Pardon my hubris for a sec, but I gotta put this out there: Iโm a bit of a whole chicken cooking expert. You name a method of cooking a bird, and Iโve rocked it (well, minus the whole rotisserie thingโMama ainโt shelling out $150 for an appliance just to cook a dang chicken).
My absolute favorite method for cooking a whole chicken is in the oven. It just canโt be beat when it comes to juicy, flavorful meat and crispy, brown, gorrggeeeous skin. But the one hang-up with the oven method? Time. Itโs very unusual that I am raring to start making dinner a whopping 90 minutes before itโs actually dinner time.
So with that in mind, that leaves two methods to help me get a chicken on the dinner table on a weeknightโthe Instant Pot or the slow cooker. And, as much as I pinkfluffyheart my Instant Pot, I have to say, my slow cooker wins here, hands down.
You canโt deny the speed of an Instant Potโyou can cook a whole chicken in about 25 minutesโbut I find that the high pressure of the Instant Pot just DESTROYS the chicken. Like, canโt get it out of the pot without it falling to pieces kinda destroys. I know there are other people out there who successfully produce beautiful roasted chickens from their Instant Pot, but I am not one of the blessed.
I think one of the joys of a whole roasted chicken is how itโs a totally guest-worthy dinner. You plate that golden brown bad boy, and people ooooh-and-ahhh, even though it took less effort than cooking a box of macaroni and cheese. And for me, the slow cooker chicken is the best of both worldsโonly about 10 minutes of hands on time and you still get a beauty of a chicken when itโs all said and done.
One thing to keep in mind with slow cookingโitโs very moist heatโso you wonโt get a nice crispy brown skin right out of the slow cooker. I like to put my slow cooker chicken under the broiler (right in the ceramic carafe from my slow cooker) for a few minutes after slow cooking. Itโs a totally optional step, but you canโt beat crispy skin!
Because of the moist heat, youโll also see a lot of juices in the slow cooker when all is said and done. Turn those drippings into gravy or use them as broth for a rockinโ chicken soup the next day! Enjoy.
![Fall Apart Slow Cooker Chicken](https://wholefully.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/tight-shot-chicken-720x720.jpg)
Slow Cooker Fall Apart Chicken
This Slow Cooker Fall Apart Chicken is the easiest way to get tender and moist chicken on the table the whole family will enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 roasting chicken, rinsed and patted dry (make sure it fits in your slow cooker)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 onion, peeled and quartered
- 1/2 lemon, quartered
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
Instructions
- Season the skin and inside the cavity of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper.
- Stuff the onion, lemon, garlic, thyme, and rosemary inside the cavity.
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker and cover. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, depending on the size of the bird, until meat is tender and literally falling off the bones.
Notes
To make the chicken skin crispy, carefully transfer the cooked bird onto a baking sheet or pan and place under the oven broiler for 3-5 minutes. Alternatively, you can leave the chicken in the slow cooker ceramic carafe and put the carafe under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 246Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 132mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 28g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.