This Apple Cider Chicken recipe is made in a slow cooker for busy day meals. Made with a flavorful dry rub, it’s slow cooked in apple cider until it’s tender and succulent. Crisp the skin under the broiler if you like, or serve it straight from the slow cooker for a feast on a busy day.

Ingredients to Make Apple Cider Chicken Recipe

This slow cooker chicken is designed to simplify busy day meals. While I typically make my own dry rubs, this recipe uses a prepared rumb to make it super simple to put together. Ingredients to make the best Apple Cider Chicken dish in a slow cooker: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

Chicken: One 5 pound whole chicken
Apple Cider: For brining and slow cooking the chicken.
Seasonings: Applewood seasoning i.e. McCormick plus salt and black pepper.
Butter: Softened butter to coat the chicken and minced garlic for a hint of spice and added flavor.

How to Make the Best Apple Cider Chicken Recipe in a Slow Cooker

The rub I used for this slow cooker chicken is a seasoning blend with smoky undertones. It includes paprika, garlic, granulated onion and a hint of Applewood flavoring along with other spices for added flavor. A couple of cloves of fresh minced garlic to the seasoned butter to gives it more flavor. The simple brine really infuses the chicken with moisture, and the subtle apple flavor that we love. Slow cooking the chicken makes it fall off the bone tender.

Brine – Mix together 4 cups of apple cider or apple juice with 1/4 cup of salt. Stir until the salt dissolves.
Chicken – Removing the giblets then pour the brine over the chicken and refrigerate. Turn occasionally.
Prep the Crockpot – Prepare Crockpot Spray the inside of a 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray and set on low. Remove the chicken from the brine, and pat dry.
Season the Chicken – Mix together applewood rub, two cloves of minced garlic and 4 tablespoons of butter. Rub all over the chicken. Loosen the skin around the breast and leg portions and tuck some of the mixture under the skin, too.
Center in the Slow Cooker – Sprinkle the top with additional seasoning and center the chicken in your slow cooker.
Apple Cider – Pour apple cider or apple juice around the chicken.
Lock Lid in Place – Cook on low for 6 hours then check for doneness.
Remove to a Sheet Pan – To crisp the skin carefully move to a baking pan. Broil, in the oven for 3-5 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden.
Serve – Allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Drizzle with the pan sauce just before serving.

Tips for Making Slow Cooker Apple Cider Chicken

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: A 6 quart slow cooker or similar size crockpot, measuring cup, teaspoons and tablespoons.
Slow Cookers Cook Don’t Crisp the Skin: Please Note: Slow cooking is a moist cooking environment, so the skin won’t become crispy as it would when you roast a chicken in a conventional oven.
Why Do People Soak Chicken in Apple Cider Vinegar? It’s thought that soaking in vinegar both sanitizes or cleans the chicken and tenderizes it. It may also enhance the flavor. It’s not necessary to do so for this chicken recipe.
Broil the Skin in the Oven to Crisp: To get the golden brown color broil for a few minutes in the oven just before serving to crisp the skin and then drizzle with the pan juices just before serving.
Make a Pan Sauce for Apple Cider Chicken: While the chicken rests saute diced onion or shallots in a skillet with butter. Add the cooking liquid to the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high. Lower the heat and simmer until reduced and concentrated in flavor. Add herbs such as fresh thyme or fresh rosemary and a splash of cream for a rich taste.
How to Serve Apple Cider Chicken: Serve Apple Cider Chicken drizzled with cooking sauce over rice or mashed potatoes.

Recipe Variations

Seasoning Variations: You could use a Cajun seasoning or barbecue seasoning in place of applewood seasoning.
Chicken: You could also use chicken breasts or chicken thighs in place of a whole chicken.
Veggies: You could add celery, carrots and yellow onion wedges around the chicken to season the cooking liquid.
Apple Cider: You can easily adapt this recipe using apple juice in place of the cider.
Add Fruit: You could add wedges of Granny Smith Apples around the chicken.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers: Store leftover Applewood chicken in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Enjoy cold or gently reheat in the microwave being careful not to dry out the chicken.
Freezer: Freeze leftovers wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and use in soup, salads, casseroles, chicken sandwiches and wraps.

More Southern Style Slow Cooker and Crockpot Recipes to Make

While I do love my Instant Pot for quick pressure cooking, my slow cooker is still my favorite kitchen appliance for making dump and go meals. More slow cooker recipes you may like to try:

Cozy up to a bowl of Slow Cooker Potato Soup with ham.
Slow Cooker Three Meat Lasagna is assembled just like baking but the slow cooker bakes it gently while you go about your day.
Slow Cooker Queso Blanco Dip is packed with flavor. Serve it straight from the crockpot on game day.
Slow Cooker Roast Chicken and Vegetables is a complete meal.
You can throw down a Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil any night of the week.
You may also like this recipe for Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup from Recipes that Crock.

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