CrockPot Rotisserie-Style Chicken Recipe

How to make Rotisserie Chicken in the Crockpot Slow Cooker. I've made this so many times, I lost track! I also like to keep the bones to make soup for the next day.
photo updated 2015 via deposit photos @lidante


Day 295.
October 21, 2008

We love rotisserie chicken in this house. Costco clearly labels their chicken as gluten-free, so I usually pick up 2 when we go.

But I haven't been going.

I find myself grocery shopping a few times a week now with this crazy crockpotting year, and it just isn't feasible to go to Costco. I'm only meal planning a few meals at a time, and since I have Trader Joe's, Safeway, and a produce stand all within walking distance, it seems wasteful to drive to another city to buy a carload of food and other stuff (it's so hard not to impulse-buy at Costco) without truly having a plan.

So I stay away.

To satisfy our rotisserie chicken cravings, I threw a whole chicken in the crockpot last night covered in an awesome seasoning blend. I also took off all of the chicken skin. The result? A moist, delicious rotisserie-want-to-be with virtually no fat.

The Ingredients.


  • 1 whole chicken, skinned (4-5 pounds)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt (if you'd like it as salty as the ones in the store, add another 1 tsp.)
  • 1 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • pinch of chili pepper (probably not necessary)
  • 4 whole garlic cloves (optional)
  • 1 yellow onion, quartered (optional)


The Directions.

I used a 6 quart crockpot for a 5 pound bird. It fit nicely.

Skin the chicken and get rid of the neck and other stuff from the cavity. This takes a while, and is gross. Keep small children away so you don't freak out about salmonella. I skin whole chickens because I hate the idea of the chicken fat simmering all day in the crock --- it also looks disgusting when the chicken is cooked because it's all slimy and icky.

I get it that I'm weird. If chicken skin makes you happy, then by all means, ignore me.

In a bowl, combine all of dried spices. Rub the spice mixture all over the bird, inside and out. Plop the bird breast-side down into the crockpot.

If desired, shove 4 whole garlic cloves and a quartered onion inside the bird.

Do not add water.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8. The meat is done when it is fully cooked and has reached desired tenderness. The longer you cook it, the more tender the meat.


The Verdict.

Very tasty. I used 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and the meat was no where near as salty as a store-bought rotisserie chicken. 
I was surprised at how not-spicy the meat was (even the part coated in the mix) although I added a bunch of pepper. We were pleased with the flavor, and the kids ate their portions without saying anything---which is always good.

The four of us ate almost all of the chicken for dinner last night. There's a bit leftover for today's lunches.

I really like cooking with whole chickens in the crock. If you're looking for other flavors, you can try

--Myron's Whole CrockPot Chicken

--Lemon and Herb CrockPot Chicken

--and then keep the bones/carcass to make Homemade Chicken Broth in the CrockPot!



Do you love this recipe?

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Posted by: Stephanie O'Dea | A Year of Slow Cooking at October 21, 2015

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What they say about this recipe

  1. Anonymous10/21/2008

    This recipe looks yummy and healthy! I'm eager to try it. I just went through your archives and am eagerly awaiting three-cheese broccoli soup for dinner tonight though. Your blog is awesome and I am still getting over my excitement of everything being gluten-free! Thanks for the recipe : )

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  2. This is the only way I cook a whole chicken anymore. I even put my crock outside on the patio in the summer (under the patio umbrella so it doesn't get twice-baked in the sun!) and it doesn't add heat to the kitchen in the hotter months. I like to rub the spices up under the skin, it's a bit gross but it gives the meat much more flavor.

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  3. Anonymous10/21/2008

    Steph, if you want to get a better "Roast" Effect on your chicken, line the crock with potatoes wrapped in foil (or balls of foil). The potatoes cook in the crock too and when the chicken is cooked, you have a complete and delicous meal!

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  4. Anonymous10/21/2008

    Steph, if you want to get a better "Roast" Effect on your chicken, line the crock with potatoes wrapped in foil (or balls of foil). The potatoes cook in the crock too and when the chicken is cooked, you have a complete and delicous meal!

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  5. Hey I do this all time! And I don't do it fancy; I just get all the goobers out of the cavity and put the bird in, skin and all. Later on, I just fish out the meat. It's so tender it falls off the bone.

    My tip is for all the yuckies left over in the pot. I double bag all the bones, skin, and even the giblets, and freeze them. Then on trash day I put them out. That way your trash doesn't smell evil for a week.

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  6. Anonymous10/21/2008

    I remember seeing this recipe a few years back, circulating around message boards, and called 'sticky chicken'. I would try it, but take out the pepper, because my family hates spice. I can see this being a great meal for a busy Sunday.

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  7. Looks great.. I am gonna give it a whirl. I love that whole chickens are fairly inexpensive.

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  8. I'm excited to try this. I've had a whole chicken in the freezer that I've had no idea what to do with. Thanks!

    Oh, and I get grossed out by chicken skin, too. I'm so not looking forward to that part. *shivers*

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  9. Anonymous10/21/2008

    This recipe is perfect for me. I was planning to do a chicken in the crock this weekend but I wasn't sure how to season it. Thank you.

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  10. I'm so doing this over the weekend!

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  11. same recipe done a different way....

    Use Lawrys seasoned salt instead of all of those ingredients (Not sure Lawry's is gluten free or not...)

    Either make several foil balls or wrap several potatoes in foil, place them in the crock pot, put the chicken on top of the foil - cook as usual...

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  12. I am the same way- I hate skin on chicken. Always have.

    I've been enjoying your blog. I only really use my crock pot for pot roast, but I think I'll be using it for more. :)

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  13. I was just thinking this morning about how to make a rotisserie style chicken! Thanks again for thinking right ahead of me!

    Yuck, chicken skin!!! I am still trying to not freak out about the chicken blood comment someone left forever ago.

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  14. I did the exact same thing for Monday's dinner. I did start it in the oven, thinking it would be done but we had an emergency doctor visit, so I popped it into the crockpot and it was done by the time we got home.

    ALSO . . . .
    You have been awarded!

    Check out my blog to get your award (:

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  15. Taking the skin off first is a great idea! I HATE chicken skin, as does DH, so I will try this. I was always afraid it would dry out the chicken, thanks for proving me wrong :)

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  16. I've been cooking chickens like this for awhile. I only like chicken skin if it's really, really crispy.

    But don't toss the neck and giblets. If you don't want to use them yourself, boil them up, pull the meat off the neck and dispose of the bones. Chop the meat up in the broth (I snip it with scissors) and use it for a couple of free pet dinners. My dogs ADORE this and it saves $$$.

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  17. Anonymous10/21/2008

    Thanks for the recipe Stephanie!
    I have a general crock-potting question. I noticed in this recipe that you said that the longer you cook it the more tender the chicken will be. I have had a hard time with the timing of my recipes. It seems like if I put things in for 7-8 hours they are done at the 4-5 hour mark... but if I leave them in the crockpot even 5-6 hours they are done, but I end up with tough meat or dried out meat. If I "chance" it and leave things in for the true 7-8 hours will it definitely get more tender or will it just continue to dry out? I'm mostly talking about cuts like pot roast or chicken breast.

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  18. Anonymous10/21/2008

    anyone have an idea of how long a whole chicken would be okay for in the freezer (to use to make this recipe)? i think i have one that's been in there a couple of years. :)

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  19. I love doing whole chicken in the crock pot! It turns out so moist and delicious. I'll have to give your spice blend a try.

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  20. I love whole chicken in the Crockpot. I usually do it with a little water with lemons and onions. But I love the idea of Rotisserie style chicken in the crockpot. I didn't even know you could do that. I can't wait to try this:-)

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  21. Sounds good. And I am with you on the skin part. Its gross to me in the crockpot
    I usually buy these at the store make chicken salad with them for lunches for the week. I will have to give this a try.

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  22. Anonymous10/21/2008

    I can never get my chicken to turn out well in a crockpot. The flesh always gets a poor texture..kind of *mushy* I guess. Am I just cooking it too long? Should I try the foil balls under the chicken?

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  23. Thanks for all your great advice- your site was extremely informative and entertaining. I didn't win but I loved the soup and even made it again last night! Thanks again!

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  24. This looks good (even without the skin!) I love crockpots... everything comes out so tasty!

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  25. I have been wanting to try a rotisserie-style chicken in the crockpot. You just gave me the gumption to try it myself.

    petuniabloom.com

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  26. Stephanie, did you go to Weber State University? I just learned about The Blog Frog and it looks like we both went there the same years. I've been following your blog almost all year and I was excited to think we went to the same university.? Sorry I'm leaving this as a comment on your crockpot recipe, but I don't have your email. You can leave a comment on my blog or email me at totero99 at hotmail dot com. Thanks!

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  27. Anonymous10/21/2008

    Stephanie- HALP! I have done 4 or 5 chickens in the crock over the past few month and they always end up too dry for me! I've taken the skin off, left it on, piled up the lemons, etc. but I can't seem to get juicy chicken! Its not totally dry, but it sure isn't a juicy baked breast or thigh! I can't seem to decide between cooking on high for shortest amount of time or cooking on low for the least amount of time I can get away with.
    ANY IDEAS would be appreciated! I really love cooking whole chickens as they are so inexpensive and I always make a nice broth from the carcass. So, I really need to figure out how to make some good first night chicken!
    Thanks for your help!

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  28. Beverly J. and Jenni,

    huh. What type of crockpot do you have? DOes it have a hinged lid? Does steam escape? Do you get condensation on the lid? Do you peek a lot?

    if I put a whole chicken in, breast down, the meat is quite tender and juicy when I take it out. I don't really know why you are getting a dried-out bird. weird. I've tried using fresh whole chickens and thawed chickens---they've always been about 4 to 5 lbs, and I use a 6 quart crockpot. humph. I'm stumped.

    Jen? dude. you need to clean your freezer more often. ;-) I have no idea.

    Vickersfam, no. I didn't go to Weber State U--I went to SFSU. I don't know the frog blog---what is that?

    xoxo
    steph
    I just had a chicken salad sandwich made with leftovers. I like mayo, celery slices, and raisins. mmm.

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  29. Carli--
    mushy chicken? hmm. Is it frozen? How much liquid are you adding?
    how full is the crockpot?

    I tried the foil balls when I did the Vietnamese roasted chicken (which you should totally make, btw, if you haven't already because it rocks) and I didn't get the best results. I may have done it wrong. I have no idea, really, what I'm doing pretty much ever...

    I'd like to learn more about your mushy chicken.

    --steph

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  30. Sounds yummy. I'm making the buffalo lasagna right now. Smells good, hope it turns out!!

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  31. This is one of my children's faveorite chicken recipes. Another one is to just pour some italian dressing over it and cover. YUMMY!

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  32. I also love cooking whole chickens in the crockpot. I have never removed the skin before, for fear of drying out the bird. I am SO glad to know that I can do it, and the meat will still be good.

    I was going to comment on yesterday's post, too, letting you know that I appreciate your honesty!

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  33. This is perfect. My husband needs low sodium and rotisserie chickens are often salty. If I can persuade him to bone it and make the chicken stock, I'll be set! I hate, hate, hate touching raw chicken.

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  34. Anonymous10/21/2008

    Sounds delicious! I'm all for removing the skin beforehand but am I a wimp if I wear disposable gloves? The process just grosses me out.

    Also, I'm so jealous that you have a Trader Joe's within walking distance. There is one opening 2 blocks from me. It's supposed to be open by Christmastime but I'm not holding my breath! Until then, I've got to travel 10 miles to the closest one. Saves me money not having one so close by, I suppose :)

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  35. Im definately going to try this one! by the way, your pumpkin bean soup post made my husband and I laugh!!!

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  36. You read my mind! I had a whole chicken to cook tonight for dinner and made it exactly according to your directions, skinless and all. It was great. Thanks!

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  37. Wow, I use the slow cooker a lot, but have never tried chicken like this. I can't wait to give it a try! Especially with the potato idea. Brilliant.

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  38. Anonymous10/21/2008

    This sounds like an awesome recipe and I can't wait to try it! My grocery store had a really good sale on bone-in chicken breast halves a couple weeks ago, so I have some in the freezer. Do you know if it can be done with the breasts only? If so, how would you go about doing it? Thanks so much for your blog. I love seeing all the ideas. I hope you keep it up for another year. ;O)

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  39. I just found your blog through cookiemadness and I love it! I have had my crock since my college roommate/cousin gave it to me for Christmas with hopes I would make lots of rotel dip for him. :0) I don't use it nearly as much as I should but really have no excuse now that I have found your blog. Thanks!

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  40. We had this tonight and it was great. I also hate to touch raw chicken, and wig out about cleaning it up, so I put the whole thing in the crock pot and skin it there.

    I had some sweet potatoes to go with and wondered about putting them in with the chicken. I'll have to try that next time.

    Thanks for the great recipes!

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  41. Anonymous10/21/2008

    Please don't call this 'rotisserie style' chicken. It's nothing even remotely like a chicken done on a rotisserie. It's crock pot chicken; giving it a fancy name won't change that.

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  42. OMG Steph!!! I made the pumpkin spice drink yesterday and both hubby and I thought it was AWESOME! We both really loved the fact that it had real pumpkin - instead of some gross sugary syrup. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

    Oh...I love making chicken in the crockpot too. Whole chickens are awesome- I can almost feed my entire family for nearly a week with one (we're light eaters around here). I can't wait to try the rotisserie-style one you mentioned. I think I might try removing the skin as well. Hubby hates it anyway.

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  43. OMG-Steph, since I have a seven year old, two month old, work part-time as a pediatric nurse AND have celiac disease, I think you totally rock. SInce I didn't have a whole chicken on hand, I tried this with boneless, skinless chicken breast wrapped in foil-it worked GREAT!

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  44. The timing of this blog post could not have been more perfect - I had a roast chicken on my shopping list but really wanted to use one of my frozen chickens instead. Hooray it is cooking today!

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  45. Oh this is definitely worth trying. I would never have thought of doing this. Thanks again, Steph.

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  46. I've been making chicken like this for a few months and I love how moist the meat comes out! It's a staple for me!

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  47. Oh wow! I am so in love with rotisserie chicken, but it is much more pricey than roasting my own. Especially since I'd have to buy a rotisserie to do it! Thanks for posting this, it's going on my list of stuff to make!

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  48. Steph, I have to wonder how your chicken does not completely fall off the bones. The 2 times I havetried a whole chix in the crock (once b4 celiac, with stuffing, and once after stuffed w/garlic) and the chicken disintigrated the second I tried to take it out of the pot! It was ok with the garlic, but all the little tiny bones made it into the stuffing and made it almost inpossible to eat (think of your dog choking on chicken bones!) Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? it was plenty juicy, not dried out, so I don't think it was over cooked?
    I look forward to trying again, I love making whole chickens, and this sounds way easier than over roasting - I could do it on a workday!
    Thanks for anyone's input! Stephanie, too!

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  49. Made this yesterday, oh my goodness- totally awesome! The spice rub made it. I have made chicken on the crockpot before but this rub is the key for us! I don't have a costco so the grocery store sells these for $6.99 now and I bought a whole chicken for less than $4 and it was every bit as good! This is a keeper :)

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  50. Thanks for the rotiserie-style chicken! I love ours from the local store ( I am in complete ENVY that you can WALK to your stores! I live in the country and it is a 5-7 mile drive depending on which way the car is pointed.) but whoever does the seasoning makes a spotty record. It isn't the same every day.
    I agree, Costco has some of the best rotisserie chickens available, and they make wonderful soups, sandwiches, etc. with the leftovers. There are only two of us, family has 'grown and flown'.
    Thanks as my husband hates crockpot chicken. He states "If I wanted chicken soup, I'd have brought some home in a can." 'Nuf said on that, but I love chicken with rosemary.....now I can have chicken in the crock, your way and not get his nose to turn up! Can we call it "Crocked Chicken"? Ok, very small on the humor here.

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  51. Hey Anonymous, October 21, 11:45pm....
    Where did you learn your words?
    'Style' means 'in the manner of'.
    If she had used a rotisserie, Steph would have called it 'rotisserie chicken', but since this is a crockpot blog, she named it 'in the manner of' the rotisseie chicken.
    Sheeesh, Some people would complain if they were hung with a new rope, yes?

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  52. Oh definitely going to try this!!

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  53. My "tip" for a rotisserie chicken is to stuff orange or lime quarters in the cavity. It keeps it moist.

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  54. I've only recently discovered your blog, so even tho you posted this a while ago, I wanted to tell you that I SO appreciated this post because -- duh -- it had never occurred to me to pull the skin off a whole chicken before. And the thought of slimy steamed chicken skin was what had kept me from ever, ever putting a whole chicken in the crockpot.

    So, the other day I followed your prep steps (to my 12 year old's regret, while she was at school -- she has demanded that next time she be allowed to be the one to rip the skin off...) and, due to a shortage of the items on your recipe list, I took a pretty direct shortcut and just rubbed the whole thing with Montreal Chicken Spice, a spice mixture that I buy at the grocery store and tastes yummy with lots of things.

    It was a huge hit and I know I'll be doing it again soon!

    You are definitely inspiring me to use the CP more!
    Thanks!
    Diane

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  55. I put my frozen block of chicken in the crockpot this morning since I forgot to thaw it overnight. After about an hour of getting soft, I gave it an olive oil bath and then applied all of the spices inside and out. I wanted to leave the skin on for flavor and it is a perfect golden brown. I can't wait to dig in tonight and will do this again and again...and again. I love your web site and browse thru sections almost daily!

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  56. Anonymous10/25/2008

    We had this tonight for dinner and it was fabulous!!! So yummy and tender. It fell off the bone and tasted so much better than the store made rotisserie chickens. My 3 year old even ate it (he won't eat the store ones, too salty). Thank you for this recipe. We'll definately be doing this one often.

    -Hayley

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  57. Well hello....first time poster here...just discovered your blog and am feeling the slow cooked love stewing in me as I write this!

    We got a crock pot last Christmas, used it a few times with mixed results, but with the help of your blog, Steph, I plan on making it a much more used kitchen accessory! Bring it on!

    I just tried the rotisserie style chicken, an must second the question from Stephanie @5:02...my bird completely disintegrated. I managed to fish out the wonderfully cooked breasts, and a few other major pieces, but fishing for bones for 45 min. made me feel like I did something wrong.

    All I really ended up with was 2 usable breasts...and a pile of bits to go into a soup / stock.....but this seems like quite a lot of loss from an entire bird.




    4 hrs on High, 6 qt. pot with a 5lb bird.

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  58. Anonymous10/26/2008

    Oh my goodness was this yummy. I made this today and I will probably be making it again next week too. You Rock!!

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  59. Hi Kevin!
    I have NO idea. Wow. I wish I did----what else have you made in the pot? Has anything worked?

    --steph

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  60. I've never put anything into the Crock-Pot without adding extra liquid to it...but it turned out fabulous! I made a nice gravy out of the drippings...yum!

    Thanks for giving me new inspiration to expand my Crock-Pot repertoire!

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  61. I am making this right now. A few hours ago I skinned it and stuffed it with cracked garlic and an onion, and gave it an herbal massage (lol) and it smells SO YUMMY right now!

    I'm excited about this, but I'm mostly excited about making the chicken broth tomorrow. I CAN'T WAIT! Thank you so much for these recipes! :) :) :)

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  62. Stephanie, Does the bird wind up sitting in lots of juice? If so, how does the breast in your picture look so nicely covered with spices when it's been upside-down? I'm going to try this soon. I have a recipe a lot like this but I do it in the oven. Can't wait to try it in the crock. Love the blog- I've used many of your recipes and the fam has loved them all. Thanks!

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  63. Hi Ben,
    this one didn't create as much juice as the first whole chicken (with the salad dressing) or the lemon and herb chicken. I took it out at exactly 4 hours on high. The legs had fallen off (I propped them under for the picture) and one of the wings, but the rest of the bird looked pretty much like how it did when it went in the crockpot. I rubbed quite a bit of the spice on the breast pieces, which is I guess why so much remained on top. The juice in the bottom wasn't a lot---maybe 1/2 cup total?

    hope this helps some,
    steph

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  64. To Marna who mentioned using the neck and giblets as pet food -- cooking is not required. Raw meat and bones are safer and healthier for dogs and cats. And it's easier for you - no need to pick meat off tiny neck bones - just give it to them raw - they're crazy about it! My dog gets it with every meal, and she maintains her ideal weight and is in perfect health (11 year old husky). My cat also goes crazy for the neck and any other organ pieces. Happy feasting for everyone!

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  65. Anonymous10/30/2008

    Wow, this was so good! My daughter ate a whole chicken breast of it. This is definately a keeper. Thanks for the recipe! I don't see how you think you aren't a great cook.
    Michelle

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  66. Anonymous11/03/2008

    I tried this last night and it was delicious. The meat fell right off the bone. My husband suggested using mexican flavors and making burritos. tacos, etc. I also like the idea of adding potatoes in foil.

    I saved the rest for my husbands mexican dinner

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  67. I made this today. It was great. The only problem was that the chicken literally disintegrated. Maybe I cooked it too long? The spine and bones literally fell apart and I had to pick vertebrae and cartilage out of the meat. Gross. Not fun for this former vegetarian :)

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  68. Stephanie this recipe turned out amazingly! I made it the other night but with Chicken thighs (skinned) (because that's what I had) I doubled the pepper and used chili powder instead of cayenne because again that's what I have.

    The hubby LOVED it and couldn't believe it when I told him how easy it was to make. Thanks!!

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  69. This is why I love MPM. I just finished reading your post and decided that we have to have Crockpot Rotisserie Style Chicken next week.
    It sounds so easy that our teen can do this one.

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  70. I made the recipe with only breasts (that of the chicken, of course - I used my hands). It was so moist and delicious. Next time I'm going to make a ton!

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  71. Anonymous1/18/2009

    I am so excited to try this recipe this week. I posted it on my MPM. :) Thanks for your awesome blog!

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  72. I had great success with this recipe and added foil wrapped potatoes under the chicken. One question though---Is there a specific reason for putting the chicken breast side down?

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  73. Hi Adrienne,
    I'm so glad that you liked this! The breast-down is to keep the white meat as moist as possible. If you'd prefer it breast-up, go for it.
    xoxo
    steph

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  74. Anonymous1/21/2009

    You know the only thing I probably would get tired of with cooking in the crockpot everyday is cleaning the big heavy thing!

    We used your idea for cooking the whole chicken in the crockpot and added different seasonings. A great way to cook once and eat twice as we will have chicken enchiladas next with the leftover chicken!

    Thanks for the inspiration :)

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  75. Anonymous1/22/2009

    I just got this in the crock pot. I figured my husband will finally like a chicken in crock pot because you said to skin it. That was not fun. Any easy way to skin it?

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  76. MY slow cooker has a china inner bowl and the instructions say to always cover the contents fully with liquid. Is this a different type of cooker or do I ignore the driving instructions?

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  77. Hi Joy,
    I hate skinning anything. I've found the best way to not completely freak out is to put plastic bags in the sink, put the chicken on top, and go at it with kitchen shears. I then throw the skin away in the plastic bags and Comet the sink. Usually twice because I'm a freakoid. :-)

    Hi John,
    By a china insert, do you mean a heavy-duty stoneware that you can remove? Is it a Crock-Pot brand crockpot? It it relatively new?

    You most certainly need to do what feels comfortable to you, but you'll find that you can cook wonderful meals with little added liquid (and in this case, none!) that are moist and tasty. If you added enough liquid to cover a chicken you wouldn't end up with a whole chicken, you'd get soup.

    xoxo
    steph

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  78. I just discoverd your blog last night, and have my Rotisserie-style chicken in the crock pot as I type! Looking forward to trying out other recipes.

    ReBecca

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  79. Hi Steph

    It's a Morphy Richards (I'm in the British Isles) with a pot which is referred to as ceramic and stoneware (which seems a contradiction to me!), so although in the instructions it refers to itself as a crock pot, it seems as if I won't be able to use it 'dry'.
    Pity.

    John

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  80. Hi John,
    okay I looked it up. It looks just like a traditional slow cooker we have here in the states. I think you need to follow the instructions, especially at first---if you add 1 cup of liquid to the chicken, you've got all bases covered, and then you can judge for yourself the next time to see how much liquid feels appropriate for your new cooker.

    xxo
    steph

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  81. Thanks Steph. I'll give it a try almost dry. I've used it plenty but always covering the contents with liquid as per the instructions. Wish my pot good luck! ;-)

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  82. Anonymous1/28/2009

    Thanks for the tips! I will try the bags and shears next time. :)

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  83. Anonymous1/30/2009

    OK, taking the skin off is ucky, and I could only smell bleach for a while. But once that wore off -- yum! I was iffy on not adding any liquid, but saw how much the chicken itself made. I knew it was done when I turned it over (I get freaky about dry meat) and it literally fell apart. Am making broth now, can hardly wait for chicken noodle soup!

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  84. The gourmet kitchen stores have it in a flat rectangle, but why spend the money?!
    The easiest way to get the bleach smell off the hands is to grab a large stainless steel tablespoon and while holding your hands under running water, slide that stainless steel spoon bowl over all hand and finger surfaces! Guaranteed to take bleach AND onion and garlic odors away!!!!!!
    I should have looked at the previous posts to make sure this is what you are talking about, but if not, here is a great way to get that nasty bleach odor off your hands.
    Nothing like spoiling a romantic mood before bed than to have bleach stinky hands!!! LOL (or even just for yourself before putting on lotion before bed. Those stinky hands are awful!)

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  85. Perfect...this is exactly what I was looking for. It's on the menu tomorrow.

    Thank you!!!
    Sandy

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  86. Ok, I made this the other night... AMAZING! It was SO GOOD, we all loved it. And, it was really cheap, the chicken cost about $5, and it was enough to last 2 meals for my family of 5. I put a broccoli casserole on the side.
    I've never commented before, but I've been following your blog for a few months and I totally love it. I have the hardest time with dinner - it's such a chore for me, but all these wonderful crock pot recipes have made my life SO much easier. so, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

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  87. okay -- first time I have used you and it is in the pot cooking as we speak. Just want it noted that today was my first time to ever skin a chicken. By far one of the grossest things I have ever done (and I am raising a 13 year old boy so my gross out bar is pretty high). And then, once the whole disgusting Grizzley Adams moment was finally over over, I had to give our little naked friend a spice rub massage. I need a drink and it isn't even 1 pm yet. However, he is fully relaxed and spiced from his rub down and sitting in the crockpot/sauna -- can't wait to eat him tonight!!!

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  88. Stephanie, thanks so much for your blog! I used my crock 3x weekly BEFORE I found your blog, now I think my husband is getting tired of crockpot every night (but at least he gets dinner! Life with a 3yo, 2yo and baby is fun!)

    I snagged 2 chickens on sale last night and put both in my 7 qt at midnight (with some different spices than you but I totally got the idea) and today took about 15 minutes to get the bones and uck out to make broth. Now i'm doing the Rachel Ray 5 dinners in one day with the cooked chicken and I'll have broth tomorrow. You rock!

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  89. This was delicious and so tasty! I cooked it on low for 7 hours and it was so tender and moist. I even used the leftovers to make my chicken enchiladas and it was so yummy!

    Btw, a friend told me about your website, and I love it! You inspired me to start my own cooking blog, actually, and I've posted a few of your recipes after making them myself, but I tell them they are yours and give your web address. Thank you for sharing all these yummy recipes!

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  90. Sorry for a 2nd post, but I was reading through some of the comments.... I found the time in cooking a chicken is key to the dry or moist factor. The best I've found for my crockpot is low for 7-8 hours. I did one for 10 hours and it was more dry, and I did some for 4 hours on high and it was more dry. I think you can actually overcook it or do it too fast sometimes.

    Also, I did compare prices... a rotisserie chicken at walmart here is a little under $5, but it's only 1.8 pounds. That's about $2.77 a pound. You can buy a whole chicken for $.98 a pound or even $.88 a pound at Sam's. So basically I bought a 5 pound chicken at walmart for about the same price as the 1.8 pound rotisserie.

    I do think it does taste different than a regular rotisserie, but it's still absolutely delicious! :-)

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  91. TeslaNewton4/29/2009

    Thank you so much! I love your blog. You have given me a whole new appreciation for my crockpot, so much so that I took my mom's because I wanted to buy a new one! It's all right though, she has another one that she uses. The one I took was in storage.

    I made this chicken last night, and my husband and I both loved it. It was tasty and fell right off the bone. I skinned the chicken, and the flavor went right through the meat. I used a 3+ pound chicken in a 5-quart crockpot. I wasn't sure if a 5-pounder would fit. I will definitely make this again. We'll have some leftover chicken (and some Orange-Chipotle/Chili Ribs) tonight, and I'll have enough chicken leftover for fried rice tomorrow. Thank you so much for all the delicious recipes! I've recommended this blog to several people, including my mom!

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  92. This was just wonderful! I love your blog, have been haunting it recently and perusing TRYING hard to come up with a recipe my Aussie hubby will like. Unfortunately, he isn't much on crock pot cooking...he won't even let me use it whilst we are gone! Shocker, isn't it? He's worried about fire lol. I tried this one tonight. LOVE IT! Didn't taste like any rotisserie chicken I remember having back home (The USA), but I've been an expat for 3 1/2 yrs so nothing really tastes as I remember it. I used a skinny chikkin, only took 3 1/2 hours to cook but it was lovely. Beautifully done, tender and juicy. Well Done, you!

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  93. Made this today - delicious! I even put aside all of my salmonella paranoia and handled the chicken for long enough to pull the skin off. I used an organic chicken, and all of the juices (tons!) were turned into a yummy gravy.
    I've cooked a whole chicken in the crockpot many times, but this will be the method I use from now on.

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  94. Nikki S5/30/2009

    Last night was the second time making this and it came out perfect both times!

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  95. I have made this multiple times in my crockpot - but the last time I made it, my crockpot cracked in half! Is this from no moisture or from using my crockpot so much???

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  96. Hi Jenn,

    The no liquid would not cause your stoneware to crack----an extreme change in temperature, could, though.

    Please contact your slow cooker manufacturer, asap, and let them know what happened. Your stoneware might still be under warranty. If it isn't, you can purchase a replacement insert.


    if you have any further questions, please email me directly at crockpotlady@gmail.com

    xoxo steph

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  97. This looks amazing, will definitely be trying it this week!

    I have been spending most weeks at our "other" home and there's no Costco around here so I haven't been spending nearly as much time (or money) there either.

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  98. Oh my word! Let me just say from the get go that I was skeptical. I mean, take the skin off and don't add any liquid? I thought it was definitely going to be dry. And while I was skinning the chicken I kept thinking, "This is disgusting, and so not worth it." Well I ate those words right along with the chicken tonight. It was THE best chicken I've ever made in the crock pot... very moist with so much flavor! Looks like I'll be skinning chicken more often. :-)

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  99. Well, here goes nuthin! I'm trying this recipe on a 9lb turkey breast. If this works, then I will be pouncing every time the grocery stores run turkey breast on special!
    Thanks for all your great ideas!

    -sue
    p.s. I bought the book, but check her for the comments.

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  100. AMAZING! This is the best thing I have ever made in the old crock pot. THANKS!

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  101. Made this today! Our chicken was a big lady, nearly 6 lbs. I covered the bottom of my 7qt cooker with foil-wrapped potatoes, and after putting in the chicken it was almost TOO full!

    I pretty much followed the recipe, except I increased all the spices to suit the bigger bird (and we like yummy spices) and I used fresh herbs from the garden instead of dried thyme and Italian seasoning. And I left the skin on!!! Muahahaa (spread spices both on and under the skin).

    Cooked for about 3 hours on high, then 2 more on low (or it would have been done too soon lol). We LOVED how it turned out. I thought it was just a touch dry, but chicken often is no matter how you cook it... and I just drowned it on my plate with the YUMMY juices that it made.

    The juices also seeped into the foil and the potatoes came out nicely and subtly flavoured.

    It was a total winner for hubby and it was so very easy to do!!

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  102. Just tried this out with chicken quarters and it may be the best chicken I've ever made. It will definitely be repeated again (and again...)

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  103. This was by far one of THE best ways to do a crockpot whole chicken.. It was incredibly tender, juicy, and flavorful. A huge hit w/ the entire family.. Will make again, and again!

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  104. Anonymous7/10/2010

    :) Thankful for your recipe! I wasn't sure how to cook a whole chicken in the crock pot so I goggled it, and found this page:) It is currently de-skinned, spiced and starting to cook in the crock pot! Looking forward to the house smelling like Swiss Chalet in the morning ;) hehe Thanks again :)

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  105. Anonymous7/20/2010

    Again... thanks! I have four small chickens in the freezer, and a whole bunch more in a pen outside! They are happy healthy chickens that eat grass and bugs on top of their feed, and I feel guilty everytime I buy a safeway chicken for the convienience. You have just put an end to that. If you think skinning a chicken is yucky, try really starting from scratch! EWWW....

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  106. I love this technique. Instead of using foil balls, I chunk up an onion and put it in the bottom, underneath the chicken. I never skin the bird, and if it had giblets I toss them in too (they are a good addition to the broth I always make afterwards). If you don't want to bother with spice rubs (though it sounds delicious!) dump some white wine over the chicken and then sprinkle on salt and pepper. You're good to go!

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  107. Made this last week and it was amazing! Used the 'juice' and the bones yesterday to make soup for my family that came to visit, (with chopped up chicken, carrots and alphabet noodles...I have a 2 year old..lol). Loved everything and have enough soup left over for at least 2 more dinners for us. Totally cool! Thanks for sharing!

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  108. I make this recipe 2-3 times a month it's AMAZING! When we are done eating, I throw the neck, inside parts and bones back in the croc with enough water to cover and leave it on low or warm for 24 hours (you want it to boil a bit but not too much) and it makes the best stock!! Strain and use or freeze. DON'T ThROW THOSE PARTS AWAY!! If I stuff the bird with onions/garlic, I leave those in there as well!

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  109. Did this again using a 5.33lb pack of boneless, skinless breasts. Doubled the spices and barely had enough to rub all the pieces on all sides (laid the garlic bits on top of each individual piece). Lots o' chicken for the freezer! (And to add to CP chicken soup later.)

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  110. alissa1/24/2011

    FYI: this chicken is SO good, it has made it into my regular recipe rotation. I cheat and only skin the body of the bird... i leave the skin on the parts I don't like (wings and thighs!) And the liquid in the bottom of the pot makes KILLER gravy! It's on the menu again tonight!

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  111. I just found your blog yesterday, and last night we went out and invested in a crock-pot. This morning the chicken skinning took a lot longer than I thought it would, so what was supposed to be the Lemon-Rosemary chicken turned into Rotisserie-style chicken.. then after I realized I only had about 1/2 the seasonings for that, it turned into a "whatever I can throw on top of it" chicken. Cooked it for 8 1/2 hours, kept it on warm for about 2 and it was a tad bit overcooked, but that was my fault. All in all, a very good recipe, especially for a first time crock-potter! Thanks for the ideas, I hope to use many more!

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  112. William2/26/2011

    Googled "slow cooked whole chicken". Turned out fantastic. Saw your book at Krogers (more Make it fast, Cook it Slow) and bought it. Going to buy the other at amazon. Great work, my family and I thank you.

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  113. Anonymous2/27/2011

    I tried this recipe today but will have to wait to actually taste it tomorrow morning. The chicken smells amazing and I was impressed with how easy it was to prepare.

    A couple of suggestions for those concerned with chicken skin and drippings. I always wear latex gloves when handling raw meat, which makes handling slimy chicken tolerable. Also, in order to prevent the chicken from cooking in drippings, create supports with aluminum foil. The chicken will remain slightly off the base of the pot.

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  114. I just wanted to say this turned out fabulous for my 8 yo (and family). He gave it double thumbs up!

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  115. I tried this a week ago and used the seasoned salt like someone had commented on and my husband really liked it. Thanks for your blog. I will be trying other recipes as soon as I get all the stuff I need.

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  116. I have wanted to cook a whole bird for awhile now (to save money) BUT a fear of raw meat has kept me from trying this recipe....I took the plunge today FINALLY!!! This is so shocking in my house that my husband even commented that he can't believe that I even touched it! Thanks for admitting your 'fear' of the meat and inspiring me to finally take the plunge!!

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  117. this roasted chicken recipe looks amazing , I looove chicken roasted, I will try to cook it and maybe posting a review on my blog :)

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  118. I have this in the crock pot right now! One tip on skinning the chicken...I found if you use a frozen whole chicken and slightly thaw in a sink of cold water (in the ziplock still) for an hour, the skin is really easy to take off!!

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  119. This is soo good! I was able to cook two 5lb chickens in my pot. There were so moist and flavorful.

    I also wanted to say thank you for this site! I used to have a love/hate relationship with my CP. Loved it for soup, hated it b/c all I knew how to make was soup! =) I have been randomly choosing recipes to make and have yet to be disappointed!

    Thanks again for sharing your success (and disaster!)

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  120. This is great recipe. My husband gave it a score of 9/10. I love how useful the left-overs are, too! Who knew you could make your own chicken stock?

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  121. I made this last weekend and after the first bite my husband said, "You're going to make this recipe again. This is AWESOME." He didn't even wait for me to ask if it got the thumbs up for future meals! He was excited when I told him that I was making it again today.
    I used a bird that was just over 4 lbs and the breast ended up a little dry after on high for 4 hours, but I'm sure it just needed a little less time for the smaller bird.

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  122. I love this recipe! I love to cook chicken in my crock pot, its so easy. I actually made this but used the McCormick Rotisserie Chicken spice blend. I enjoy your recipes, both of my children have food allergies.

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  123. Anonymous12/18/2011

    This is the BEST CrockPot chicken recipe ever. Since I found this recipe on your site back in July, I have made it at least twice a month. It comes out perfectly every time and the leftovers are scrumptious in sandwiches, paninis, soups and stews (also made in the CrockPot).

    Had a heck of a time at first skinning the chicken...gross is not an exaggeration!!!...until I found this video on YouTube that makes it a snap to do: http://tinyurl.com/627ouz

    Instead of putting it on my countertop or a cutting board, I do it in a rimmed cookie sheet/jelly roll pan so all the juices stay in one place.

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  124. My husband said i could make this once a week. And that is HUGE for him. HUGE. I think I will just using different seasonings. And yes, raw chicken makes me gag. So I'm weird along side of you. Also, I used the crock pot liner for easy clean up. Worked fine. :)))

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  125. Hi, Steph!
    I've been meaning to try this recipe, being I'm a huge fan of you and your crockpot recipes. I finally made it today, and this is absolutely delicious!! I used a 3lbs chicken, it was frozen, butni thawed it in a pot of cold water. I then skinned it, and set it on low for 7 hrs. Once it went off, I shut the crockpot off, being careful that it will not dry up. My hubby and I thank u for this recipe, especially since we are on a high protein diet, and I may have to put this on our weekly menu! Xoxo

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  126. Do you have suggestions for those of use not only grossed out by icky skin, but also majorly creeped out by bones? I only get boneless-skinless chicken breasts. Would this recipe still work, if I got a couple 3-pound bags of frozen boneless-skinless breasts?

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  127. thanks so much for this recipe...can't wait to make it!

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  128. I tried this recipe and it was wonderful. I changed the seasoning to a dry package of Italian Dressing Mix. I also linked you on my blog. www.HowToBeAMollyMormon.blogspot.com

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  129. This is a huge family hit at our house!!! Sometimes when skinning the chicken seems like more than I want to do (I agree that the skin is gross) I buy a pkg of skinless split chicken breasts & thighs--the bones keep the meat moist and delicious but it is so easy! :)

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  130. Eileen4/14/2012

    Hi,
    Made this overnight, yesterday, and there is nothing left today.
    Meat was tasty and tender.
    Will make this again.
    Thank you :)

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  131. This was easy and I love how it can be skinless! I found my daughter, who leans more to vegetarianism, eating the leftover chicken as an after school snack. That cements this recipe as a keeper. Thank you!!

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  132. Hi,
    I am way too excited to try this--I am a terrible crock pot cook, and my aunt recommended your book--I have so many recipes to try. I am trying to understand why this (and so many other recipes) use kosher salt versus "regular"...does it really matter??
    Thanks!
    michy

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  133. Hi Michy,
    I'm happy you found me! Thank you to your aunt!
    Kosher salt is what I use because the granules are bit bigger and it isn't iodized--leaving it "less salty" tasting. If you only have table or iodized salt in the house, no problem. Use that, but use 1/2 as much because the granules are so much smaller. I hope this helps!

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  134. I make this all the time for my family. It always turns out great. Sometimes I use the spice rub on chicken pieces in the crockpot and that works out well. I like how simple and tasty it is for chicken.

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  135. The best thing that happened to me all day? Your neuroticism....beeeecause misery loves company. Haha! Can't wait to give this a try. Skinless, of course. ;)

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  136. Jesika7/26/2012

    Made it tonight!! It was awesome!!

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  137. Trying this today...it's in the crock as I type. Very excited about how easy it is!

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  138. This is the third time I've made this recipe and as always, it is delicious. This is, however, the first time I skinned the chicken first. It took a few more minutes and was sooo worth it! Thank you, Stephanie!

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  139. I started doing this with bone in chicken quarters. De-junking and skinning the whole chicken takes way too long for me w/ small kiddos and it TOTALLY grosses me out. Semi-thawed chicken skins fairly quickly, then I rub it all down with the spice rub here or whatever I have on hand, plop everything in breast down/bone up, toss in onions and garlic cloves and dinner is mostly done! YUMMY! Thanks for the recipe, Steph! You're blog is my favorite!!!

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  140. Made this yesterday- it was great! Thanks so much for sharing!!!

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  141. I am new to using a slow cooker and just made this (cooked on low for 8 hours). It was very good, except that I could not get the chicken out of the crock without it falling apart. And any of the meat that was about the liquid line was a bit dry. Did I just cook this too long?

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  142. This is fantastic! I put 5-6 foil balls in the bottom of my slow cooker to keep the chicken elevated off the liquid. Delish! I make this about once a month (only because of the tedious skinning work). I love your blog!!!!

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  143. This spice blend is awesome!! Thank you!!!!

    I used chicken pieces and it was falling apart at 6 hours, so I pulled it out. It is for dinner another night, but I ate most of the onions as I was putting it in the tupperware container. I'm ridiculously excited to make gravy with the liquid!

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  144. This is the only way I make a whole chicken now. The rub is perfect. To keep the bird up and out of the liquid I put a pound of baby carrots on the bottom. To keep the legs and wings against the bird I cut slits in the skin and tuck them in. It comes out beautiful!

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  145. I put my bird on garlic bulbs cut in half and lemon wedges. I also don't throw the bones away - I just put more water in and cook it overnight to make an awesome chicken stock. Strains easily and after a few hours in the fridge you can scrape any fat away (not sure there would be much if the chicken is skinless).

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  146. I made this recipe today for the 4th time. My family always loves it. Once the chicken is cooked i debone it and shred the meat. I make mashed potatoes and my husband make gravy from the drippings. Taste sooo good. All my picky eaters eat and we all sit together at the dinner table.....something we don't do often enough.

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  147. This is surely a win-win recipe! I've tried this last night, though a little bit time consuming, given being a crockpot but it's all worth it! My family loved this recipe and I would definitely try it again and again. Thanks for the recipe.

    Feel free to drop by to check out my recipes that I've tried too.

    Happy Food Blogging!
    Sarah @
    { Yummy Recipes }

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  148. I've followed your blog since 2008 and today was the first time trying get this recipe. I made it exactly as written (but with skin on). It was perfect. I did serve the meat without the skin though.

    After dinner I used the bones, skin, onion, and garlic with enough water to cover to make stock. It will cool overnight and I'll skim the fat tomorrow. I don't like eating the skin, but leaving it on for cooking does add to the flavor.

    The seasoning was spot on for the rotisserie flavor. I use the smoky paprika from TJ an it
    Adds real depth to the flavor.

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  149. I so enjoy your site and your recipes. Would you please consider adding a print option so we can enjoy your recipes a little more easily. Thank you.

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  150. Hi Sonia, sure thing. Under the recipe, before the comment section, there is a tiny grey printer--- if you use that you'll be able to print easily.
    I hope this helps!!

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  151. :) Thankful for your recipe! I wasn't sure how to cook a whole chicken in the crock pot so I goggled it, and found this page:) It is currently de-skinned, spiced and starting to cook in the crock pot! Looking forward to the house smelling like Swiss Chalet in the morning ;) hehe Thanks again :)

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  152. I put my frozen block of chicken in the crockpot this morning since I forgot to thaw it overnight. After about an hour of getting soft, I gave it an olive oil bath and then applied all of the spices inside and out. I wanted to leave the skin on for flavor and it is a perfect golden brown. I can't wait to dig in tonight and will do this again and again...and again. I love your web site and browse thru sections almost daily!

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