This Whole30 Lemon Rosemary Crockpot Whole Chicken is an easy, filling paleo dinner! With only a few minutes of prep, the slow cooker does all the work! Naturally gluten free and made with only 7 ingredients.
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You MUST try this Whole30 Lemon Rosemary Crockpot Whole Chicken recipe. It’s loaded with flavor, extremely simple to make, and naturally paleo/Whole30.
Requiring only 10 minutes of prep time, the slow cooker does all the work in this easy recipe!
(PS, if you LOVE paleo slow cooker recipes you should click here to sign up for my free paleo crockpot cookbook!)
Click here to pin this recipe for later.
Have you ever made a whole chicken in the crockpot? It is seriously to die for! So many people stay away from making whole chickens because they think they are a lot of work to cook but really – they’re SO simple to make.
With this whole chicken recipe, you only need 7 ingredients, a crockpot , and 10 minutes of prep time – the slow cooker will do the rest of the work.
Now, if you’re like me – you’re probably thinking “Whole chicken.. gross insides that I have to clean out… uh.. no thanks I’ll just buy a rotisserie chicken from the store and call it a day.”
Believe me – I get it, and I was totally with you until a realized just why whole chickens are SO great.
Before we get into that… did you know I have a FREE 7 Day Whole30 Meal Plan? Click here for the details!
Benefits of cooking a whole chicken
- Save $$- Whole chickens are ridiculously cheap. In fact, the ones I bought were almost 75% less than the price of a package of chicken breasts. You guys know me, and you know I’m always looking for ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget. Let’s be real – meat is expensive, especially when you buy free range/organic. Whole chickens are extremely affordable.
- Easy to cook – In addition to being extremely cheap – they’re actually super easy to cook. Taking out the giblets and organs may seem really icky.. but I promise it’s not as bad as it seems and many chickens come without them! If you’re really grossed out by it, grab some disposable gloves, and just get it done.
- Great leftovers – In addition to being cheap and easy to make, they’re SO versatile. I get 2 meals out of this.. because after we eat the meat that’s on the chicken, I throw all of the bones back into the crockpot, fill it with water and make the easy crockpot bone broth EVER
If you’re looking for other slow cooker recipes – check out these 28 Delicious Paleo Crockpot Recipes.
So now that we’re all in agreement that whole chickens rock, let’s talk about this recipe. Lemon + rosemary are a pretty epic flavor combo, and when they’re cooked low and slow with a whole chicken… it’s just too good.
The chicken has 8 hours to cook low + slow and absorb all the delicious flavors of the herbs and citrus as it cooks in the slow cooker. The best part about the recipe is that it’s made in the slow cooker.. There is seriously nothing better than walking into your house and having dinner almost entirely done.
If you wanted to have a whole chicken for dinner regularly, you would have to bake it for at least an hour (you can use this One Hour Whole Roasted Chicken recipe if you need something quicker)
With this meal, all you have to do is pair it with a few sides, and you’re good to go. (I recommend these Garlic Rosemary Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Crispy Sheet Pan Roasted Potatoes)
Tips for cooking a whole chicken
- Don’t be afraid. People seem to be so grossed out or nervous about cooking it… it’s really not that different than regular boring chicken breasts! If you’re really grossed out by it (I mean, I get it.. sticking your hand in a chicken is weird and unpleasant), you can wear disposable gloves.
- Make sure to clean out the inside of the chicken. Many chickens will come with the insides pre-cleaned. Sometimes they leave the organs inside in a little bag or pouch. You want to toss those (this is where those gloves come in handy.)
- Always pat your chicken dry before spraying, stuffing and seasoning it. This allows the skin to get really crispy + full absorb the flavors.
Do you need to use aluminum foil in this recipe?
No, if you prefer not to you don’t need to use aluminum foil. The bottom of your chicken might get a little over cooked and mushy, but it will still be fine to eat!
Things we used to make this crockpot whole chicken te:
P.S. – If you love crockpot recipes, check out these 45 Healthy Crockpot Recipes!
Substitutions for this recipe:
- Oil– You can use refined coconut oil or avocadol oil if you prefer
- Herbs – If you don’t like rosemary feel free to substitute with thyme/oregano. Any spices will be delicious. If using dried rosemary – only use 1.5 tablespoons
- WW Freestyle Note: Did not include olive oil in points calculation. This could be a 0SP meal if you just eat the chicken breasts without the skin
Sides to pair this chicken with:
- Crispy Sheet Pan Roasted Potatoes
- Crispy Garlic Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Garlic Rosemary Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Healthy Green Beans Almondine
- Healthy Pumpkin Mushroom Risotto
Whole30 Lemon Rosemary Crockpot Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 5 lb whole chicken
- 3 lemons halved
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped, plus additional rosemary for coating chicken
- Aluminum Foil
Instructions
- Roll 4 2-inch balls with aluminum foil and place in a square at the bottom of the crockpot (This is not necessary, but allows the chicken to be propped up so it doesn’t get mushy.)
- Remove filling (giblets, organs, etc) from inside chicken and fill chicken with halved lemons + 2 whole rosemary sprigs.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place chicken on top of aluminum foil balls.
- Pour olive oil on chicken + rub into the skin to coat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary
- Add in 1 cup of chicken stock to bottom of crockpot and set to cook on low for 8 hours.
- Tip: Save all of the bones, skin & other scraps in the crockpot so you can make Easy Crockpot Bone Broth
Notes
- Don’t be afraid. People seem to be so grossed out or nervous about cooking it… it’s really not that different than regular boring chicken breasts! If you’re really grossed out by it (I mean, I get it.. sticking your hand in a chicken is weird and unpleasant), you can wear disposable gloves.
- Make sure to clean out the inside of the chicken. Many chickens will come with the insides pre-cleaned. Sometimes they leave the organs inside in a little bag or pouch. You want to toss those (this is where those gloves come in handy.)
- Always pat your chicken dry before spraying, stuffing and seasoning it. This allows the skin to get really crispy + full absorb the flavors.
Substitutions for this recipe:
- Oil- You can use refined coconut oil or avocadol oil if you prefer
- Herbs - If you don't like rosemary feel free to substitute with thyme/oregano. Any spices will be delicious. If using dried rosemary - only use 1.5 tablespoons
- WW Freestyle Note: Did not include olive oil in points calculation. This could be a 0SP meal if you just eat the chicken breasts without the skin
Nutrition Facts
AFTER YOU FINISH THE RECIPE: Remove all of the aluminum foil, lemon halves, and rosemary sprigs (it’s ok if some of the rosemary stays in the pot). Add all of the bones, skin & scraps into the crockpot, and follow the instructions for this Easy Crockpot Bone Broth. 2 meals, made in the crockpot, with minimal effort?! Count me in!
If you LOVE paleo slow cooker recipes you should click here to sign up for my free paleo crockpot cookbook!
joseph
Hello Liz & Tyler,
Never try a whole chicken. It looks great! I think this is the right time to try a whole chicken. Thanks for the recipe.
The Clean Eating Couple
Hi Joesph – I think you’ll love it! Let me know if you give it a try!
Alyssa
I really liked this recipe! I was intimidated to cook a whole chicken but this recipe looked so simple that I thought this would be a great one to try. This recipe required minimal prep, was super easy to cook and the chicken had a really nice flavor! It was super moist and there was liquid leftover to reheat with the chicken later which is always a bonus!
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you liked it, Alyssa!! It is definitely easier to cook a whole chicken than you think 🙂 You can also save the scraps and make bone broth!!
September
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious. I was not on my game and ended up starting the crock pot later than anticipated so therefore cooked the chicken on”high” for four hours – I cooked mine a little long as my chicken was only about 3lbs so I probably could of gotten away with cooking it for three or so hours on high. This will be a staple recipe for our Butcher Box whole chickens. Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple
Yay!! I’m glad it worked for you, September! It’s the perfect way to cook a whole chicken – so easy and delicious!!
Kimberly Mowdy
I love slow cooker meals and that you can make so many different meals with this. I also love that bone broth recipe! 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple
Thank you!! This chicken is so versatile -you really can do anything with this!