Slow Cooker Whole Chicken & Potatoes. Introducing you to a delicious slow cooker dinner of lemon whole chicken, seasoned baby potatoes and a hidden vegetable mustard sauce.
You will love how simple this whole chicken slow cooker dinner is and how you can dump the ingredients into the slow cooker for a low prep midweek dinner.
This slow cooker whole chicken and potatoes recipe is an update on a 2017 recipe. We have added potatoes and a delicious sauce to the recipe, plus added extra photos and recipe ideas. We hope you love our updated version.
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Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
Have you ever slow cooked meat before, using your slow cooker? Its my favourite way to cook meat because a) it takes the stress out as everything is dumped into the slow cooker and b) the slow cooker makes meat incredibly tender and c) slow cooker food has an amazing depth of flavour.
I had to add in C because if I had just mentioned A & B, you would be telling me to use the instant pot pressure cooker.
But the instant pot pressure cooker can strip flavour and I can’t dump in the food several hours later. I.e. later in the day when I am feeling too tired to cook, the hard work has already been done.
If you are new to slow cooker meat, then you are in for a real treat. Slow cooker whole chicken cooks perfectly and joins slow cooker topside beef, slow cooker turkey crown, slow cooker gammon in water, slow cooker pork leg joint and slow cooker gammon shank among the best of the best.
Can You Cook A Whole Chicken In A Slow Cooker?
Yes, you can. Cooking whole chicken in slow cooker is truly amazing. The chicken is so tender and juicy and its also easy for shredding if you want some shredded chicken for meal prep.
To be aware of what size will fit in your slow cooker, especially if doing potatoes or veggies at the same time. Our whole chicken is a medium and 1.2kg/2.64lbs.
You can also cook a whole chicken in the slow cooker for an easy roast chicken dinner alternative, along with potatoes and vegetables. Or like we are showing you today, to transform your vegetables into a creamy sauce.
Cooking Whole Chicken In Slow Cooker
As the wife of Chef Dom, I have had years and years of him chatting about how versatile chicken is and how many different things you can do with the basic chicken.
That same rule applies to whole chickens. Even though I am showing you the way we cook a whole chicken in the slow cooker, its easy to mix and match ingredients and to transform it into something totally different for you.
We are doing a whole chicken with lemon, and you could do:
- Paprika Chicken
- Cajun Chicken
- Jerk Chicken
- Italian Chicken
- Harissa Chicken
This can be achieved simply by swapping the dried seasoning you place on the skin of your whole chicken.
Then if you want your whole chicken crispy, simply finish with 5 minutes at 200c/400f in the air fryer with a little extra virgin olive oil.
These of course, are just a few ideas how you can swap out the lemon and then do it a different way with slight modifications.
Whole Chicken In Slow Cooker With Potatoes
What I love most is to cook slow cooker whole chicken and potatoes. It’s a fantastic combination and the lazy option is to use baby potatoes.
You can use already prepped supermarket bought baby potatoes (that’s what we did), load them into a bowl, toss in seasoning and cook with your whole chicken.
Then when your whole chicken is resting after the slow cooker process is done, you can add extra seasoning and olive oil and air fry.
Then once the whole chicken has finished resting, you have crispy baby potatoes and chicken to serve for dinner.
Though of course, you can swap this for other potatoes and if you go with smaller sliced potatoes, you could grab the potatoes from the slow cooker and transform into mashed potatoes.
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken & Vegetables
This same option can also work with slow cooker whole chicken and vegetables. Though of course, stick with root vegetables as otherwise the vegetables will turn to mush.
I recommend using roots such as swede (also known as rutabaga), carrots, turnips, beetroot etc.
Or do what we do when we make slow cooker whole chicken and vegetables and use it as your base for a creamy sauce to serve with your whole chicken.
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Ingredients
Chicken – I am sure its no surprise that for a slow cooker full chicken you need a chicken! I recommend a small or a medium sized chicken because it will easily fit in your slow cooker. And if you can I recommend Butcher Box as their chickens are much better quality and you can taste the difference.
Lemon – I prefer a slow cooker whole chicken with lemon. You can then place a lemon in the cavity and then cook some lemons with the potatoes in the pot. They are then cooked and ready to be used in a sauce.
Potatoes – This dish is loaded with baby potatoes. If you buy them already prepped all you need to do is season them and they are ready for the slow cooker. A very lazy method for midweek dinners.
Veggies – I use the veggies for both making a stock and also for enjoying in the sauce. You can do the same, or also use them for serving with your chicken. Though avoid quick cooking veggies such as broccoli and mushrooms.
Onion – I also start with a sauté with extra virgin olive oil. I am lucky because I have a Crockpot that also works on the stove so I can do a quick brown of the onions first to add flavour to the pot.
Seasoning – The flavours are amazing in this dish. Beyond the usual salt and pepper, and lemon we are using oregano, chives and mixed herbs.
Then for the kitchen gadgets that we have used in this whole chicken slow cooker recipe, it has just been our Crockpot. We have this one and it does an amazing job and is also ideal for browning your onion before slow cooking begins.
How To Cook A Whole Chicken In A Slow Cooker?
- Sauté. The first step is to peel and dice your onion and garlic and sauté in the slow cooker.
- Mix. Next add in your vegetables that you prepped as your onion was sauteing. Also add in your seasoned baby potatoes.
- Position. The next step is to position your whole chicken on top of the vegetables and to make sure it has plenty of room to cook.
- Cook. Slow cook until you have tender potatoes, perfectly cooked whole chicken, and veggies to make into a sauce.
- Extras. Remove the whole chicken and put to one side to rest. Load strained veggies and a little stock plus some mustard into the blender and blend until you have a creamy mustard sauce.
- Crispy. If you would like crispy potatoes, load them into a bowl with seasoning and extra virgin olive oil. Mix and then load into the air fryer to crisp up.
- Serve. Load everything onto a platter and serve.
How Long To Cook Whole Chicken In Slow Cooker?
The slow cooker full chicken cook time is 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low, depending on if you are putting the slow cooker on at lunch time for dinner, or in the morning for when you get home.
Though the time to cook a whole chicken in slow cooker doesn’t include the extra time if you want to crisp up potatoes or crisp the whole chicken skin.
Whole Chicken In Slow Cooker On High
Its also worth mentioning, that you don’t have to cook your whole chicken in the slow cooker on high if you don’t want to.
Note, that the slow cooker will reach its ideal internal temperature whether its done on low or high.
Though make sure you DO NOT cook a frozen whole chicken in the slow cooker. I recommend you read: can you cook frozen chicken in a slow cooker.
More Slow Cooker Dinners
- Slow Cooker Beef Goulash
- Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken Casserole
- Slow Cooker Lamb Tagine
- Slow Cooker Lamb Hotpot
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken And Potatoes
Ingredients
Kitchen Gadgets:
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Ingredients:
- 1.2 kg Medium Whole Chicken
- 1 Medium White Onion
- 1 Tbsp Garlic Puree
- 1 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 Medium Carrots
- 2 Celery Sticks
- 1 Leek
- 2 Medium Lemons
- 1 Tbsp Mustard
- 1 Tsp Chives
- Salt & Pepper
Baby Potatoes Prep Ingredients:
- 200 g Bag Baby Potatoes
- 1 Tbsp Garlic Puree
- 1 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tsp Oregano
- 1 Tsp Parsley
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Peel your onion and thinly slice it. Load it into the slow cooker with your extra virgin olive oil. Sauté until your onion starts to soften. Then stir in your garlic puree.
- Peel your carrots and dice your carrots, leek, and celery. Then wash your celery and leek.
- In a bowl add the baby potatoes along with salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, garlic puree, and a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Mix with your hands.
- Stir in the veggies and baby potatoes into the slow cooker with the onion and garlic. Add some chives and salt and pepper for extra flavour and stir again.
- Remove the whole chicken from the packaging and half a lemon and place the two lemon halves into the cavity. Then add extra virgin olive oil to the skin of the chicken and season the skin with salt, pepper, parsley, and oregano.
- Chop up the second lemon into 8ths and then half squeeze them into the vegetables and then place them into the slow cooker. Place the whole chicken into the slow cooker breast side up. Slow cook for 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low.
- Once cooked, put to one side to rest.
- Load the drained veggies from the slow cooker with a little of the stock, along with a tablespoon of mustard into the blender and blend until you have a creamy mustard sauce.
- Optional – Add the potatoes back into the mixing bowl, add the same seasoning and oil again and toss with your hands. Load into the air fryer and cook for 5 minutes at 200c/400f.
- Serve your chicken with your potatoes and your mustard sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Can’t make it now? Then pin it for later!
I was struggling to get my chicken in and not over cook it, but adding the extra things in seems to help, thanks for the tip my chicken was perfectly cooked.
Love a slow cooker whole chicken and this recipe really helped with the images in helping me to understand the each instruction much better.