the fact that I had free time…definitely will do this again. Thank you very much for the recipe….~Peace~
Sheila says
Question, I did not have time to make the broth the same evening, but I have the bones and leftover chicken and the original juices in my fridge, can I still make the broth three days later? Thanks
TheHappyHousewife says
Yes, I think you can.
Louise says
Wonderful…cooked a chicken today for 7 hours and it was beautiful!!! I have the stock bubbling away ready for tomorrow…x
Annette says
In the UK ‘slow cookers’ (crock pots) are only really just making a come back into cooking fashion and most of the recipe on British sites are a bit samie! I always now ‘google’ crock pot recipes and love the huge huge variety I find.
I have just put my whole chicken in my crock pot and not sure I can wait the 7 hours….
Here hoping..fingers crossed
Maritza says
I cooked mine for 3 1/2 hours on high and then 3 hours on low came out a little dry but very tasty. Will try again on high for 4 to 5 hours next time.
Clare says
I frequently cook a whole chicken in my crockpot (or slow cooker). I usually quickly chop some veggies – potato, carrot, leek, celery, fennel, pumpkin for example, to place in the bottom of the pot. Throw in a lot of whole peeled garlic, wash, dry and rub the chicken with herbs, a little oil, salt and pepper and lay on top of the veggies. I add 1/2 cup of water or white wine and 1 tb spoon of soy sauce. Leave it on low while I am at work and when I get home a delicious home cooked meal is ready for the family. Easy!!
jake says
ive got a 4.25 lb bird in the crockpot with this recipe right now, i have it on low but i feel as if its going to take less than 7 hours, ive had it in for almost 4 and it seems to be almost done. can anyone help?
Kelsey says
My chicken turned out fabulous, but when I went in the fridge to get the broth it was like gelatin!! Aaah! What’d I do wrong?!
Amber says
Nothing! Probably you got a bit more fat in that part or have just dipped as far as the fat and not hit the true broth yet.
As for me. When I roast a chicken I use all drippings for gravy. The gravys wonderful with meal and makes an awesome pot pie. I use more herbs and spices as well frown but my family likes flavor, not spicy.. But salt and pepper at least in addition to garlic. For the stock you may want to add some more spices and a bag lead as well.
I DO keep the skin and bones and make my own bone broth. Which is better frozen in ice cube trays so can measure out more accirately without waste of broth for recipes straight from freezer. Due to diff size trays simply measure the approx liquid held in one cube and then figure for recipes from there. After freezing just crack all into a large freezer bag for ease of storage and use.
Jen Hammer says
It is not fat and you have done nothing wrong. The tissues in the scraps break down and make a sort of jello when cooled. It turns back to liquid when you heat it up again. Your broth might not always do this, if the concentration of the gelationous stuff is too dilute with water or if the broth was not simmered long enough to break down enough of the tissues. It is very rich in collagen and other proteins so good job. You made an especially good broth and I bet it tasted really good.
Crystal says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and your awesome advice. I made this today and it was just awesome when I got home from school. It was so good, in fact, that my husband had already eaten half of it! We raised our own free-range birds this summer and they are delicious – we are enjoying them in so many ways. I’ve got the bones cooking for stock right now – a great smell on a cold and blowy Halloween night 🙂
Nayoung says
Thanks for the great recipe! My 5 lb chicken turned out beautifully after 7 hrs on low, just like you suggested! 🙂
I hate wasting anything; so, I was wondering what I could do with the chicken “sludge” I had left over after cooking the chicken and making broth. Dog treats! I love making homemade dog treats but there are very few recipes out there that aren’t mostly fillers and offer any real protein. I had great luck and wanted to share if anyone was interested in making the chicken go just a little farther. 🙂
Recipe:
1 cup Chicken Sludge*
2 cups Brown Rice Flour if you want it to be gluten-free (I actually ran out and used 1 cup Brown Rice Flour and 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour)
1 cup Rolled Oats
2 eggs
2 Tbsp Flaxseed Meal
2 Tbsp Pumpkin puree
Mix everything together. I recommend doing it in a stand mixer because the consistency is thick, like peanut butter cookies. But the mixture is so easy to work with while shaping. It’s not sticky at all and no extra flour required.
Bake 375º for 15-20 minutes depending on how crunchy you want it and also the size. I baked mine, approximately 3/4″ square) for 15 minutes -crunchy edges and a slight chewy texture on the inside. But it doesn’t matter for my dogs because they usually don’t chew. 🙂
Here’s a picture. http://flic.kr/p/dqF8xq
* The remains after cooking a whole chicken in the slow cooker and making broth with the bones. I removed all the bones and most of the skin. There were lots of meat bits that had fallen off the chicken when I deboned it. Also, I cooked and added the organs and neck that were stuffed in the chicken. I just broke everything up a bit with a spoon. I had about 2 cups worth.
Paul says
@Kelsey You didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, if you got a gelatin stock then you will have the finest most nutritious stock you can get! I always try to cook the bones long enough to produce a gelatin stock. It doesn’t always happen – I don’t know why. Gelatin stocks are perfect for making chicken soup. The soup will have a rich flavor and aroma, and will cure whatever ails you!
margie says
when I am cooking cicken I fill up a pot of very cold water and add salt to it about 1/4 to 1/2 cup rinse off the chicken real good then rinse in cold water you will be surprised how much cleaning the chicken needs check for your self
Lychelle says
Just wondering how long you would cook a 2 1/2 or 3lb chicken?? I’m worried 7 hours may be too long since it is smaller..
TheHappyHousewife says
Definitely reduce the cooking time. Depending on your crock pot, it could take 4-5 hours or even less.
me says
Second this. This is one of the best-kept secrets to a cheap/easy/tasty meal ever. Sometimes I just put a few dashes of salt and pepper on top, but you can add various other things of course. It’s just me so I can get several meals off of this….the bones aren’t a big deal, I just put them in a freezer bag before throwing away (to minimize chance of insects, mice etc – hey I live in the country). I wasn’t sure how long to cook though, which is why I looked this up – thanks!
Theresa says
I always add the potatoes and carrots in the crockpot at about half the cooking time, adds flavor to the veggies and makes it one simple meal, and no dishes! 😀
Lisa says
Can I stuff a chicken and do it the same way, just increase the cooking time some?
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Rachel says
Trying this tonight! Thanks everyone for the great ideas and tips!! Can’t wait!
Misti says
@Kelsey: you didn’t do anything wrong. The gelatin is from the chicken bones and is very good for you. You didn’t mess up – you made really good nutritious broth. It will go back to liquid when you heat it up.
Andor says
Kelsy, you are not doing anything wrong, just heat up your chicken gelatin and add some water and any spices you want and you are ready to go.
Jess says
I’m new to crock potting and haven’t had a lot of luck so far but I keep trying. Does it matter if my chicken is about 3 lbs and my crock pot is 7 qt? I feel like that’s way to much empty space!?
Toni Anderson says
It should be fine.
Mark Robinson says
The breast meat was a little dry. I think next time I’m going to make sure to cook it breast side down. Maybe that will help. I also had to cook it for 8 hours, rather than 7 because 8 and 10 hours are the only settings on my crock pot.
Tina says
Just wondering if you defrost the chicken first??? Or can you cook in the crock pot frozen??? If so, how much longer would you need to cook the chicken???
April says
Kelsey, your chicken broth was normal. This kind of chicken broth is supposed to be that way. When you heat it up, it gets runny/liquid again. 🙂
devon says
how long should I cook 2 4lb chickens in the same crockpot?
Americ0621 says
I seasoned with 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 lemon + juice, thyme and salt and pepper. I put olive oil over it too, like someone suggested. Also took the other suggestion to put chicken under broiler for 5 min or so after it was done. Great flavor! I like yr website’
Lori says
Thanks! Putting one in tonight for tostadas for dinner tomorrow. Going to try the dog treat recipe too. Caution…..don’t make dog treats if you cooked your chicken with onions. Onions are toxic to dogs.
Ann says
I have a whole chicken that I am planing to cook in the crock pot and googled it. I was set with the recipe that I was cooking it with and I have now changed my mind. This sounds awesome. I can’t wait to try it for dinner tonight. Thank you. I am also psyched about all the other recipes for the planned overs.
Anne says
Thanks for this recipe! I love how this recipe was very straightforward and easy to follow. I’ve decided to start cooking a whole chicken more regularly not just for the cost but it also makes me feel better about the number of chickens we are “killing”. Normally I would buy about 5 chicken breasts a week which means 3 chickens. But by cooking a whole chicken we get about the same amount of meat but from only one chicken! Plus now I don’t have to touch icky raw chicken breasts every night, just once a week. Then we eat the meat in different recipes throughout the week.
@Mark – I cooked my 4lb chicken breast-side down (for 7 hours) the second time and it worked out perfectly. So it’s worth a try to see if that fixes for your 8 hour problem. You could also try buying a slightly larger chicken (5+lbs) that would take a bit longer to cook.
carla g says
I made this tonight, but just sprinkled with some lemon pepper seasoning. It literally fell off the bone and was so good. I have the bones and skin going right now for the stock! Thanks so much!
Lisa says
This is the best!!! Chicken falls off the bones! I have about 4 cups of sludge. Can anyone help me out with what i can do with it? Recipes?
Matthew says
I’ve seen the question posted a couple of times, but no replies to it. Does the bird have to be defrosted before cooking, or can i put the frozen bird in the crock pot and adjust time? I’d really like to make this, but i have a problem with a whole chicken defrosting in my fridge or on my counter :/
Toni Anderson says
You can put a frozen chicken in the crock pot as well. Just adjust the cooking time, it will probably take an hour or two longer depending on your crock pot and size of the bird.
Joanne says
This sounds great, I roast whole chickens quite regularly (there is a great instructable on quick roasting that I use from instructables.com) but am new to crock pot cooking. I work outside the home all day, is 7-8 hours a maximum as I would have to either leave for 12 hours or at least 9 hours and then turn it off when I got home and let it sit until we were ready to eat assuming it would keep at a safe temp for another few hours. Any suggestions as to how I can fit this in to our schedule would be gratefully received thank you .
Meg says
Thanks for a simple recipe!! Since it’s now Fall my crockpot has been used more and more (obviously.) I’ve never done a whole chicken in the crockpot and came across your site. I’m going to do garlic, rosemary and thyme. I’ll add a little S&P too. Everyone in the comments has some mouth-watering suggestions too!! Can’t wait for the bone broth. If you cook your bone broth for 3 days straight (I know it’s a long time and some may not be able to do that) the bones will literally breakdown and “melt” into the broth. It’s an old family thing we’ve done and will kick a cold or flu in the bootay. ( :
Kristin says
This is for Michael who posted Aug 28: Yes, the chicken needs to be defrosted before cooking in the crockpot. You can usually find chickens in stores other than Walmart (theirs are always frozen rock hard) that have chickens never frozen or chickens (i.e. Tyson’s) that are pretty much thawed already for you in the meat section. Other than that, on Friday place your frozen chicken placed in SEVERAL store plastic grocery bags and tie shut. By Monday it should be thawed and ready for your slow cooker. Good luck!
mandy says
Thank you so much! We enjoyed the whole chicken, just placed my stock in the freezer and my casserole just came out of the oven. Not bad for a chicken that cost just a little over 5 bucks!
Nicole says
I LOVE this recipe!!! I make it at least every 2 weeks and tell everyone I know about it!! Easy, cheap, and delicious!!
Kim says
I have a7.5 lb oven roaster chicken. How long would I cook that In my crockpot (I am new to crockpot cooking)? Thx!!
Toni Anderson says
That is probably too large to cook in a crock pot. I would roast it in the oven and look for something around 4-5 pounds to cook in your crock pot.
maggie krostag says
I tried cooking an unthawed chicken in my crockpot, put in when I went to work, turned out mushy. Talked to my sister says she puts the meat in frozen. I tried this, worked GREAT! She even puts potatoes wrapped in foil on top of the meat to have “baked” potatoes done when chicken is done. I start chicken out on high while I’m getting ready for work. Put no water in unless you want a soup there will be an amazing amount of liquid when done. I like onions & garlic put in at this time, I turn heat down to low when I leave . This would be a good time to put carrots, celery etc around chicken so those veggies will also be done when you get home. If you want a mexi flavor put chili, cumin, peppers, onions, garlic.
Great for taco fixins.
I go to work so the chicken will be in the crockpot several hours. If you have unthawed chicken and fewer hours cooking time unthawed chicken would be fine.
Gelatin from the chicken bones is what jells the liquid when cooled. Super healing food. Get sick – eat chicken soup! Right? USE IT! Drink it, cook rice in it, make soup.
Professional Food Service Person says
To all of those asking about frozen meats and thawing:
DO NOT THAW ANYTHING ON THE COUNTER. Always thaw frozen food overnight in the fridge. Temperature range between 41F and 120F is considered the food “danger zone”. Any food in that temp range has only FOUR hours of life before the bacteria reaches levels dangerous enough to cause food borne illness. Remember, that time is cumulative. Bad example: 1. Thanksgiving turkey was left out for 1.5 hours to “finish” thawing and start prep (remove giblets, season, stuff). 2. After cooking, it rested for 30 minutes to hold the juices in before carving. 3. It was on the table for 2 hours during dinner and cleanup. ***The turkey has now been in the “danger zone” temp for 4 hours. Even if you were to make other meals with the meat, this turkey has already spent too long outside of the fridge or the oven. The moral is — thaw in the fridge OR use the defrost setting on the microwave, which doesn’t always work with bone-in meats. Be safe, not sick.
Linda had a little Lamb says
Thanks for the tips. My husband and I just cooked a chicken in the oven and the meat is not tender at all. I suggested that we cook it in the crock pot to get the meat tender. Thanks for the tips. I will try it tomorrow.
Beth says
One way that I like to store my broth/stock, is to freeze it in ice cube trays then put the broth cubes in freezer bags! Works great! You can also use cupcake pans or silicone cupcake liners!
Christina says
Hi there, just wanted to tell you that your stock will not be free of preservatives and salt. That chicken you put in the pot, full of salt and trypolyphospate ( yep preservative). The only way to ensure no salt and preservatives is to raise and kill that chicken yourself. Sorry to burst the bubble. 🙂
Johnny says
Just wanted to say thanks for the recipe.I’m a relatively new cook and by reading through your recipe and the comments I’ve came up with so many ideas.Once again thank you.
Jim says
I’m new to cooking and bought the chicken before I saw your recipe. The chicken is almost 6 pounds. How long should I cook that in the crockpot on high?
Spoon Lickin' Good says
Ah, I LOVE crock pot whole chicken. I, too, never wanted to touch a whole chicken. It’s intimidating and gross! But, oh so tasty and simple to prepare! Here’s how I do my chicken and stock: http://mrscrislip.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/beat-the-clock-crock-pot-chicken-stock/
Loretta deLamare says
You must defrost the chicken before placing in the crock pot. If you don’t, it is a matter of food safety. Bacteria would have a chance to grow at temperatures too low for cooking which is what you get when the chicken is frozen in the middle and cooking on the outside.
Annadownunder says
I’ve read cooking chickens or turkeys in a slow cooker is unsafe as the low heat allows bacteria to grow I the cavity. Do you worry about that? One such site that makes this claim is http://busycooks.about.com/od/thanksgiving/a/unsafeturkeymet.htm
There are others too, so now I’m worried about using the low cooker for whole chicken.
Jennifer G says
I have been doing chicken this way for years. A lot of people say it is greasy this way but if you put balls of foil underneath the chicken it helps keep it out of the drippings. Also try putting an herb mixture under the skin before cooking, for wonderful flavor.
Mari B says
I bought a whole “parted” chicken and was wondering if I would cook this the same way in the crock pot as a whole chicken or is there something I should do differently?
Toni Anderson says
I think you can cook it the same way. It might be a shorter cooking time since it doesn’t need to cook through the entire chicken.
Krista says
We’ll I’m cooking it right now I must say it sure is smelling good right now.
Donna Young says
Which setting do you use to cook chicken in crockpot?
Toni Anderson says
I start it on high for about 2 hours then move to low. You can cook it on low the entire time.
Sharon W says
Just a note on cooking a whole chicken in a crockpot: use crcok pot liner bags for easier clean up! Cook the whole chicken in the crockpot with the liner. Then, remove the chicken, when done, to a pan to cool. As you remove the meat from the chicken, drop the bones and skin back in the lined crockpot. When finished deboning the chicken, add the 5 cups of water to the crockpot and cook overnight. Allow the crcokpot contents to cool. Place you crockpot next to your sink. Put a large bowl with a colander in it in the sink. Gather the crockpot liner together at the top and move over the colander in the bowl. While holding the liner with one hand, snip the bottom corner of the liner. The broth will flow out into the bowl and the colander will catch all the bones and skin. Drop the liner into the colander, remove from the large bowl and put liner and bones and residue into a plastic bag for disposal. You now have strained broth with easy clean up! My favorite way to cook a chicken!
Sharon W says
Just an update: Made this crock pot chicken again. This time I put the colander over a gallon plastic pitcher, everything else the same. Made it easier to fill the containers for the freezer. Just pour out of the pitcher into the freezer containers.
Toni Anderson says
Great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Sue says
I don’t use crock pot liners because it is like cooking the food in plastic, yuck! I also don’t store food in plastic, I use glass containers. I don’t like the idea of chemicals from the plastic getting into the food. There are enough toxins in our environment without adding those in plastic.
Charlie says
Here’s a hot tip for lazy people like myself. Use slow cooker liners which are like oven bags that fit in the crock pot. When you’re done you just throw the liner away and your crock pot is already clean. They average about 50 cents apiece. SWEET! I use a 7 quart oval crock pot and can fit two 5 pound birds at a time in it. I don’t worry about over cooking in a crock pot because the longer the better in my book. I pull the chicken out and de-bone it on a large cutting board after 6 to 10 hours or so with a couple forks or pair of tongs. I don’t worry about the bony areas around the spine etc. I usually just throw that section out whole. An easy way to make a meal is to return some or all the meat to the crock pot, depending on what your doing, and throw in a bag of noodles and maybe a can of vegetables and let it cook another hour or so. I also make home made dog food and this is the meat that I use as the base. My dogs live long and hap hap happy lives.
arleen says
This is exactly what we do with our chicken. Sometimes I put it on top of 4 balled up pieces of foil..but it doesn’t matter either way. Sometimes i use herbs, montreal chicken spice or cajun seasoning. When it’s done, we throw the bones back in to make stock..along with one onion quartered, one stalk celery, one garlic clove, one carrot. Vega coarsely chopped..not peeled, just washed really good. Onion skins add so much color. And water. I have never frozen it after. I love the yogurt container tip. So now I might try. Might even fit on the door of the freezer. I pulled up your recipe because I was looking for times. I have a 3l’er. Will check the comments. 😉
Linda Exton says
One thing you could use that’s tummy and moist is one can of whole cranberry sauce poured over the top of the chicken. Moist, and delicious
Amber says
As for me. When I roast a chicken I use all liquid/ drippings for gravy. The gravys wonderful with meal and makes an awesome pot pie. I use more herbs and spices as well frown but my family likes flavor, not spicy.. But salt and pepper at least in addition to garlic. No, it doesn’t mess up other recipes used with leftovers.
For the stock you may want to add some more spices and a bay leaf as well.
I DO keep the skin and bones and make my own bone broth. Which is better frozen in ice cube trays so can measure out more accirately without waste of broth for recipes straight from freezer. Due to diff size trays simply measure the approx liquid held in one cube and then figure for recipes from there. After freezing just crack all into a large freezer bag for ease of storage and use. mark bag with measurement per cube and date you made.
Lisa Kelly says
I am trying this recipe. My chicken was smaller than I wanted (it’s all the store had). So I added a package of chicken legs that were on sale.
Lisa says
Worked great! Love this recipe
Joyce says
Like the easy recipes and pictures! New to crock pot pretty much. This Is great
God Bless you!
Carolyn Johnston says
Thank you for these money-saving ideas.
Lita Watson says
Best. recipe. ever! Chicken broth freezes very well, and it should be make sure that it has completely been cooled before you put it into the freezer.