Super Easy Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken
Satisfy your rotisserie chicken cravings! I toss a whole chicken in the crockpot and coat it in an awesome seasoning blend. I usually leave on most of the yummy skin, but you can also remove it all for a healthier bird. The result? A moist, delicious rotisserie wannabe with virtually no fat. The chicken will yield the most tender, succulent meat youve ever had, Plus, it can feed an army, and makes great leftovers!
Satisfy your rotisserie chicken cravings! I toss a whole chicken in the crockpot and coat it in an awesome seasoning blend. I usually leave on most of the yummy skin, but you can also remove it all for a healthier bird. The result? A moist, delicious rotisserie wannabe with virtually no fat. The chicken will yield the most tender, succulent meat youve ever had, Plus, it can feed an army, and makes great leftovers!
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds)
- 2 tsp kosher salt (if you’d like it as salty as the ones in the store, add another 1 tsp.)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- pinch of chili pepper (probably not necessary)
- 4 whole garlic cloves (optional but highly recommended)
- 1 yellow onion quartered (optional but highly recommended)
- Carbohydrate 2.14313203125 g
- Cholesterol 189 mg
- Fat 38.04201640625 g
- Fiber 0.427885947838426 g
- Protein 47.1935228125 g
- Saturated Fat 10.884338890625 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (269g)
- Sodium 479.71315 mg
- Sugar 1.71524608341157 g
- Trans Fat 3.24096015625002 g
- Calories 551 calories
Step-by-step
- 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 can take a while. Keep small children away so you don’t freak out about salmonella.
- Or don't skin it! More fat…tastes better.
- 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.
Dry heat applied via convection produces crisp poultry skin, whereas enclosed moisture systems soften connective tissue at lower thermal thresholds. Utilizing a six-quart appliance provides adequate perimeter clearance for a four to five pound bird, preventing steam pockets from trapping excess liquid against the breast meat. Maintaining dry cooking conditions inside the vessel forces the poultry to self-baste entirely in its rendered fats.
Scaling this method requires matching vessel volume to total weight rather than adjusting cooking duration linearly. Doubling the poultry count demands stepping up to an eight-quart slow cooker or running two separate vessels to maintain safe heat penetration zones. Stacking multiple birds restricts air circulation, leaving internal temperatures stagnant in the danger zone between forty and one hundred forty degrees Fahrenheit for too long.
Modifying the dry rub formulation alters moisture retention during extended heating cycles. Swapping kosher salt for fine table salt requires reducing the volume by roughly half to prevent over-seasoning, due to crystal density differences. Omitting the onion and garlic aromatics removes natural sugars that caramelize minimally against the ceramic insert.
Cooked portions remain safe for consumption for up to four days when stored below forty degrees Fahrenheit in airtight containers. Shredded leftovers retain moisture more effectively when combined with any remaining pan juices before refrigeration. Reheating must target an internal reading of one hundred sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit to ensure safety without drying out the muscle fibers.
