Disclosure: I received a Set & Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker for this post.
The slow cooker is my best friend in the kitchen, especially in the Fall and Winter! I have made some of the most delicious (and easiest) meals using my Set ‘n Forget Hamilton Beach slow cooker. If you haven’t pulled your slow cooker out for the quickly-approaching colder months, then now is the time!
Most recently, I cooked a whole chicken in the slow cooker!
Cooking a whole chicken in the slow cooker has some major benefits. My favorite benefit is that after the chicken is cooked to perfection, all of the healthy nutrient-packed juices go to the bottom and you can make a broth right after! Just use the juices, the chicken carcass, herbs and some vegetables! It is a double-whammy slow cooker meal!
Making a whole chicken in the slow cooker is one of the easiest recipes! You don’t need a lot of ingredients, and if you want to make a whole meal out of it, add potatoes like I did! So here are the ingredients you will need for cooking a whole chicken.
Here is what you’ll need for making a whole chicken in the slow cooker:
- Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker
- Whole Chicken (3-5 lbs)
- 2 Sweet Potatoes
- Seasonings: salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 2 spoonful Coconut Oil
- Foil
Step 1: Let’s prep! Gather all of your ingredients. Cut the potatoes into large chunks. Dice the onion. Mince the garlic. Remove the inards (if they are there) from the whole chicken.
Step 2: Grab a piece of foil about 2x the size of the bottom of the slow cooker. Put your potatoes in the foil and add 2 spoonfuls of coconut oil, diced onion and seasonings as desired. (I used generous amounts of salt and pepper). Note: There are so many ways to make roasted sweet potatoes. Experiment with brown sugar, rosemary, or even hot & spicy herbs!
Then wrap the foil over the mix like you are making a little packet. Make sure it is sealed well, just fold and roll over the edges. Place the potato pocket on the bottom of the slow cooker. This allows the chicken to sit on top.
Step 3: Mix together the minced garlic and seasonings into a small bowl. I used 1-2 tsp. of each (rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt). Add the olive oil.
Step 4: You can either use a brush or your hands to spread the mixture all over the chicken. Rub it in and get the mixture massaged into the whole chicken, including the the wing and thigh creases. Add oil or seasoning as needed for the chicken to be liberally covered in oil and seasoning.
Note: If you wish to stuff the chicken, feel free. It is an added flavor if you do. You can stuff it with onion, apples, seasonings, vegetables, more potatoes, lemon slices…
Step 5: Place the chicken on top of the foil in the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker on high for 2-4 hours, low for 5-7 hours, or even better if you have the Set ‘n Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker just put the probe into the chicken, and set for 180° F (Whole Chicken, Turkey, Cornish) and the slow cooker will cook until the internal temperature of the chicken has reached this temperature.
Once it has cooked fully, enjoy!
Note: If you want to skip the potatoes all together, than just put a few balled up pieces of foil on the bottom of the slow cooker. This allows the chicken to lay on top and cook to a delicious perfection.
… And don’t forget to use the leftover juices and chicken bones for some nutrient-rich homemade chicken broth! Check out my blog for the chicken broth recipe!
How I like the Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker?
Making a whole chicken in this slow cooker is incredibly simple, especially with the probe that reads the meat temperature automatically! The chicken and sweet potatoes were cooked to perfection! The chicken was moist and the meat came right off the bone!
I have used this slow cooker now for about a month and have made whole chicken, chicken broth, and a few soups. The probe and automatic programmable temperature settings make this slow cooker awesome!
How would you like to win a Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker?
This slow cooker rocks, now how about we give one away! Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a Set ‘n Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker With Spoon/Lid.