If you’re wondering how to cook a whole chicken in the crockpot, this easy recipe with a smokey garlic spice mix is for you. It’s perfectly browned on the outside, juicy on the inside, and has lovely hints of sweet lemon in every juicy bite.
Why Make a Whole Chicken in the Crockpot?
If you love weeknight dinners that can double as simple-but-fancy recipes for gatherings, you must learn how to cook whole chicken in the crockpot.
- Set-and-forget. Once the chicken’s in the crockpot, you can forget about it for a couple hours.
- Made with pantry staples. There are no complicated ingredients, just simple pantry staples like cumin, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Great for gatherings. You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen because this whole chicken dinner practically makes itself.
- Freezer-friendly. If you make two batches, you can always keep some in the freezer for busy weeknights.
Ingredient Notes
All the flavor’s in the smokey cumin-paprika spice mix with hints of herby coriander. Scroll to the “How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Crockpot” recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
- Whole chicken – You can use fresh or frozen (thawed).
- Olive oil – Feel free to use corn, canola, or vegetable oil instead.
- Garlic powder – Onion powder is okay as well.
- Ground cumin – If you don’t mind a slightly Tex-Mex flavor, taco seasoning is a good swap.
- Ground coriander – Avoid fresh coriander because it’ll burn in the broiler.
- Smoked paprika – You can also use mild or sweet paprika.
- Salt and pepper – Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper are best.
- Lemon – Oranges work too.
How to Make a Whole Chicken in the Crockpot
Once you clean the chicken and prep the spice mix, the crockpot does the rest of the work for you. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full “How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Crockpot” recipe card.
- Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Remove the neck and giblets. Rub olive oil all over the chicken.
- Make the spice mixture. Whisk the garlic powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Spice it up. Sprinkle the chicken with the spice blend on all sides. Place the lemon inside the chicken’s cavity. Add the chicken breast-side up to the crockpot.
- Cook it. Cover the crockpot with the lid. Set it to HIGH and cook for 6 hours. Remove and transfer it to a baking dish.
- Broil it. Place the chicken under the broiler for 5-6 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove it from the heat. Set it aside. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, serve, and enjoy!
Tips & Variation Ideas
Prepping homemade white wine gravy and tender potatoes for this crockpot chicken will make dinnertime extra impressive.
- More spices. Mix 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper into the seasoning mixture for more depth and flavor.
- Swap the protein. Using a small turkey instead of chicken for this recipe is an easy swap.
- Use veggies. Add 1/4 pound halved baby potatoes, 1/4 pound chopped carrots, and 1/4 pound green beans to the crockpot after 5 hours. Let them cook in the crockpot for the last hour of cooking time until tender.
- Ask the butcher. Save prep time by asking the butcher to remove the neck and giblets from the chicken.
- Make a gravy. Pour 32 fl oz chicken stock and 1/2 cup dry white wine whisked with 1 tablespoon cornstarch into the crockpot during the last hour of cooking time. Let it thicken and serve the gravy on the side.
FAQs
Serving Suggestions
This whole chicken in the crockpot is an effortless dinner that goes perfectly with veggie sides. Try it with my Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon or Mediterranean Salad. My Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes are great too. For salad options, make my Mediterranean Salad or Green Goddess Salad.
How to Store & Reheat Extras
Learning how to cook a whole chicken in the crockpot is easy, and so is storing it.
- Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Transfer it to a freezer bag in serving-size portions. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- To reheat it: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon water over it and microwave it for up to a minute or until warm. For larger portions, place it in the crockpot and set it to WARM for 30 minutes.
More Crockpot Chicken Recipes
- Crockpot Chicken Curry
- White Chicken Chili
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Crockpot Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Garlic Herb Crock Pot Chicken
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Crock Pot
- Cuisine: American
Description
Learning how to cook a whole chicken in the crockpot with smokey seasoning and tart lemons is easy with this set-and-forget recipe.
Ingredients
- 5–6 lbs. of whole chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
- 1/2 tablespoon of smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, halved
Instructions
- Clean and pat dry whole chicken.
- In a small bowl, add garlic powder, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Place chicken, breast-side up in the crock pot.
- Drizzle with olive oil. Using your hands, rub the olive oil all over.
- Next, cover the chicken with the spice blend. Make sure that it is covered on all sides.
- Add lemon halves to the cavity of the chicken.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the crock pot and transfer to a baking dish.
- Place the whole chicken under the broiler for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is slightly browned on top.
- Remove from oven. Let rest for 5 minutes and serve.
