
Whether you fancy a traditional family Sunday lunch or want to make the most of a versatile and cost-effective whole bird, this Slow Cooker Roast Chicken is the way to cook your meat. So convenient, very little faff, just succulent and flavour-filled results.
If you’re someone who regularly buys a whole chicken to either make a roast dinner or/and use up the leftovers, THIS is the recipe for you.
My Slow Cooker Roast Chicken is made with a delicious and quick lemon and herb butter for maximum flavour, while – as always – we’re keeping to a minimum on effort.
Technically this isn’t ‘roasting’ a chicken at all as we’re not using the oven, but trust me when I say the benefits and results of making this a slow cooker chicken recipe are worth it!
Now it doesn’t come out looking like the prettiest of whole chickens because the skin doesn’t get seared in a slow cooker as it does in an oven, but this is an easy hurdle to overcome.
Either remove the skin before serving, or pop it all under the grill for about 15 minutes to get that golden finish.
Just like my Slow Cooker Beef Joint, my Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder, Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb and my Slow Cooker Ham, making a joint like this has lots of benefits, AND you can even do it on a busy day and strip the bird once it’s cool, leaving you with loads of tender meat to use in other meals throughout the week. Winner all round!
Why use a slow cooker to cook a whole chicken?
Saves electricity: These devices are so energy efficient compared to ovens or hobs, using only about 1.3kWh for 8 hours cooking time. The Energy Saving Trust say they use about the same amount of electricity as a standard light bulb.
Depth of flavour: Cooking a joint of meat long and slow creates a delicious depth of flavour, and that applies to whole chicken too.
Convenience: There is just something so lifesaving about being able to put everything in and know a meal is going to be ready later, when time might be tighter. Yes it requires a bit of thinking ahead, but the rewards are great.
More room in the oven: If you are making this as part of a bigger roast dinner, using a slow cooker means you’ve got plenty of room left in the oven for everything else!
Slow Cooker Roast Chicken Ingredients Notes
- Whole chicken: 1.5 kg free range
- Added flavour: Onion and lemons
- Herb butter: Butter (salted) and herbs (fresh if possible)
How to cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker
- Mix herb butter:
- Combine softened butter with fresh herbs.
- Prepare base:
- Place onion chunks into the slow cooker.
- Position chicken:
- Set chicken on top of onions and spread herb butter over skin.
- Add lemon and water:
- Slice half a lemon around the bird edges and add 100 ml boiling water.
- Cook:
- Cook on LOW for 5 hours until tender.
- Finish:
- Remove skin or grill for 15 minutes until golden.

Storing
In the fridge You can keep the cooked chicken in the fridge for 3 days and enjoy it cold in sandwiches, salads or any of the above recipes.
In the freezer Just wait until it’s totally cold and then put into a freezer proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reusing and be very careful if reheating (it must be piping hot).
Top tips
Slow Cooker Roast Chicken with crispy skin The chicken won’t get that crispy or golden skin we associate with a roast, but simply cutting it off after cooking is fine – it’s still delicious. However, if you DO want a crispy skin, just pop it under the grill for about 10-15 minutes until it crisps up and turns colour. This gives us the best of both worlds – tender meat and crispy skin!
Making gravy
If you want to serve gravy with your roast chicken, once you remove the chicken from the cooker, blend the onions into the liquid (if you have a blender. If not, leave them in whole or remove with a slotted spoon if you prefer your gravy smooth). Put 2 tbsp of cornflour (corn starch if you’re in the US) into a small mug and add enough of the chicken juices to make a smooth paste. Put the chicken juices over a medium heat on the hob (in the slow cooker pan if it’s heatproof and suitable for use on the hob, or in a small saucepan if not). Add in enough of the cornflour mixture, a little at a time, whisking as you go to thicken the liquid. You may not need to use all of the flour mixture, depending on how much liquid your chicken has released as it cooked.
Herbs
When making up butter spread, you can use dried herbs if you prefer and/or it’s all you have, BUT in this case I do feel like fresh herbs do work best as they have a more aromatic, softer quality.
Butter
I use salted butter but if you only had unsalted butter, you could add extra salt. The butter should be soft, but not melted. If it’s hard, just pop into the microwave for a few seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh for the butter?
Yes, dried herbs can be used, but fresh herbs offer a more aromatic and delicate flavor that enhances the dish.
- → How do I get crispy skin on the chicken?
After slow cooking, place the chicken under the grill for 10–15 minutes to achieve a golden, crispy skin.
- → Can I cook a larger chicken in the slow cooker?
Yes, as long as the bird fits in your slow cooker. Adjust cooking time slightly for larger weights.
- → What can I do with the leftover meat?
Leftover chicken can be used in salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, or soups for easy meal planning.
- → How long does cooked chicken last in the fridge?
Store cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- → Can I make gravy from the slow cooker juices?
Yes, use the cooking juices and blend with cornflour to make a rich, flavorful gravy.