This Whole 30 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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Have you ever made a whole chicken in the crockpot? If not, you MUST try this Whole30 Lemon Rosemary Crockpot Whole Chicken recipe. 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 are SO great.

Benefits of making 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

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 of it. 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. I think 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 for this recipe:

crockpot

chicken stock

olive oil

pepper

sea salt

alumninum foil

Print

Whole 30 Lemon Rosemary Crockpot Whole Chicken

Looking for an easy, filling dinner? Try this Whole 30 Lemon Rosemary Crockpot Whole Chicken Recipe! Gluten free, paleo, & takes only a few minutes to make! The crockpot does all of the work so you don’t have to!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword healthy whole roasted chicken, whole30 lemon rosemary crockpot whole chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 172 kcal

Ingredients

• 5 lb whole chicken
• 3 lemons halved
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons rosemary, chopped, plus additional rosemary for coating chicken
• Aluminum Foil

Instructions

1. 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.)

2. Remove filling (giblets, organs, etc) from inside chicken and fill chicken with halved lemons + 2 whole rosemary sprigs.

3. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place chicken on top of aluminum foil balls.

4. Pour olive oil on chicken + rub into the skin to coat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary

5. Add in 1 cup of chicken stock to bottom of crockpot and set to cook on low for 8 hours.

6. Tip: Save all of the bones, skin & other scraps in the crockpot so you can make Easy Crockpot Bone Broth

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Here’s what to do after you finish this 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!

You can view the nutrition facts for this recipe here.

Looking for other paleo crockpot meals? Try these!

Paleo Turkey Chili

Healthy Crockpot Tomato Sauce