Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken made with just a few spices and in the slow cooker with CRISPY skin without a second spent in the oven!
Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken
Rotisserie Chicken dinners are a favorite in our house, when I’m running behind, we snack on the legs and wings (and maybe a few bites of thigh meat) while preparing dinner. Then we chop up the white meat and rest of the dark meat to use on in our simple recipe for dinner.
This type of slow cooker cooking has been something the blog has explored many times before. As a rule I use the minimum amount of liquid needed at all times.
In fact here are some crispy slow cooker recipes we’ve done on the blog before:
- Crispy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Crispy Slow Cooker Turkey Thighs
- Crisp & Juicy Slow Cooker Chicken
- Crispy Slow Cooker Corned Beef
Slow Cooker Roast Chicken with Crispy Skin is actually an even easier hack than making a regular rotisserie chicken in the oven or picking one up. PLUS, the liquid left behind in the slow cooker (once you strain the fat) is liquid gold you can easily add into a sauce or pasta dish you’re making.
How long does it take to cook a chicken in a slow cooker? You can cook on high for 4-5 hours and have edible moist chicken, but the crispy rotisserie chicken will take longer to melt the fat from the skin away.
How long does it take to cook a chicken on a rotisserie? In the oven about an hour, in the slow cooker 8 hours and on the grill about an hour and a half.
Can you cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker? Yes, between this recipe and other beer can chicken or flavored recipes, a whole chicken does great in the slow cooker, just be sure to prop the chicken up on foil.
Did I mention it is SUPER CRISPY without ever going in the oven? Look at this chicken wing:
Or this chicken leg, look how thin the skin is. 100% truth, it make a crackling sound when I ate it ten seconds later:
The spice rub is a total breeze. Garlic salt, black pepper and paprika. Or, use kosher salt, garlic powder, black pepper and paprika.
Look at the skin on the leg, its translucent because the fat has rendered so thoroughly. I’m not going to lie, this chicken beats a Costco chicken any day of the week. In fact you can see it over the whole chicken, the skin is paper thin, look at the leg in this picture, right up along the slow cooker wall. You can see through that.
How to make a Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken:
- Make a foil rack!
- Using Heavy Duty Foil, cut two 18 inch pieces.
- Roll each piece the long way, loosely, so the tube of foil was as long as possible, then curve it like an oven heating coil, like a flattened S.
- Lay the chicken on top of your foil rack, heavy duty foil really does work best for this, I found regular foil just takes way more of it and still gets compacted down more.
- Pat the chicken dry before placing seasoning.
- You can place it either breast side up or down, your choice. I did breast side up for the sake of the photos.
- Make sure the chicken isn’t touching the top of the slow cooker. If it is pressed up against the glass it is too big.
- Don’t use frozen chicken, this has a much higher water content.
- Make sure to take out the innards. That won’t taste great.
- Try not to add any liquids to the chicken, even lemons or lemon juice. The less liquid the more crispy.
In this photo you can get a better glimpse into the foil rack below:
How to Cook a Rotisserie Chicken in the oven:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Rub oil all over chicken. Season with paprika, garlic salt and black pepper. Place on rack in roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 400 degrees and cook for an additional 45-60 minutes or until chicken thigh is 170°F when checked with a thermometer.
Looking for more slow cooker chicken recipes?
- Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken
- Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
- Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken
Tools Used in the making of these Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken Thighs:
Slow Cooker: Love this slow cooker and how programmable it is, it has been a workhorse for me… until…
My New Slow Cooker: This recipe was made in this slow cooker. For larger roasts I also brown the meat in the insert and not lose a bunch of the flavor by transferring the meat and leaving the browned bits behind. If you’re thinking of a new slow cooker, consider it if your budget is open.
Heavy Duty Foil: Using regular foil will waste probably 3 times as much as I can roll the heavy one loosely to keep it higher off the bottom of the slow cooker.
Garlic Salt: Maybe its because I grew up with it, but this garlic salt is my favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken 4-5 pounds, fully defrosted
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt *
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper if using standard ground, use ½ teaspoon
- 2 teaspoons paprika plus a bit for sprinkling
Instructions
- Clean out the inside of the chicken and pat it completely dry inside and out with paper towels.
- Mix the seasonings together and rub all over the chicken inside and out.
- Using Heavy Duty Foil, cut two 18 inch pieces.
- Roll each piece the long way, loosely, so the tube of foil was as long as possible, then curve it like an oven heating coil, like a flattened S.
- Place the chicken on top of the foil, sprinkle with a bit more paprika.
- Cook on low 8 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
I made this today and it’s delicious!!!
I had a little spot of the chicken that was still a touch icy, so it wasn’t crisp, but it was fall off the bone tender and super tasty!
What is the best and tastiest way to cook the whole chicken…..breast side up or down?
You can place it either breast side up or down, your choice. I did breast side up for the sake of the photos.
Did exactly and never got crispy
Sorry to hear Kathi. The more liquid the less crispy. Maybe next time make sure to pat your chicken dry and then apply the seasonings to the skin? Make sure your slow cooker is bone dry. Do not add any liquid. Was your chicken frozen and then thawed? I used fresh chicken.
Haven’t tried it yet, but will!
Instead of the foil rack, can chunks of vegetables be used instead? This way they’ll get the flavor of the chicken.
Give it a try and let us know how your chicken turns out as well as your chunks of vegetables!
I’ve made this recipe multiple times and have not been disappointed. I’ve cooked as small as a 3 1/2 pound to a 4 3/4 pound bird, which is just right for my oval 6 quart slow cooker. It amazes me that the texture of both the dark and breast meat remains firm but juicy. Removing the chicken from the slow cooker to cool for 15 minutes, makes the breast meat sliceable, without much shredding. As for the crispy skin..there is a sufficient amount on the legs, wings and top of the breast to satisfy. This is a winner recipe both for taste and texture with bonus easy prep and clean up!
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise!!
Thank you Bette, Really appreciate you letting us know what worked for you and thank you for the 5 star rating.
This was the most absolute delicious chicken! I didn’t have to use the broiler, the skin was crispy and the meat moist!! Followed the directions exactly and I’ll definitely be making my chicken this way all the time. Thank You for this wonderful recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Can you use a metal rack under the chicken in the slow cooker, instead of using foil? I try to be eco-friendly. Thanks.
Colleen
Port Hope, Ontario (approx. 1 hr. east of Toronto)
Canada
sure
I buy the lemon/pepper rotisserie chickens. Can you do that in the slow cooker?
Maybe you would enjoy our Slow Cooker Creamy Lemon Chicken recipe?
https://dinnerthendessert.com/slow-cooker-creamy-lemon-chicken/?swcfpc=1
Followed directions exactly. Skin crisped up nicely. The chicken was moist and delicious. I think it’s worth noting, when you rub the seasoning on the chicken, you should take the time to separate the skin from the meat and rub the seasoning in between the outer and inner layer. Used the drippings to make a gravy. My 6 and 4 year olds devoured it! Absolutely delicious and EASY! Thank you.
Made this tonight!! 6.7lb chicken. 8 hours on low. The chicken was so moist and delicious. Had enough chicken for dinner and 2 other meals – soup or casserole.
Thank you!!!
Absolutely genius! This recipe produces a flawless chicken – moist, done to perfection! Maybe my favorite perk is clean up is super easy -> no splattered oven and I simply place the crock in the dishwasher.
One question: Is there anything to be done with the rendered juices? I poured them into a jar which went to the frig, to separate the fat off top. It became a chicken-jelly. Is it suitable for making gravy? broth? (???)
Yes, use for gravy/broth/adding to a soup. Anything, that leftover is liquid chicken gold!
I have made this previously and it’s wonderful. If I can only get a 7-9lb chicken, will that work?
What if I can only get a 7-9lb chicken? Is that still ok?
Love this! Except I usually broil the chicken for a few minutes (3-5) in the oven to get that crispy yummy taste. 😉
I don’t know why I believed that one could achieve brown and crispy skin in what is nothing more than a terrarium of condensation. There is no amount of drying or rising it off the bottom that will let you get anything like what this recipe claims. Don’t put your faith in this recipe, it will ruin your entire night because it is a significant disappointment.
Imade this chicken but I used Mrs. dash spice instead, and it was delicious!
My experience of cooking this several times is that, sometimes the skin is crispy and sometimes it isn’t as much, but I guarantee you, the chicken is always the most tender and tastiest chicken that my husband & I have ever had!!! Great recipe!!
What do you think about using a silicone roasting rack rather than the foil rolls? I actually used a silicone “laurel” rack because it lets you shape it to fit crockpot.
Will this recipe still be successful if you have to leave it more than 8hrs on low?
It might loose some of its firmness, any chance you can leave it on warm after the 8 hours?
This chicken was perfectly roasted with crispy skin and. had a beautiful red brown color. My family loved it, as it was not too spicy, but just right. Will make this recipe again.
Thank you for the 5 stars!
I was so excited to have crispy skin on a crockpot chicken recipe, but no go even after 11 hrs on low! I patted it dry inside and out, set it to up on the heavy duty “S” coil, and the bird was never frozen. There was a lot liquid at the bottom by hour 5, but not on the chicken. What could I have done wrong?
Charlene,
There is a very good chance you did nothing wrong at all. It was likely that the bird was super injected with water. My chicken had barely any liquid on the bottom, maybe 1/4″-1/2″ of water.
So disappointed. I made this because I wanted crispy skin, but even after following the directions exactly, after 8 hours on Low in the slow cooker the chicken was cooked but very soggy with NO crisping of the skin at all. In fact, the rub was sitting on the limp skin, not at all browned. It looked like a chicken that had been boiled – ugh.
Oh no! Was there a lot of water in the slow cooker? Was the chicken completely thawed before putting it into the slow cooker? You can always place it under the broiler to crisp up the skin too.
I followed the recipe exactly and the skin on my chicken was nothing but soft and chewy. I did not add oil or any liquid at all. I patted the chicken dry and placed in fridge for 12 hours to dry out before placing in crock pot. I patted down again before cooking and then added the rub/seasonings.
Cooking the chicken on low for 8 hours (6 lb chicken) yielded meat so tender it was literally falling apart….could not even take out of the crock pot without it falling apart. If you want chicken than is ready to shred, great. If you want to slice the chicken you will not be able to.
I was very suspect of the recipe stating crispy skin but had to try. I would suggest you pass.
Did you end up with a lot of liquid in your slow cooker?
I have a small wire rack that fits my slow cooker. Do you think it would work in place of the foil. Thanks
I wish I could say I’ve tried it, but since I haven’t I can’t say for sure. I don’t know if the rack would have enough contact with the bottom to effectively cook it. I would *think* it would but I can’t say how it would effect timing.
Would lining your slow cooker with a crock pot liner have an affect on the browning of the chicken? I would put the rolled tinfoil inside the liner bag. Thank you!
Personally I don’t use the liners. In the past, people have commented that it didn’t allow the browning to occur.
Very easy and I love easy. 8 hours in the crockpot and cover the chicken in what ever dry rub you want. It was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I will definitely do this again. Thank you
I made the crispy chicken per the receipt for the slow cooker. It came out crispy and had a great taste. The only thing it does take the whole day 8hrs to cook and get the crispy on low setting. It was worth it because juicy and crispy. I will cook my chicken this way through the summer. No need to turn on the oven….
Came out great! Instead of foil I put a couple of thick whole carrots across the bottom to hold bird up. I figured they are so dense they wouldn’t add much liquid. It did not come out crispy but I had to put it in partially frozen so had a ton of liquid when done. Also only cooked 4 hrs on High.
I followed the recipe exactly, and it was absolutely terrible. No crispy skin. No flavor of the actual meat. What a waste.
Not even close to a rotisserie chicken. No stars. Huge disappointment.
I made this exactly according to the recipe. The first time it came out perfectly with very crispy skin. The second time it didn’t brown as evenly nor was it anywhere near as crispy. Cooked the exact same way in the same slow cooker. Go figure!
Oh no! Was the second chicken completely thawed? Wondering if it released more liquid while cooking to not allow it to crisp up and steam more instead. Hope this helps to figure it out for next time.
this came out exactly the way it was supposed to. crispy skin, tender juicy flavorful chicken. i used pampered chef rotisserie chicken seasoning. my bird was a bit smaller so i cooked it 6 hours then checked it with a meat thermometer. it was a perfect 165. im glad i checked or it would have dried out. all slow cookers aren’t the same.
Good for you Marilyn. Always a good idea to keep an eye on the temperature to ensure your chicken won’t be over done. Thank you for the five star review.
I made it exactly as stated and the skin was not crispy at all. It was a 6 lb chicken that I cooked on low for 8 hours. It was done at 7 hours & was very tender. Actually it fell apart so easily. Made some gravy since the breast was a little dry but delicious.
Not crispy at all, not even a little bit.
Very disappointing.
Same. I have mushy chicken. But I’ll eat it cuz ya know covid.
If you want crispy skin. Pull out of slow cooker when done and put in oven on 450 for 10 minutes. Perfect every time. I also over season my whole chickens. It’s hard to get great flavor in them when lightly seasoned
Could you do on high for 4 hours?
Yes, high for 4-5 hours. Enjoy!
I like rotisserie chicken from SAMS club. That being said I expected the skin to not be crispy.
But I love it anyway. The recipe is in rotation in my household. Thank you for posting it!
So glad you enjoyed it! Was your skin rendered well? Ours was crispy because all the fat had melted out, not from high heat.
I have been dreaming of a Costco chicken but the line is around the building. I walked into Ralphs today and found a Foster Farms whole chicken. I think I have all the ingredients so I think I’ll give it a go. Maybe I’ll make the garlic sauce also.
It was an easy to follow recipe. Used similar ingredients from a pre-made rub and it was delicious. You can’t mess this one up if you pat down the moisture from the chicken and raise it off the bottom of the crock pot per Sabrina’s instructions.
Don’t have heavy duty foil so rolled piece of non-stick foil and then did another around it. Worked perfectly. Chicken was awesome.
Thanks for the suggestion, Liz. So glad you enjoyed it.
I made it on the 2nd Christmas Day and it was exceptional good. It was so tender. However, crispy is slightly exaggerated. But maybe I’m only spoiled. Next time I will go for 1/2 hour less in the slowcooker but additionally 15 Min under the grill
Hi.
I made this chicken for Thanksgiving. It was so easy with the slow cooker. I was so excited to have the touted “crispy skin”. It never happened, but the chicken completely was fall off the bone and delicious. I would definitely make it again.
Do you cover the slow cooker?
Yes, cover the slow cooker. 🙂