Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker Recipe

I love chicken any way you cook it but chicken cooked in the crock pot is so moist and juicy. This is a great way to cook a whole chicken and infuse tons of flavor into the meat. This is a meal in one if you having a starch free day. Leftovers can be used for tacos, chicken salad or quesadillas. 

Ingredients:

Rub Ingredients for the Chicken

• 4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

For the Crock-pot

• 1 cup chopped onion, approx 1 medium to large onion
• 4 to 5 carrots, scrubbed, no need to ppel, chopped in halves or thirds
• 4 celery stalks, cut in thirds
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1 whole lemon quartered
• 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs roasting or fryer chicken

Directions:

Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. prep the vegetables and place inside the slow cooker.

Remove chicken from packaging and remove neck and pouch with organs. discard or reserve for later use in another recipe. Rinse chicken with water and pat dry with paper towels.

Rub garlic all over outside of the chicken. Put garlic inside the chicken cavity. Put the rub all over the outside and inside of the chicken. Add quartered lemon to the inside of the chicken cavity.

Place the chicken on top of the vegetables. Cover slow cooker and cook chicken on low for 4-8 hours. The time will depend on the size of the chicken and your slow cooker. (A 4 lb chicken took 6 hours.) Cook until the internal temperature of the leg is at 160 degrees F or use a pop-up thermometer as the original recipe calls for.

Remove chicken and place in a 9X13 glass or ceramic baking dish. Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Allow chicken to rest after removing it from the broiler for 5-10 minutes.