Slow Cooker Whole Chicken (Rotisserie Dupe!)

The easiest, juiciest chicken you’ll ever make, this slow cooker whole chicken takes less than 5 minutes to prep and is the perfect “dupe” for a rotisserie chicken. No chopping + no searing; just dump and go for the most succulent chicken that works every time!

Making a Whole Chicken Just Got Easier!

There’s nothing simpler than grabbing a store bought rotisserie chicken for a quick and easy dinner, am I right? But believe it or not, it’s even easier to make that same whole chicken at home in your slow cooker, and I know once you try it this will become your new go to easy slow cooker meal! What’s more, this is a dump and go slow cooker recipe, meaning you don’t need to pre-brown the chicken before adding it to the crock pot.

And, you don’t even need to chop anything. Told ya it was easy! As far as the simple prep goes, all you need to do is stir together a handful of spices, rub them on the chicken, pop it in the slow cooker, and press on. So easy! Bonus: cooking low and slow in the crockpot yields the most succulent, juicy results, without the risk of drying out the way oven roasting can.

My Crockpot Chicken Dos and Don’ts

• It is possible to overcook a chicken in the slow cooker, but it’s more difficult than overcooking a whole chicken in the oven. To avoid overcooking, just be sure to check the temperature with a meat thermometer and pull it out once it reaches 165F in the thickest part of the thigh. Start checking on the early side of the cook time indicated.
• No, you do not need to add liquid to the slow cooker, as the bird releases quite a bit of its own natural juices during the cooking process. So please, follow the recipe and do not add any additional liquid.
• No, for food safety reasons, do not cook a whole chicken from frozen in the slow cooker. If using a frozen whole chicken, make sure it’s fully thawed before cooking.
• To make this recipe as easy as possible and to mimic a store bought rotisserie or oven roasted chicken, this recipe does not include vegetables. I recommend my slow cooker whole chicken with vegetables recipe if you want to add vegetables such as carrots and potatoes.
• Strain and serve any leftover liquids with the chicken as a drizzle or dipping sauce, or leave in the slow cooker and make Slow Cooker Chicken Stock!
• Because a slow cooker uses natural steam to cook, there is no way to get crispy skin. However, in testing I found that a quick run under the broiler will crisp the skin right up. I’ve provided notes on how in the recipe card, below.

Key Ingredients & Notes

• Whole chicken: Use a 3-4 pound whole chicken for this recipe, fully defrosted if frozen. If you want to use turkey instead, I recommend my slow cooker turkey recipe.
• Brown sugar: I use it in this recipe to tenderizes the chicken and add flavor without noticeable sweetness.
• Spices: Garlic powder adds flavor without tasting too much of garlic, and smoked paprika adds a smoky flavor you’d typically get from roasting. Regular paprika can also be used.

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