I'm going to show you how to cook a whole chicken in the slow cooker. This easy slow cooker chicken turns out juicy and flavorful every single time. It's a great recipe for cooking a whole pastured chicken from the farmers market because it's nearly impossible to mess up if you follow these instructions.
1tbspfresh thyme or rosemary needlesor 1 tsp dried
1tspdried sage
1/2tspcoarse kosher salt
1clovefresh garlicminced
1/2mediumyellow onioncut into 3-4 pieces
1tbspgrass-fed buttercut into 3 pieces
Instructions
Place the thawed chicken on a large baking pan to season it. Have all the ingredients measured out and within reach. Set the slow cooker beside the baking pan so you can easily the lift the seasoned chicken into it.
Start by squeezing half a lemon over the entire chicken. Then use your hands to rub the olive oil all over the skin.
Next, sprinkle the herbs, salt and garlic over the chicken, top and bottom. Rub them into the legs, wings and breast meat.
Finally, tuck the onion pieces and butter into the chicken.
Place the whole chicken, breast side up in the middle of your slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook for 3-4 hours on high heat or 7-8 hours on low heat. See the recipe notes for detailed cooking times.
Notes
Detailed Cooking Times
On High Heat3lb chicken: about 3 hours3.5-4lb chicken: 3.5-4 hours4-5lb chicken: about 4-4.5 hours5-5.5lb chicken: 4.5-5 hoursOn Low Heat3-4lb chicken: 7-8 hours
How to Know When a Whole Chicken is Done Cooking
A whole chicken is done cooking when a meat thermometer plunged deep into the thigh (without touching bone) shows an internal temperature of 165 to 175 degrees.As a visual check for doneness, I look for the meat to start pulling back from the ankle bone. When that happens I know the chicken is done cooking. At this point I’ll lift the lid and check the temperature to be sure.