No need to run to the grocery store… you can make an amazingly flavorful and crispy rotisserie chicken at home, right in the slow cooker!
Having a rotisserie chicken on hand is like the ultimate ace in the hole… you can serve it up as is, or shred it and use it for SO many recipes! Now you don’t have to pick one up from the grocery store… you can make your own, with your own seasonings, with barely any work required!
If you’re like me, you use store-bought rotisserie chickens quite a bit. I mean, they’re just SO versatile! But they can also be expensive, and elusive. Our local grocery store only has so many, and if you’re not one of the lucky few to grab one, you’re out of luck. Boo to that!
So when I saw a method for cooking a whole chicken in a slow cooker, I knew I had to try my hand at making my own “rotisserie” style version!
The result? An amazing rotisserie style chicken that’s every bit as tender and juicy as the store-bought variety!
HOW TO MAKE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN AT HOME
There are two main ways to make one at home… the slow cooker and the oven. You could also make one on a grill, but for most people that’s not a year-round option.
HOW LONG TO COOK ROTISSERIE CHICKEN IN AN OVEN
For a 4-5 lb chicken, you’ll want to roast it at 425 F degrees for 70-85 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F degrees. To keep it from drying out in the hot oven, baste periodically with the juices accumulated in the pan.
HOW TO MAKE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN IN THE SLOW COOKER
The tips you’ve been waiting for!
- Make sure the chicken will fit into the slow cooker without touching the lid. I don’t have any problems in my 6 or 7 quart slow cooker, but smaller ones might be a problem.
- You want to keep the chicken off the bottom of the slow cooker, so it won’t be sitting in liquid. The easiest way to do this is to create 4 balls of aluminum foil (or a long foil snake), and rest the chicken on top of that.
- Make sure you’ve taken out the gizzards and any other innards. The chickens at my grocery store come with the innards in a bag inside the chicken, which is easy to remove.
- Pat the chicken dry, both inside and out.
- Don’t add any liquid to the slow cooker. I know it may seem odd, but the chicken will give off plenty of juices as it cooks.
- For the crispiest skin, drizzle cooked chicken (after it’s finished in the slow cooker) with olive oil and broil on HIGH for several minutes until skin is crispy.
Once you try this recipe and see how incredibly EASY it is to make rotisserie chicken at home, you’ll be making it often!
WAYS TO USE A ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
You can slice it up and eat it as is, maybe with a side of horseradish mashed potatoes and crispy cheddar broccoli… or here are a few great ways you an use the shredded chicken.
- Chicken Taco Mexican Pinwheels
- Cheesy Tortilla Chicken Casserole
- Chicken and Mushroom Chowder
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
Not only would this rotisserie chicken recipe be fabulous for a weeknight dinner, it’s amazing for a weekend family meal, or even gracing your holiday table this year!
TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS ROTISSERIE CHICKEN RECIPE
- Slow Cooker – this slow cooker is large, and has a clamp-down lid… it’s my go-to, and is really affordable!
- Aluminum foil – the heavy duty variety is best here, as it doesn’t squish down as much.
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Ingredients
- 4 - 5 lb whole chicken, innards removed
- 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add 4 balls of aluminum foil to bottom of large slow cooker to create a rack for the chicken to cook on. Prepare chicken by removing innards and patting dry, both inside and out.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients, then rub mixture all over chicken. Place chicken in slow cooker on top of the foil balls.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until juices run clear and chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 F degrees.
- For crispy skin, preheat broiler to HIGH and place chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet that's been lined with foil (for easy clean up). Drizzle chicken with olive oil and broil for several minutes, or until crisped to your liking.
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Chef Tips
Dinah Hadari says
Do you place Chicken in crock pot with breasts down or up?
The Chunky Chef says
Breast side up
Cross29 says
I’d recommend brining the chicken first. I tried the recipe as written and found it made a pretty dry chicken. Tried a second time, brining the chicken first and it was a 100% improvement. Both produced a really tasty chicken, but if you prefer it on the juicier side, definitely don’t skip the brining.
Laurel Houghton says
what recipe do you use for the brine?
Kimberly Tortorelli says
Can I use chicken breast instead of a whole chicken. And would I put the breasts on the aluminum foil “rack”
The Chunky Chef says
You could, just make sure to check the internal temperature to make sure the chicken is at 165 F degrees when done.
Shellbeee says
I am really excited to try this! Is it ok that the raw chicken will be sitting in there for that many hours??? I always get so nervous when it comes to poultry and salmonella EEK!
The Chunky Chef says
Yes it’ll be okay since it’s cooking… no different than roasting it in the oven 🙂
Angela says
So glad I came across this recipe! I did this in the slow cooker. The chicken looked beautiful, though it was pretty dry even with a larger chicken. I’ll try less time next time. No harm done since I’m using it in enchiladas with plenty of sauce, and though I typically use a store-bought one, ours were running pricey this week so this was a perfect, convenient substitute. Thanks!
Emily Wildes says
Could I put the chicken on a bed of carrots or something and if so would you then need to add liquid?
The Chunky Chef says
I’m sure you could do that, and I don’t *think* any liquid would be needed, since the chicken will give off plenty of liquid as it cooks. But that being said, I’ve only tested this recipe as written, so I can’t way for sure.
CJ says
So happy I found this fabulous recipe..so easy with simple ingredience but tastes gourmet ..always moist and delicious..It also makes the most amazing seasoned bone broth..you’re right, I will never buy a store bought rotisserie chicken again..many thanks!!!
michelle says
I just found you a few weeks ago and just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed your cooking. And this was a lifesaver on this 98-degree day and so tasteful.
Judith Bartlett says
You do know that it is not safe to put food next to aluminum foil with heat.
The Chunky Chef says
Some people prefer not to use aluminum foil and have used parchment paper in place of that. You can do as you wish, just as I can 🙂
Sparrow says
You do know there’s no science to your fears…🤦🏻♀️
Anita Cribley says
Use the trivet that comes with an instant pot
Rae says
Made this yesterday and IT WAS DEEEELISH!! Followed the recipe as is and it was so, so good! I will never buy another from the store! Thanks for sharing!
Regan Truscott says
I’d seen lots of recipes for roasted chicken in the slow cooker but had never tried any. I assumed chicken cooked this way would be tender but nowhere near as flavourful as a “real” roasted chicken. Happy to report I was so very wrong about that! I got home tonight to the most beautifully cooked roast chicken. The skin was even mostly crisp! I may never do another chicken in the oven again!!!
Sandra | A Dash of Sanity says
These are really awesome tips! I need to try this!
Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie says
I have to make this! I want to devour a chicken right now!
Megan Ancheta says
This chicken looks so juicy and delicious! So flavorful with the rub, too!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
Perfectly cooked! My family would love this!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
This is just perfect!! A must make!!
Melissa Griffiths says
Oh man, this looks so good! I make chicken in the slow cooker all the time, but I’ve never thought to raise it up from the bottom of the pan to keep it crispy – brilliant!
Demeter says
Such fantastic tips! You really made this fool proof!
Sandra Benton says
Thank you showing how to roast in the oven. I don’t have a slow cooker and this looks mouth watering GOOD!!
karlynn says
I am a sucker for a good mouth watering chicken recipe!