Slow Cooker Whole Chicken & Gravy! A complete Sunday meal made easy in the crockpot. While it takes only minutes of prep, this tender, juicy crock pot chicken & gravy tastes like you’ve been in the kitchen all day.
This makes the perfect easy weeknight meal served alongside Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes and our favorite Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole! Your whole family is going to love this easy slow cooker whole chicken & gravy!
©SpendWithPennies.com
If you’ve never cooked a whole chicken in the slow cooker before, you are going to LOVE this recipe! I wish I could tell you in words how amazing this chicken is! It’s literally minutes of prep for a meal that tastes like you’ve been slaving in the kitchen all day long!
Chicken is my dinner time go-to… we love it grilled, baked and stuffed with cheese or even shredded for tacos but I have to admit, this whole chicken in the crockpot is one of my Sunday supper favorites! It is a perfect family dinner served with mashed potatoes and veggies but it’s also a great way to effortlessly cook a chicken in place of rotisserie chicken!
How to Cook a Whole Chicken a Slow Cooker
A quick homemade rub is added to a chicken which then cooks up tender and juicy in the slow cooker.
I prepare this in a 4QT slow cooker and I add balled up foil to slightly lift the chicken off the bottom of the pan but if you have a little rack that fits in your slow cooker you can certainly use that too! Adding a few onions and some celery to the bottom of the crockpot along with the foil makes the most flavorful and fabulous gravy!
If you like a crispy skin, broil it about 6″ from the broiler for a few minutes before serving.
Most of the time the chicken produces plenty of drippings for gravy but if you want extra, just add in some chicken broth. Mixing together a quick slurry of cornstarch and adding it to the slow cooker while the chicken rests creates a rich flavorful gravy. I sometimes add a can of mushrooms to the gravy (or add fresh mushrooms to the slow cooker before cooking).
You may be wondering if it is safe to cook a whole chicken in your crock pot and the answer is yes, it’s safe as the crockpot is intended to cook meat low and slow. Ensure your lid is on well to keep the heat in. I would definitely NOT recommend using frozen chicken in the slow cooker, if using whole chicken you’ll want to make sure it’s thawed.
As with all slow cookers, cooking times can vary slightly, you’ll want to make sure your chicken reaches 165 degrees in the thigh.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken about 4lbs
- 2 slices onion
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- cornstarch
- chicken broth optional
Seasoning Mix
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Instructions
- Combine all seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl.
- Brush chicken with olive oil and rub seasoning into chicken.
- Roll up balls of foil and place in the bottom of the slow cooker with 2 thick slices of onion. Place chicken on foil, breast side up so it is slightly lifted off the bottom of the slow cooker. (You can use onion and carrot chunks instead if you prefer).
- Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours. (165 degrees)
- Remove chicken and place on a small pan. Broil 3-4 minutes to crisp skin (optional). Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Gravy
- Remove foil and onion from slow cooker and turn onto high. If required, add broth to create about 2 cups of liquid.
- In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons cornstarch with 4 tablespoons water to create a slurry.
- Whisk about ⅔ of the cornstarch into the drippings/broth and let cook on high. Depending on the amount of liquid you may need to add more of the cornstarch slurry to reach desired consistency. Let cook at least 5 minutes before serving.
- Taste and season with salt & pepper.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Hi Holly made your whole chicken in a crockpot recipe and it turned out great!!!! Whole house smelled great when we got home and I followed your instructions completely and did the 4 minute broil as well! Thanks for making this possible!Will definitely use again
So happy you loved this recipe Patrick!
Awesome fast and easy as well as very delicious recipes!
I changed up the recipe a bit, instead of tin foil balls, I used canning lid rings. Stuffed the bird with wild mushrooms and onions. Added some of the wild mushroom broth (from rehydrating them) and chicken broth to the bottom. Turned out amazing.
That sounds so delicious Darlene!
Awesome. Cooked as directed, but added water and a marinade mix in the bottom of the slow cooker, to pour over the chicken time to time.
Ended up being super juicy and sooo flavorful.
That sounds delicious Tyler! Thank you for sharing.
I don’t like it when people rate a recipe before they eat it but here I go! So far this recipe has been straight-forward to prepare. It only took me a few minutes to slice the onions and mix of the seasoning blend and then give the bird an olive oil rubdown. I can’t wait to come this afternoon; I’m betting the aroma will be amazing! Thanks for a great low carb dish!
Thanks Kim! We hope you loved it!
Best slow cooker whole chicken recipe I have tried! I added a little more liquid to the pot to keep it from drying out. Will definitely make again and again!
So happy you enjoyed it Ardis!
Just been out and got all the ingredients but swapped the onion for leeks added carrots and fresh mushrooms.
My question is can I use chicken stock instead of chicken broth? and can I use corn flour instead of corn starch?
Thanks as I know this is going to be lush.
Chicken stock and chicken broth can be used interchangeably. Cornflour and cornstarch are interchangeable as well. Enjoy the recipe Danny!
This is my second whole chicken I’ve cooked in my crock pot; the recipes were similar, but I used rice I cooked with the chicken.
With this recipe, I mixed equal parts of softened butter and mayonnaise in a small bowl, then I rubbed it over the chicken and in the cavities. The mixture hold in juices of the cooking chicken. I did not use any seasonings this time.
I put bag of baby carrots in bottom of crock pot after I sprayed it with cooking spray. I peeled and cut potatoes up in chunks, and placed larger chicken (almost 5 pounds) on top. I added 2 cups of water so I would have thinner broth drippings for gravy.
My lid does not fit crock pot very tight, so I covered the top with aluminum foil before I put the lid on. Cooked on high 4 -1/2 hours. I removed skin while chicken was cooling. I used 8 Tablespoons fo flour in place of corn starch. for the slurry and kept adding water and the broth make it thin enough to spoon into broth and stir. I left temperature on hi for a little longer than 10 minutes then on warm for 1-1/2 hours. I took bones out of all but the chicken breast, I will do that later today. It was easier to reheat in a serving bowl with gravy over chicken and vegetables.
We enjoyed the natural flavors, the chicken and veggies were tender, and the gravy was smooth and golden brown.
Thank you for your recipe!!
I pinned it to my Pinterest
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for sharing Elaine!
I love that this is gluten free, and so easy!
Isn’t that the best Linette!?
Made it last night , exactly as directed. Succulent and delicious
Will definitely repeat
I am thrilled that you enjoyed this chicken and gravy recipe April!
First time I have ever cooked a whole chicken in a slow cooker , I used your recipe and it came out great. My family loved it. Perfectly cooked, I love being able to cook a whole chicken in the summer and the house not getting to hot from the oven .
I am thrilled your family enjoyed this recipe Anne. I love slow cooker meals in the summer!
Made this today for supper this evening gravy & all. Used celery & onions at bottom of CP . Smells heavenly and tastes mighty fine. I did go a tad heavy handed on the seasonings and glad I did. Added my new found favorite crunched up Crispy Fried Garlic pieces to the mix. 4 thumbs up from this foodie household. Thanks for the easy very tasty recipe
That sounds delicious KJ! So happy to hear that you love it!
Love your recipes!
Thanks Marcia!
Delicious! After 5 hours on high the meat was falling from the bones- just like a rotisserie chicken. Served with cheesy broccoli rice. Will make again!!!
Mmmmm, that sounds mouth-watering Evelyn!
Lovely! The rub is very good and flavorful. Placed chicken on a bed of whole potatoes, garlic cloves, shallots, and carrot chunks. Omitted the foil balls. Didn’t bother to crisp up the skin or make gravy as the juice from the chicken was delicious and perfect as is. Will add this to the rotation. Txs!
I love the additions you made to the bottom of the slow cooker! Thank you for sharing.
Hands down the best chicken I’ve ever made! I added veggies to the bottom, making this a super easy dinner. Thank you!
So glad you loved it Autumn!
OMG, this recipe is awesome and simple. Chicken came out so moist, falling off bone. Made its own broth without adding any liquid. Like recipe says if you want crispy skin just put it under broiler for a few seconds. Recommend this highly.
So glad you loved it Toni, it’s one of our favorites too!
I have made this many times. Always comes out great and everyone loves it. Gravy is delicious! So simple to make too. This is my go to recepie for a whole chicken!!
Happy to hear that you enjoy this chicken so much Linda!
Can you add stuffing to the inside ?
I haven’t tried it and I can’t say for certain that the stuffing would reach a safe temperature. If you do try it you’ll need to ensure the stuffing reaches 165°F.
Chicken was moist and tender. Spice blend was delicious, I added some brown sugar into the mix as well. Under the tinfoil ring I put onion, mushrooms, carrots and whole cloves of garlic. Made for a delicious “au jous”.
That being said… I followed the directions for the gravy and it turned out TERRIBLE. Was way too watery and when I added the slurry as directed it tasted like cornstarch. Make your own gravy with flour and another recipe or from a mix.
Will be making the chicken again (not so much the gravy).
So glad the chicken worked out well for you. Sorry about the gravy not working out, I didn’t have a problem with a starchy flavor. You can most certainly sub in your own gravy or use the drippings to prepare it on the stove as well.