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Slow Cooker Roast Chicken

5

  • Prep Time10 min
  • Total Time7 h 10 min
  • Makes4 to 6 servings
A slow cooker with a cooked whole chicken inside; it's rubbed over with spices and ready to take out. For a feature on meal prep cooking.

Produced by Sun Ngo; Food Styling by Eshun Mott; Photography by; Christie Vuong; Prop styling by; Catherine Doherty.

A slow, gentle cook transforms chicken into something deeply tender and rich. Low heat keeps the meat juicy while breaking down collagen for an ultra silky texture.

Ingredients

  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced

  • 1 tbsp minced garlic

  • 1.3 kg to 1.8 kg whole chicken, giblets removed

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 2 1/2 to 3 tsp kosher salt

  • 1 tsp paprika

  • 1 tsp onion powder

  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

  • Scatter onion and garlic over bottom of slow cooker insert. Arrange chicken overtop, breast-side up.

  • Rub chicken with oil, then sprinkle evenly with salt, paprika, onion powder and pepper, pressing seasonings onto skin.

  • Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hrs, or until chicken is tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 165F.

Kitchen tips

  • Reserve cooking liquid and use in other recipes in place of chicken broth.
  • Want crispy skin? Transfer cooked chicken to a baking sheet and broil until skin is golden, 3 to 5 min.
  • Want to double the recipe? If you have a large slow cooker(8 qt or larger), you can cook two chickens at once. Double the oil and seasonings, but keep the same cooking time.
  • Want to use your oven instead? Follow seasoning instructions, then place chicken in a roasting pan. Bake at 375F until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 165F, about 1 ½ hrs.


This recipe is part of our easy make-ahead meal prep plan for busy weeknights. Use it to make Chicken, White Bean and Rice Soup, Chicken Broccoli Casserole, Almost-Instant Thai Chicken Curry and Quick Paella.

Jennifer Pallian is a food scientist, recipe developer and blogger at Foodess. She lives in Vancouver.

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The cover of Chatelaine magazine's spring 2025 issue, reading "weekend prep made easy"; "five delicious weeknight meals", "plus, why you'll never regret buying an air fryer"; "save money, stay stylish how to build a capsule wardrobe" and "home organization special" along with photos of burritos, chicken and rice and white bean soup, quick paella in a dutch oven, almost-instant Thai chicken curry and chicken broccoli casserole in an enamelled cast-iron skillet

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