In the past, I’ve always had crappy results when I’ve tried to cook a whole chicken in the slow cooker. The bird would always be overcooked, stringy, mushy, and dry. Super icky. Last night, I cooked a whole chicken in my slow cooker and it was AMAZING! I‘ll never prepare a whole chicken any other way again. Yes, that was a hyperbolic statement but I’m sticking with it.
The method I followed was a mash-up between Sarah Fragoso’s Spice Rub Crock Pot Chicken and the chicken in a pot recipe from Slow Cooker Revolution. I heart both, so how could I fail?
(Update: I rarely use a slow cooker these days. Instead I make this recipe in my Instant Pot!)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2 onions, chopped medium (or 2 cups of your favorite alliums)
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste (you can use up to a tablespoon to add more umami)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup white wine (replace with ¼ cup extra chicken stock if on Whole30)
- 1 (4-pound) organic kosher chicken (I prefer the taste of the salt-washed bird)
- Sunny Paris seasoning (or your favorite seasoning)
Equipment:
- Measuring spoons
- Large skillet
- Measuring cups
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Slow cooker
- Immersion blender
- Silicone ice cube molds
Here’s what you do:
Melt the ghee in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and gather your chopped veggies.
When the ghee is shimmering, add the onions and garlic (I threw in some scallions, too)…
…and the tomato paste.
The aromatics should be softened and lightly browned after 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper.
Then, deglaze the pan with the wine and/or chicken stock, and transfer everything to your slow cooker. Dry off the bird and season it well – inside and out – with salt, pepper, and your favorite poultry seasoning. (I like Sunny Paris seasoning from Penzeys Spices.)
Place the chicken breast side down in the slow cooker, put on the cover, and set it to cook on low for 4-6 hours.
This bird was close to 4 pounds, so I aimed for about 4.5 hours of simmering.
When the chicken’s finished cooking…
…take it out of the slow cooker and let it rest for 20 minutes.
De-fat the braising sauce (if desired)…
…check for seasoning, and blend it with an immersion blender…
… to make a delicious gravy.
This gravy is kickass!
Rip up the chicken up with your hands like a true cavegirl or caveguy…
…and serve it with the gravy.
My favorite thing about this recipe is the breast stays moist! Love it! Don’t ever cook chicken longer than 6 hours on low!
And DON’T FORGET TO SAVE THE GRAVY! It’s pretty much incredible on everything. I freeze the extra gravy in these silicone ice molds.
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Slow Cooker Roast Chicken and Gravy
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 4 servings
This is my fool-proof method for cooking a delicious whole roast chicken in a slow cooker. You'll make a wonderful Paleo gravy, too!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2 onions, chopped medium (or 2 cups of your favorite alliums)
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste (you can use up to a tablespoon to add more umami)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup white wine (replace with ¼ cup extra chicken stock if on Whole30)
- 1 (4-pound) organic kosher chicken (I prefer the taste of the salt-washed bird)
- Sunny Paris seasoning (or your favorite seasoning)
Instructions
- Melt the ghee in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and gather your chopped veggies.
- When the ghee is shimmering, add the onions, garlic, and the tomato paste. Sauté, stirring occasionally. The aromatics should be softened and lightly browned after 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper.
- Then, deglaze the pan with the wine and/or chicken stock, and transfer everything to your slow cooker. Dry off the bird and season it well – inside and out – with salt, pepper, and your favorite poultry seasoning. (I like Sunny Paris seasoning from Penzeys Spices.)
- Place the chicken breast side down in the slow cooker, put on the cover, and set it to cook on low for 4-6 hours. (Check a 4-pound bird at the 4 hour mark to see if it's done. Continue cooking if necessary.)
- When the chicken’s finished cooking, take it out of the slow cooker and let it rest for 20 minutes.
- De-fat the braising sauce (if desired), check for seasoning, and blend it with an immersion blender to make a delicious gravy.
- Serve the chicken and the gravy!
Notes
- DON’T FORGET TO SAVE THE GRAVY! It’s pretty much incredible on everything. I freeze the extra gravy in these silicone ice molds.
- I rarely use a slow cooker these days. Instead I make this recipe in my Instant Pot!
Courses Dinner
Cuisine slow cooker, Paleo, Primal, Whole30, chicken, gluten-free
