Slow Cooker Roast Chicken And Vegetables

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword roast-chicken-and-vegetables, slow-cooker-roast-chicken-and-vegetables

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 4

Resting Time 15

Total Time 4 30

Servings Servings

Calories 385kcal

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

1 5 pound whole chicken
5 medium russet potatoes sliced 1-inch thick
2 cups sliced carrots or baby carrots
1 medium sweet onion sliced into wedges
1 large rib of celery sliced
4 large whole garlic cloves peeled
4 Tbsp softened salted or unsalted butter divided use
2 Tbsp rotisserie chicken seasoning i.e. McCormick
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 large sprigs fresh thyme OR 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Instructions

Spray the inside of a 6-quart oval slow cooker, or similar with cooking spray.
Vegetables: Arrange the sliced vegetables and garlic cloves on the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle top of the vegetables lightly with garlic salt and black pepper to your taste. Reserve 1-2 onion wedges for inside the cavity of the chicken.
Chicken: Pat dry the chicken with paper towels. Rub inside the cavity and the exterior with 3 tablespoons of softened butter. (You could also drizzle with olive oil, if preferred.)
Season the chicken liberally inside and out with rotisserie chicken seasoning, garlic salt and black pepper, running your fingers under the skin to loosen. Season under the skin of the breast and legs.
Place the reserved onion wedges and 2 sprigs of fresh thyme inside of the chicken. Center the whole chicken over the vegetables.
Dot the top of the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Secure the lid tightly on the slow cooker.
Cook on high for 4 hours or until the juices run clear. Using an instant read thermometer check for at least 165-170°F when inserted into the thigh.
Carefully remove chicken to a platter or pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
Optional Broil: To crisp the skin of the chicken, carefully remove the chicken to an oven safe dish. Place under the oven broiler for 3-5 minutes or until skin is golden. Rest for 15 minutes, then carve and serve drizzled with the jus from the slow cooker.

Notes

Vegetables - You can swap out the root vegetables using your favorite. You could use parsnips, sweet potatoes or colorful bell peppers, which are all tasty options.
Chicken - You could adapt this recipe using split chicken breasts or chicken pieces
Crispy Skin - Slow cookers provide a moist cooking environment, but won't crisp the skin. If you want to crisp the skin, you'll need to go one extra step and place the whole chicken under the oven boiler for a few minutes at the end of cooking to brown and crisp the skin.
Use Your Favorite Seasoning - You can fully customize the flavor of the dry rub used on the chicken. Fro extra spice, use a seasoning blend that includes chili powder, cayenne pepper or paprika.
Color - Please note, that the color of the finished product will also depend on the seasoning rub used. For this roast chicken, I used rotisserie chicken seasoning (McCormick) and I crisped the skin under the broiler for around 4 minutes. If you opt to use a seasoning that doesn't have paprika or some sort of crushed red chili powder in it, the color of your chicken may appear different.
Citrus - You could add slices or wedges of lemon to the cavity of the chicken for a hint of lemon flavor.
Salt and Garlic Powder- You can salt the chicken with sea salt and use garlic powder in place of garlic salt. Adjust the amount according to the amount of sodium in the seasoning rub you choose to use.
Gravy - You can turn the drippings into gravy, if preferred. Strain the juices and pour into a saucepan on the stovetop over high heat. Dissolve equal parts cornstarch in cold water (or cold milk) and whisk it into the boiling liquid. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your taste and finish it with a splash of heavy cream for richness.
Know Your Appliance - Slow cookers, just like ovens, can vary in intensity of heat, so adjust the cooking time based on how your equipment cooks before you start, this slow cooker whole chicken recipe.

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