Whole Chicken in the Crockpot

Whole Chicken in the Crockpot is one of my go-to recipes for simple, real food meals.  With only the chicken plus four additional ingredients, I could probably make it in my sleep!

Why We Cook Whole Chickens

Whole Chicken in the Crockpot is one of our favorite real-food convenience meals.

It takes just a few minutes to assemble, requires very little hands-on effort, and provides multiple meals for our family. In fact, whenever possible, we plan to cook extra chicken because the leftovers make meal prep so much easier throughout the week.

Years ago, I realized that one of the easiest ways to save both time and money in the kitchen was to start cooking whole chickens instead of relying solely on individual cuts. Not only are whole chickens typically more economical, but they also provide meat for several meals plus bones for homemade broth.

That’s a win-win in my book.

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A Flexible Method 

One of the reasons I love this recipe is that it doesn’t require much measuring.

Most of the time, I simply scatter onions in the bottom of the crockpot, add the chicken, pour in the wine and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle on some seasonings, and call it good. It’s one of those forgiving recipes that turns out beautifully even when I don’t follow exact measurements.

That said, I know many people prefer a more precise recipe, especially when trying something for the first time. So I’ve included exact ingredient amounts and instructions below. Feel free to follow the recipe as written or use it as a flexible framework and adjust it to suit your family’s tastes.

Several hours later, you’ll have tender, flavorful chicken and delicious cooking juices ready to spoon over the meat.

It’s the kind of recipe that works equally well on a busy weekday or a slow Sunday afternoon.

Pasture-Raised Chicken Makes a Difference

We use our own homegrown pasture-raised chickens whenever possible, and the flavor is hard to beat.

Pasture-raised chicken tends to have richer flavor and firmer texture than conventionally raised poultry, making simple recipes like this shine. Because there are so few ingredients, the quality of the chicken really comes through.

If you don’t raise your own chickens, consider checking with local farmers in your area. Supporting local farms and enjoying delicious food at the same time is always a good combination.

Don’t Stop at One Meal

One of my favorite kitchen habits is planning for leftovers.

In fact, I often cook two chickens at once in separate crockpots. It takes only a few extra minutes of prep, but it gives us plenty of cooked chicken to use in future meals.

Some of our favorite ways to use leftover chicken include:

• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• White Chicken Chili
• Grain-Free Chicken Pot Pie
• Chicken Burrito Bowls
• Tacos and Quesadillas
• Simple green salad
• Add it to pizza

Having cooked chicken ready to go makes it much easier to pull together quick meals on busy days.

Save the Bones for Homemade Broth

One of the biggest advantages of cooking whole chickens is that nothing goes to waste.

After removing the meat, save the bones, skin, onions, and cooking juices to make homemade chicken broth. The broth can be used in soups, stews, sauces, and countless other recipes.

I often start a batch of broth immediately after deboning the chicken by returning the bones and scraps to the crockpot, covering them with water, and letting them simmer.

One chicken can easily provide dinner, leftovers, and broth for future meals, making this one of the hardest-working recipes in our kitchen.

In fact, I often cook two chickens at once, in two separate crockpots. This saves me time by providing plenty of meat for later use, and plenty of bones and skins for making broth.

While the chicken cooks, whip up a few veggie sides…

• Paleo Bacon Broccoli Salad
• Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Cornbread
• Home-Canned Green Beans
• Savory Oven Roasted Potato Wedges
• Creamy Paleo Broccoli Slaw
• Charred Broccoli with Garlic
• Creamy Gluten Free Pasta Salad with Veggies
• Perfect Baked Potatoes
• Paleo Classic Potato Salad
• Maple Glazed Kale with Red Onion
• Honey-Sweetened Apple Slaw
• Coconut Oil Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Potato Zucchini Skillet Hash (not pictured)
• Fresh Garlicky Green Beans (not pictured)
• Crispy Potatoes (not pictured)

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Whole Chicken in the Crockpot

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• Author: Kathleen henderson | Roots & Boots
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 7 hours
• Total Time: 7 hours 10 mins
• Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
• Category: Main Dish

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Ingredients

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• 1 whole chicken (pastured is best)
• 1/2 onion, chopped (frozen chopped onions are a time saver)
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• Homemade Herbamare, to taste (or fresh herbs)

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Instructions

1. Place onions in the bottom of the crockpot.
2. Place chicken on top, breast-side down.
3. Pour red wine over chicken.
4. Pour balsamic vinegar over chicken.
5. Sprinkle Homemade Herbamare liberally inside and all over chicken, including on the underside.
6. Cook on all day (6-8 hours) on low.
7. Remove chicken and debone, if desired. See below.
8. Serve the meat with the strained cooking liquid, then use the leftovers for an endless array of possibilities!
9. Be sure to save the bones and skin, etc. to make Homemade Chicken Broth!

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Notes

Tips for Deboning:
–Don your favorite apron, or prepare to ruin your shirt. (Or am I the only one who requires this step?)
–After turning off the crockpot and removing the lid, it’s helpful to wait for at least 30 minutes or more. (The chicken will be smokin’ HOT!)
–Lay an old towel on a flat surface and place a large cutting board on top. Make sure your towel is larger than the cutting board, to catch the greasy juices.
–Carefully remove chicken and place on cutting board. Again, it’s best to wait at least 30 minutes, to allow the chicken to cool a bit. Pry it apart a bit, to help it cool faster.
–Get your bowls ready: one for the meat, one for bones and scraps.
–Use your fingers to remove all meat.
–Save the bones and all scraps (skin, innards, onions, etc) for making Homemade Chicken Broth. I usually strain the cooking liquid to serve with the chicken, placing the bones and scraps back into the crockpot right away and covering with water to start a batch of Homemade Chicken Broth.

Tips for Deboning:

1. Don your favorite apron, or prepare to ruin your shirt.   🙂  (Or am I the only one who requires this step?)
2. After turning off the crockpot and removing the lid, it’s helpful to wait for at least 30 minutes or more.  (The chicken will be smokin’ HOT!)
3. Lay an old towel on a flat surface and place a large cutting board on top.  Make sure your towel is larger than the cutting board, to catch the greasy juices.
4. Carefully remove chicken and place on cutting board.  Again, it’s best to wait at least 30 minutes, to allow the chicken to cool a bit.  Pry it apart a bit, to help it cool faster.
5. Get your bowls ready: one for the meat, one for bones and scraps.
6. Use your fingers to remove all meat.
7. Save the bones and all scraps (skin, innards, onions, etc) for making Homemade Chicken Broth.  I usually strain the cooking liquid and serve it with the chicken, placing the bones and scraps back into the crockpot right away and covering with water to start a batch of Homemade Chicken Broth.

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