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Home / Comfort Food

Easy Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken

4.66
/5
4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
54 Comments
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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 03/07/2018

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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!

This rotisserie chicken is so easy to make in the slow cooker... with just 5 minutes of prep!

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!

Roasted chicken in slow cooker

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.

Crispy rotisserie chicken leg

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.

Piece of rotisserie chicken recipes

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.

Want to try this Rotisserie Chicken?

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Making this homemade "rotisserie" chicken is as easy as 5 minutes of prep and a handful of spices.  Then sit back and let your slow cooker do all the work!  | #chicken #rotisseriechicken #slowcookerrecipe #crockpot #easyrecipe

Easy Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken

4.66 from 26 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours hours
Total Time: 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 - 8 servings
(hover over # to adjust)
Print Rate Pin
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! 

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.

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Chef Tips

Alternately, chicken can be cooked on LOW for 7-8 hours, until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 F degrees.  

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did You Make This?Tag @the_chunky_chef on Instagram and hashtag it #thechunkychef so I can see what you made!
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Making this homemade "rotisserie" chicken is as easy as 5 minutes of prep and a handful of spices.  Then sit back and let your slow cooker do all the work!  | #chicken #rotisseriechicken #slowcookerrecipe #crockpot #easyrecipe

Making this homemade "rotisserie" chicken is as easy as 5 minutes of prep and a handful of spices.  Then sit back and let your slow cooker do all the work!  | #chicken #rotisseriechicken #slowcookerrecipe #crockpot #easyrecipe

Making this homemade "rotisserie" chicken is as easy as 5 minutes of prep and a handful of spices.  Then sit back and let your slow cooker do all the work!  | #chicken #rotisseriechicken #slowcookerrecipe #crockpot #easyrecipe

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Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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4.66 from 26 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  1. Dinah Hadari says

    Posted on 1/2 at 11:00 pm

    Do you place Chicken in crock pot with breasts down or up?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 1/3 at 10:18 pm

      Breast side up

      Reply
  2. Cross29 says

    Posted on 11/19 at 11:02 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Laurel Houghton says

      Posted on 12/1 at 6:46 pm

      what recipe do you use for the brine?

      Reply
  3. Kimberly Tortorelli says

    Posted on 11/15 at 11:37 am

    Can I use chicken breast instead of a whole chicken. And would I put the breasts on the aluminum foil “rack”

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 11/15 at 10:32 pm

      You could, just make sure to check the internal temperature to make sure the chicken is at 165 F degrees when done.

      Reply
  4. Shellbeee says

    Posted on 11/7 at 2:37 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 11/7 at 8:18 pm

      Yes it’ll be okay since it’s cooking… no different than roasting it in the oven 🙂

      Reply
  5. Angela says

    Posted on 8/13 at 1:14 pm

    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!

    Reply
  6. Emily Wildes says

    Posted on 8/7 at 8:36 pm

    Could I put the chicken on a bed of carrots or something and if so would you then need to add liquid?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/8 at 9:07 am

      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.

      Reply
  7. CJ says

    Posted on 7/25 at 6:01 pm

    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!!!

    Reply
  8. michelle says

    Posted on 7/2 at 10:19 am

    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.

    Reply
  9. Judith Bartlett says

    Posted on 5/7 at 9:36 pm

    You do know that it is not safe to put food next to aluminum foil with heat.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 5/8 at 8:40 am

      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 🙂

      Reply
    • Sparrow says

      Posted on 5/31 at 8:05 pm

      You do know there’s no science to your fears…🤦🏻‍♀️

      Reply
    • Anita Cribley says

      Posted on 6/3 at 2:02 pm

      Use the trivet that comes with an instant pot

      Reply
  10. Rae says

    Posted on 1/28 at 12:54 pm

    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!

    Reply
  11. Regan Truscott says

    Posted on 11/7 at 9:23 pm

    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!!!

    Reply
  12. Sandra | A Dash of Sanity says

    Posted on 3/13 at 2:37 am

    These are really awesome tips! I need to try this!

    Reply
  13. Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie says

    Posted on 3/11 at 11:31 pm

    I have to make this! I want to devour a chicken right now!

    Reply
  14. Megan Ancheta says

    Posted on 3/10 at 12:16 pm

    This chicken looks so juicy and delicious! So flavorful with the rub, too!

    Reply
  15. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

    Posted on 3/10 at 9:02 am

    Perfectly cooked! My family would love this!

    Reply
  16. Katerina @ diethood .com says

    Posted on 3/9 at 9:52 am

    This is just perfect!! A must make!!

    Reply
  17. Melissa Griffiths says

    Posted on 3/8 at 7:55 pm

    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!

    Reply
  18. Demeter says

    Posted on 3/8 at 11:54 am

    Such fantastic tips! You really made this fool proof!

    Reply
  19. Sandra Benton says

    Posted on 3/8 at 11:24 am

    Thank you showing how to roast in the oven. I don’t have a slow cooker and this looks mouth watering GOOD!!

    Reply
  20. karlynn says

    Posted on 3/8 at 10:06 am

    I am a sucker for a good mouth watering chicken recipe!

    Reply
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