I first saw this recipe on a country music website, of all places, and I had my doubts that it would actually turn out like a rotisserie chicken should so I didn't try it for a while. However, one week they had whole chickens on sale at Kroger and I decided to go ahead and chance it. Boy, was I wrong. It turned out amazingly good. As good as any chicken cooked on an actual rotisserie!
First, spray your slow cooker liberally with cooking spray. This really makes clean up easy. Next take foil and make balls a little smaller than base balls and line the bottom of the crock.
Wash your chicken inside and out and remove that weird bag of stuff they stick inside it (yuck) and discard it. If you are leery of handling a raw chicken, invest in a some latex gloves. Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with Lawry's poultry and chicken rub, pepper and garlic powder. Dot with about a 1/3 stick of butter and put some sprigs of fresh rosemary on top.
The rosemary is optional but it makes it smell so good cooking. Put the top on and cook 8 hours on low or 4-5 on high depending on how your slow cooker cooks. They all seem to vary. I usually do mine about 4.5 hours on high. Carefully remove from slow cooker and place on cutting board. Let it rest 10 minutes before you carve it or you will lose a lot of the juices and your chicken will be dry.
This is one of the best ways to cook a whole chicken I have ever found!
What is the purpose for the foil balls in the bottom of the crock for other than elevating the bird from sitting in it's own juices as it cooks? And if that is the case, could a rack that would fit in the crock work the same way?
ReplyDeleteI'm very interested in trying this as it is way easier than using the rotisserie my mom has *and easier to clean*.
It is probably to keep it from sitting in the drippings from the chicken and getting soggy.
DeleteI have done this using my crock pot rack before. Did not know I was doing anything special, just cooking.
DeleteI think it is to give it the crisy outside like a rotisserie chicken....
Deleteuse a metal rack instead of the foil balls, serves the same purpose and you don't lose any of the flavors at the bottom of the crock pot :)
DeleteI cut up an onion and slice some carrots and put on the bottom. You can do potatoes too. This way, the juices drip into the vegetables and make for a tasty treat. I also find that if you stuff the cavity with rosemary, cut up lemons and onions,(a lot of kosher salt and pepper). you get a flavor that is undescribably delicious when the chicken is cooked. The butter on top does help with the browning of the skin.
DeleteI would guess for clean up. just throw the foil away
ReplyDeleteI would think the foil would keep the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the crock-pot
ReplyDeleteTransfer heat?
ReplyDeleteIn other crock pot recipes I've read, such as meat loaf, the purpose of perching the meat on top of the foil balls was so the meat wouldn't sit in it's own grease while it cooks, but rather the grease would drip off and down to the bottom of the crock pot and the meat will cook more evenly and be crispier on the bottom, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think a rack would work ok. I am not sure though, because I haven't tried one. The foil mainly keeps the chicken from 'stewing' in it's own juices, which does not produce the same roasted effect.
DeleteCould you do this with just a few chicken breasts?
ReplyDeleteWhy not. I do chicken breasts in the crock pot all the time. They turn out moist & delicious
DeleteThat "yuky" bag of innards is great for making stock. It's really good, throw in some onion and celery even better.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts too. I usually freeze parts of chicken I do not use, backs, "innerds" wings. When I get enough I use them to make chicken stock. They say leave out the liver because it my make the stock bitter. I usually cook it and have it for a snack or cook it and give it to my cat. Dont throw them away!!
DeleteAdd a bay leaf while you are making the broth.
DeleteMy thoughts exactly. The bag of yucky stuff can be the best part and if you're not a fan your pets probably are!
DeleteFishing!
DeleteI wonder if you could wrap potatoes and put them in the bottom. If so you could have baked potatoes with your chicken. Think I will try this.
ReplyDeleteYes you can. I have used sweet potatoes..and were delish.
DeleteThat sounds like an excellent idea!
DeleteDid you cook your potatoes as long as the chicken? I wanna try this but don't want my potatoes to get nasty
DeleteSounds so good. I don't usually make whole chicken but I always use my slow cooker. I think I am going to give this a try. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteFor a little extra flavor, pierce a lemon a few times with a fork and put it in the cavity while it is cooking.
ReplyDeleteThat weird bag of stuff they stick inside it contains some very tasty and nutritious bits, Heart-liver-gizzard and neck) that, simmered in a small amount of water produces some very flavorful broth that you can make a savory sauce with to pour over your potatoes, rice, or noodles of your choice. My canine children love to eat those simmered bits as well!
ReplyDeleteI don't do organs and such...lol. I am pretty sure even my canine child wouldn't eat it. He's a very finicky 130lb. German Shepherd. He thinks he's a poodle or something.
DeleteJust try it. I bet he will.
DeleteYou will be surprised at how fast he will devour it...I have never seen any animal turn away from cooked organ meat..It is their natural diet and very good for them.
DeleteThe neck has some of the most tender meat on it. you should try it!
DeleteYum! Gotta try this!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your time and effort in providing these delicious recipes. I truly appreciate your Site
ReplyDelete!
I am glad you enjoy them, Jan.
DeleteIs the chicken crispy or soggy skin?
ReplyDeleteWe made this and it was delicious. The skin didn't taste or look like a rotisserie chicken so we ate it without which I suppose is healthier anyway.
ReplyDeleteWondering if you could do this same thing on a smoker. We do BBQ cookoffs and always looking for a new chicken receipe!
ReplyDeleteI like to chop up some garlic and stuff it underneath the skin of the breast with rosemary sprigs.
ReplyDeleteI will have to try this, looks great. I thought you could only use slow cookers, if you have liquids in a recipe? I make my whole chickens in the oven, on a rack. I love all your posts. I made your ceddar and garlic bisquits, everyone loved them. Have a blessed day! <3 Karen :-)
ReplyDeleteInstead of foil balls I take potatoes wash them make several thin slices but not all the way through (like a fan) stuff with butter or olive oil and lots of thinly sliced garlic salt and pepper to taste wrap tightly in foil. Can broil the chicken a few minutes to crisp up the skin.
ReplyDeleteGOING TO TRY THIS---THANKS!!!
DeleteROSLYN
im going to try this with double foil wrapped potatoes and veggies in the bottom instead of just foil balls.YUM
ReplyDeleteInstead of foil balls in the bottom of your crock, place a disposable foil loaf pan upside down and set the chicken on top. I saw this on a cooking show on TV
ReplyDeleteI would not throw away the stuff inside the chicken. I use it for giblet gravy to add to what comes with a big turkey or I cook the livers when I have collected enough of them.
ReplyDeleteI cooked this last week and was delicious. I had a chicken buy no Lowery Chicken and Poultry rub and didn't want to go to store so used my Olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning rub that I use when I bake a turkey. I rubbed it inside and out and sprinkled more Tony's on top as we like a little spicy. It was wonderful. Going to try the potatoes on the bottom wrapped in foil the next time. Thanks so much for this and other great recipes. Glad I found this site.
ReplyDeleteI love your website. Every one of your recipes I have cooked, have turned out great and very good. Thanks again, and keep posting these great recipes.
ReplyDeleteI use this recipe too. After it's finished cooking in the crockpot, I put it under the broiler. It makes it really crispy. Also, You can use stipes of foil, hung on the sides of the crockpot, going down into the crockpot, making a "hammock" for the bird. When it's finished cooking it makes it easier to transfer it to the broiler pan or just take it out of the pot. The crockpot makes it so tender and it will fall apart when you take it out. It's a great recipe! Thanks for posting it.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if I could do 3 of these in a turkey roaster using a rack under them?
ReplyDeleteI love this idea and will try soon. Thanks for this wonderful cooking site.Frances of North Carolina .
ReplyDeleteI MAKE THE FOIL BALLS TOO----OR USE A SMALL ALUM PAN N CUT HOLES IN IT---IF I USE THE LARGER COOKER I USE A RACK-----IT KEEPS THE CHICKEN FROM SWIMING IN THE JUICES/GREASE AND ALLOWS IT TO BROWN BETTER----------I USE PLENTY OF FRESH GARLIC AND GRATED ONION IN MY SEASONING MIXTURE WHICH INCLUDES A LITTLE FRESH LEMON OR LIME JUICE ALSO---AND FOR AN EXTRA TREAT U CAN STUFF IT--- JUST ADD EXTRA COOKING TIME------I LOVE THE RECIPES U ARE POSTING.....ROSLYN
ReplyDeleteI tried this recipe for the first time today, and the chicken is perfect. The skin is almost like roasted, and the meat is tender and juicy....I tried your suggestion of using a small aluminum pan with holes cut in the bottom, and placed the chicken and some cut up red potatos on top of it. Worked like a charm....
DeleteI heard a hint for crispier skin......leave the chicken uncovered in fridge overnight...that will help dry the skin and then it will crisp up nicely....I cannot confirm but it sounds plausible!!
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight and we LOVED it. However, I really dislike wasting so much foil, so next time I'll attempt to get the same effect with some kind of rack. Perhaps a stainless veggie steamer? Thanks for the recipe. I find myself returning to your blog over and over.
ReplyDelete