Crockpot Whole Chicken

This Crockpot Whole Chicken is an easy, filling, paleo/Whole30 dinner! With only a few minutes of prep, the slow cooker does all the work! It’s delicious! 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!)

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.

Benefits of cooking a whole chicken:

There are so many benefits of cooking a whole chicken – here are a few of them!

• 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
• Lower sodium- Most store bought rotisserie chickens have a TON of added salt. By making your own you control the sodium level and other ingredients!

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)

Ingredients for slow cooker whole chicken:

To make slow cooker whole chicken you’ll need olive oil, rosemary, lemons, salt, pepper, broth and a whole chicken.

There are substitutions listed below if you want to swap out any of these ingredients!

Cooking a whole chicken in the crockpot only takes about 10 minutes of prep time. You’ll need 3-4 hours to cook it on high or 6-8 hours on low.

Can the chicken be frozen before putting in the crockpot? No. You can not put a frozen chicken in the crockpot to cook. This is a major food safety issue! Defrost your chicken 24-48 hours ahead of time in the refrigerator and once thawed, cook per directions.

How to cook a whole chicken in the crockpot:

I’m going to show you how to make a crockpot whole chicken step by step!

First, pat your chicken dry with a paper towel. 

Then, stuff your chicken with your lemons/herbs. There’s really no specific way to do this.. just fill up the center of the chicken.

Step 3 is what your chicken should look like when it’s stuffed.

When your chicken has been stuffed, set aside.

Roll 4 small aluminum foil balls and place in the base of the crockpot. 

Place the chicken on top of the foil balls (with the wings facing towards you!) pour olive oil on top of chicken and rub into the skin of the chicken.

Sprinkle with salt/pepper and add remaining herbs/lemons alongside the chicken in the crockpot base.

Set the crockpot to low for 8 hours and allow it to cook.

When it’s done cooking, the chicken should look like this.

Does the skin get crispy? No it does not! You can transfer the chicken to a glass baking dish and broil in the oven for 5-6 minutes for crispy skin. You do not need to do this, the chicken will be ready to eat as is!

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!

P.S. – If you love crockpot recipes, check out these 45 Healthy Crockpot Recipes!

Substitutions for crockpot whole chicken recipe:

There are a few substitutions for this recipe listed below

• Whole Chicken-This will work with any size chicken. You could use a smaller chicken (3 or 4 lbs) and just reduce the amount of cook time for 1-2 hours.
• Oil– You can use refined coconut oil or avocado oil if you prefer
• Herbs – If you don’t like rosemary feel free to substitute with thyme/oregano/sage. 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
• Gravy– As the chicken cooks it will release juices. You can use these juices to make gravy. Here’s a great recipe for healthier gravy.
• Can I add vegetables? Yes! Feel free to add chopped carrots, onions or celery to the bottom of the pan!

Sides to pair this whole chicken with:

This chicken goes well with pretty much any side dish, but here are some 

• Crispy Sheet Pan Roasted Potatoes
• Crispy Garlic Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Garlic Rosemary Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Healthy Green Beans Almondine
• Healthy Pumpkin Mushroom Risotto

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4.13 from 8 votes

Crockpot Whole Chicken

This Crockpot Whole Chicken is an easy, filling, paleo/Whole30 dinner! With only a few minutes of prep, the slow cooker does all the work! It's delicious! Naturally gluten free and made with only 7 ingredients.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword crockpot whole chicken, slow cooker whole chicken, whole30 crockpot whole chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 336kcal

WW Freestyle Points 5

Author The Clean Eating Couple

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 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours
• You can transfer the chicken to a glass baking dish and broil to make the skin crispy, or serve directly from the crockpot!
• Tip: Save all of the bones, skin & other scraps in the crockpot so you can make Easy Crockpot Bone Broth

Notes

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.

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

Nutrition Facts

Crockpot Whole Chicken

Amount Per Serving (8 oz (approx))

Calories 336 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 137mg46%

Sodium 573mg25%

Potassium 466mg13%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 35g70%

Vitamin A 295IU6%

Vitamin C 31.8mg39%

Calcium 37mg4%

Iron 2.1mg12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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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!