Description
This easy slow cooker whole chicken recipe features a tender 5-pound chicken cooked with butter, onions, carrots, and celery, infused with herbs like thyme, sage, and paprika. After slow cooking, savory stove top stuffing is combined with the flavorful chicken drippings and vegetables, creating a comforting one-pot meal perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
Main
- 5 lbs. whole chicken
- 6 oz. box stove top stuffing (savory herb style recommended, but chicken, turkey, or cornbread styles work too)
Seasonings & Fats
- 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. dried sage (or oregano if unavailable)
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Clean the inside of the whole chicken by removing any extra parts or packaging and discard them to ensure a clean cavity.
- Add Vegetables: Place the diced carrots, onion, and celery at the bottom of the slow cooker as a flavorful bed for the chicken.
- Season and Add Chicken: Put the whole chicken on top of the vegetables. Pour melted butter over the chicken and evenly sprinkle dried thyme, dried sage, paprika, salt, and pepper all over the chicken for seasoning.
- Cook the Chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or on high heat for 4-5 hours until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
- Remove the Chicken and Prepare Stuffing Base: Take the cooked chicken out and place it on a platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Remove the excess cooking liquid from the slow cooker, leaving about 1.5 cups of liquid along with the cooked vegetables.
- Add Stove Top Stuffing: Add the box of stove top stuffing to the remaining liquid and vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover and let it sit for 10 minutes to absorb the flavors and soften.
- Fluff and Serve: Fluff the stuffing with a fork once ready. Optionally, return the chicken to the slow cooker on top of the stuffing for an attractive presentation, or slice and serve the chicken separately with the stuffing on the side.
Notes
- Accurately measuring and leaving the correct amount of cooking liquid (1.5 cups) for the stuffing is crucial for proper texture.
- You can save any extra cooking liquid for making gravy or incorporating into other recipes.
- If you don’t have dried sage, dried oregano is a good substitute.
- Using paprika helps the chicken develop a nice color even though it doesn’t crisp in the slow cooker.