Slow Cooker Recipe for whole chicken

[SMH13]

I keep seeing recipes for stock pot chicken where you cook the whole chicken in a casserole dish with veg. Could I do this in a slow cooker? Thanks for your help

[pastafreak]

No reason why not,SMH13......try to brown the chicken on all sides...this gives it some colour and helps to release some of the fat so it doesn't all end up in the pot! put chunky onins,carrots,celery and firm potatoes such as Charlotte in the bottom of the pot.Season VERY well with plety of freshly ground pepper and herbs such as thyme. Pour a small amount of chicken and cook on medium.

[pastafreak]

oops....." chicken STOCK"

[SMH13]

Thank you for that, how long would you say it takes? Will try this weekend.

[Im a BusyBee]

although i swear by my slow cooker, use it probably 5 days out of 7 and couldnt be without it, my family prefer chicken cooked by other methods. It does change the texture even though it cooks it very well. You may like it, i dont want to put you off but just wanted to let you know our opinions

[Jillius]

Don't cook chicken in a slow cooker as it makes the bones go soft and mushy !
Cook the chicken first and take all the bones off and then put it in the slow cooker with the veg and it will be lovely.
Trust me.....I'm speaking from experience. I had to throw it away !

[whiffey]

I have always had 2 worries about cooking chicken in the slow cooker. Because of the slow warm-up time, is the meat at bug-growing temperatures for a dangerous time, and is there a risk that it will never reach bug-killing temperatures at all ?

I've never tried it, let alone a whole bird.

[Jillius]

I think it gets hot enough as long as you leave it on for ages. I sometimes cook a joint of brisket in mine and let it cook for about 18 hours. It is absolutely gorgeous and makes wonderful gravy.

[chiswicik]

That's a very good point whiffey.

[shaneystar2]

Whiffey .. I have cooked chickens in a slow cooker for donkeys years ..I am still here ...never had food poisoning from eating it .
I do more or less the same as pastafreak suggests apart from shoving a load of garlic and a lemon up the chickens bottom. You won't have crispy skin but you can always brown it off first. I cook it on medium and then turn it up to high for the last hour .The direct heat from the pot, and steam created combine to destroy any bacteria.

[B00]

I've never done a chicken in the SC, much prefering a crispy skin on it from the oven. I know you can brown it beforehand to get the colour, but will it stay crisp (the skin)or go soggy in the SC?

[SMH13]

Blimey is it oven or slow cooker now ?

The mushy bones have put me off!

[stewey]

In my opinion, the simplest way to put it is: if you want chicken that you can actually cut into slices; use the oven.....If you are wanting to make a soup, stew, goulash type of thing, use the slow cooker.

[SMH13]

Thanks stewey

[pastafreak]

I cooked a couple of nice,fat chicken quarters the other day ....I left the SC on med for 8 hours. I do admit I like my chicken very well cooked...so I loved it. No-I wouldn't use this method if I wanted to eat the skin.....but it is perfect for a casserole style dish. PS-bones were not mushy

[hammerman]

Oven for me. Lamb and beef are great in the SC but chicken just falls to pieces when you take it out.

To tell you the truth, despite raving about the SC in the past, i hardly use it at all now, preferring the oven every time.

[SMH13]

Think I'll try both and decide! thanks

[Dewi]

I'm with shaneystar2 on this one.

My wife loves chicken cooked in the slow cooker,so I cook a whole one for her two or three times per month.

Unwrap it, check for little plastic bags of bits in the body cavity.
Pull the skin off.

Shove a quartered lemon and garlic plus any herbs you fancy (tarragon is great) into the cavity.

Part fill the cooker pan with boiling water and leave for five minutes.

Throw the hot water away.

Put the chicken in the cooker pan, put the pan in the cooker and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

Result - perfectly cooked chicken plus enough fat and fluid to make a good sauce or stock.

Never had a failure in 3 years( 90 or so chickens)

[SMH13]

Thanks Dewi.

[tommynz]

Thanks a lot Dewi.

Followed your advice, and the cooker pan cracked when I put the boiling water in.

Cheers
Tommy