Home » Blog » Easy Crockpot Chicken Recipe

Easy Crockpot Chicken Recipe

Oh Lardy! is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

ByTamara Mannelly

40 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Before my commitment to real food, I had never cooked a whole chicken! I was strictly a boneless, skinless breast girl. The idea of a whole chicken scared me! I had no idea what to do with it!

Now, I cook whole chickens at least once, if not more, a week!!! My how times change!

I buy my poultry from a local farm, Wallace Farms, that has a monthly pick up in my area. My freezer in my garage is usually stuffed with all kinds of pastured meats, especially whole chickens.

Why do I choose pasture raised chicken? Why not just pick any old bird at the grocery?

You know the saying ‘You are what your eat”? Well, there's another version of that…”You are what you eat eats.” You get the benefits or risks…depending what the animal eats.

Conventional chickens are raised in factory farm conditions…crowded together, beaks clipped, fed grain which is usually genetically modified, sometimes laced with arsenic and pumped full of antibiotics. The meat is often washed in chlorinated water or irradiated to get rid of bacteria.

Pastured chickens, however, spend their time outdoors…where they should be, scratching at the grass, eating bugs and grass. They are fed often fed grain (hopefully organic, soy free) to supplement their diet.

Health Benefits of Pastured Chicken

higher in Omega 3 fatty acids
less fat than conventional chickens
less saturated fat than conventional chickens
Higher in Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid
And it tastes delicious! Like CHICKEN

Curious about where to find pastured chicken? Click here. If you don't have access to pastured chicken, I'd go for organic, vegetarian fed chicken. At least you can avoid the hormones and antibiotics and GMO feed, synthetic pesticides and sewage sludge (yes that is right) this way. And, while chickens are NOT vegetarians, conventional chickens are often fed animal by products. Yuck. I do think it is important to buy the best quality animal proteins you can find. It's worth the effort and the expense!

Here's a great guide to buying chickens and deciphering the confusing labels!

Anyway, now to the RECIPE!!! My favorite (and easiest) way of cooking my chicken is to do a Rotisserie-rubbed crockpot style chicken.

I love the versatality of this crockpot chicken recipe. I usually make one each week for dinner, served with roasted vegetables and a salad. I also often make the chicken a second time, and shred all the meat to have on hand for chicken salads, fajitas, soups…you name it!

And don't forget to save the bones in your freezer to make nourishing bone broth so you can be sure to benefit from the healing properties of broth.

First, I mix up my seasonings. I like to make a big batch to have on hand for later!

Then, I coat the bird with melted butter (sometimes I skip this step if I am in a hurry). And I rub about 2-3 tbsp of the spice rub all over the bird, inside and out.

I set the bird in the crockpot on top of (optional) chopped celery, carrots and onions. I DO NOT add any liquid to the crockpot.

I set the pot on low and cook for 8-10 hours (or on high for 4-6 hours). And voila…dinner is served! This time I paired it with sauteed asparagus, roasted cabbage and a quinoa pilaf.