I hear many stories of roast chicken disasters involving slow cookers, and unfortunately one unsuccessful attempt can very often put you off trying again.
Follow the instructions below for a perfectly cooked roast chicken with potatoes and veg and you’ll never look back!
Simply Perfect Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Vegetables Slow Cooker Recipe – Serves 2 Adults and 2 Children
This recipe may take 8 hours to cook but only requires 10 minutes preparation at the start and 10 minutes at the end leaving you to get on with other things but still have a traditional family roast at the end of the day.
Cooking a roast chicken in a slow cooker will guarantee a lovely aroma throughout the house all day, and the chicken will be incredibly tender.
You will need:
1 x Large Slow Cooker
1 x Fresh Whole Chicken (I use free range and would never cook a thawed frozen chicken in a slow cooker)
4 x Medium or 8 Small White potatoes
4 x Medium Carrots
Sprinkling of Dried Rosemary
Boiled and slightly cooled Kettle/Jug of Water
Instructions:
1. Preheat a traditional oven on high and pop in the chicken (uncovered) on a baking tray.
2. Leave the chicken in the oven whilst you prep the potatoes and carrots.
3. Peel and quarter 4 medium-large white potatoes (or halve if small potatoes) and line the bottom of the large slow cooker – there should be a complete covering add more if not.
4. Peel and dice 4 carrots and slot the carrots inbetween the potatoes
5. Sprinkle over some dried rosemary – and pour over the hot water – the water should just cover the potatoes and carrots (they should not be floating in the liquid).
6. Remove chicken from oven (it should be lightly browned on top) and place carefully on top of the potatoes and carrots.
7. Place lid on top – and this will fit if using a large cooker – and turn to High for 4 hours. Please check your chicken will fit before attempting! Do take into account the chicken will be raised by the potatoes also.
8. After 4 hours, lift lid and test potatoes – they should be starting to soften – then reduce setting to Low and leave for a further 4 hours
9. After a total of 8 hours remove the chicken very carefully from the cooker – this is best done with a wide spatula under the chicken and with a fork inserted in the top. Place chicken on a plate to ‘rest’ – the chicken should be nicely browned. Do ensure chicken is piping hot – this is very important when cooking meat, particularly poultry. When I cook a chicken it definitely has reached a high enough temperature to kill any harmful bacteria, but if you want to make certain then use a ‘meat thermometer’ to check it has reached the correct temperature for chicken – please check instructions.
10. At this point if you would like roast potatoes (rather than plain) then remove potatoes carefully from cooker using a draining spoon or with a fork and place in a large bowl that contains a little oil and salt (alternatively drizzle oil over and add salt when on baking tray – however the bowl gets better coverage) and shake gently until potatoes are evenly coated.
11. Place potatoes on baking tray and put in a pre-heated oven on High for 10 minutes.
12. Whilst potatoes are cooking remove carrots from cooker and place in a bowl of hot water to keep warm – or alternatively leave to stand and then microwave when ready to serve.
13. Make gravy by pouring remaining liquid into a saucepan and adding gravy granules to create desired thickness. Place on hob and bring to the boil skimming off the fat with a large spoon.
14. Carve meat and place on warm plates, add potatoes (as 10 minutes should now have passed), add carrots and pour over gravy. Add additional vegetables such as steamed broccoli if you wish – these vegetables could be steamed whilst potatoes are roasting.
15. Finally don’t forget to keep the chicken carcass as it makes fantastic slow-cooked stock – recipe to be posted later today
How simple is that?
*Don’t forget that as tempting as it may be to lift the lid and have a stir or a sniff of the lovely aroma, that everytime you do it will increase cooking time by 20 minutes.
** Please note that I am not a qualified nutritionist or professional cook. My recipes are what I put together at home and all amounts etc… are approximate. What I write is my own experience of cooking the recipe. Ovens and ingredients do vary – just go with it, have fun and apply common sense at all times! Practise makes perfect!
Spread the word and let’s start a Slow Cooker revolution!
Please let me know how it goes – I’d really love to hear some roast chicken success stories!
Don’t forget to share this recipe with friends!
Thanks for sharing your recipes! How do you keep the chicken from falling apart when you take it out?
Good question T! It’s all about leverage 🙂
Basically I push a spatula under the chicken and take the (majority of) weight of the body on that. Then I put a fork in the top of the chicken – this is quite a large two-pronged type bbq fork. The chicken is all trussed up with string so the legs etc stay in place (well that’s the theory!). It tends to work okay, but as the meat is so tender it does start to separate so I have to be quick. If I have dry roasted, as in the chicken isn’t immersed in liquid at all, although veggies may be below – I sometimes hold the top with a dry clean tea-towel. But of course if you do this you need to be careful! Good luck! Jo
Thanks for sharing your recipes! How do you keep the chicken from falling apart when you take it out?
Good question T! It’s all about leverage 🙂
Basically I push a spatula under the chicken and take the (majority of) weight of the body on that. Then I put a fork in the top of the chicken – this is quite a large two-pronged type bbq fork. The chicken is all trussed up with string so the legs etc stay in place (well that’s the theory!). It tends to work okay, but as the meat is so tender it does start to separate so I have to be quick. If I have dry roasted, as in the chicken isn’t immersed in liquid at all, although veggies may be below – I sometimes hold the top with a dry clean tea-towel. But of course if you do this you need to be careful! Good luck! Jo
Thanks for sharing your recipes! How do you keep the chicken from falling apart when you take it out?
Good question T! It’s all about leverage 🙂
Basically I push a spatula under the chicken and take the (majority of) weight of the body on that. Then I put a fork in the top of the chicken – this is quite a large two-pronged type bbq fork. The chicken is all trussed up with string so the legs etc stay in place (well that’s the theory!). It tends to work okay, but as the meat is so tender it does start to separate so I have to be quick. If I have dry roasted, as in the chicken isn’t immersed in liquid at all, although veggies may be below – I sometimes hold the top with a dry clean tea-towel. But of course if you do this you need to be careful! Good luck! Jo
This makes the most delicious and tender chicken that my children say, “I can’t stop eating!” Yes, a free-range chicken really works well here because the moist cooking helps compensate for the leanness of the meat. Thanks so much for the great idea of browning the bird first.
This makes the most delicious and tender chicken that my children say, “I can’t stop eating!” Yes, a free-range chicken really works well here because the moist cooking helps compensate for the leanness of the meat. Thanks so much for the great idea of browning the bird first.
This makes the most delicious and tender chicken that my children say, “I can’t stop eating!” Yes, a free-range chicken really works well here because the moist cooking helps compensate for the leanness of the meat. Thanks so much for the great idea of browning the bird first.
Only bought my slow cooker yesterday and going away for the weekend. So when we get back I am going to do your Chicken it sounds really delicious
Only bought my slow cooker yesterday and going away for the weekend. So when we get back I am going to do your Chicken it sounds really delicious
Only bought my slow cooker yesterday and going away for the weekend. So when we get back I am going to do your Chicken it sounds really delicious
I love cooking and like to try lots of experimenting…but for some reason slow cooking a roast dinner has always scared me. We are spending this cold November Sunday at our allotment so I have decided to give it a go! Your recipe looks great, thank you!
Hey Michelle – it’ll turn out fine – give it a go! Good luck!
I love cooking and like to try lots of experimenting…but for some reason slow cooking a roast dinner has always scared me. We are spending this cold November Sunday at our allotment so I have decided to give it a go! Your recipe looks great, thank you!
Hey Michelle – it’ll turn out fine – give it a go! Good luck!
I love cooking and like to try lots of experimenting…but for some reason slow cooking a roast dinner has always scared me. We are spending this cold November Sunday at our allotment so I have decided to give it a go! Your recipe looks great, thank you!
Hey Michelle – it’ll turn out fine – give it a go! Good luck!
I will be trying this recipe on Fri, my brand new gas cooker hasn’t been plumbed in yet so wont be able to brown the bird, but as i don’t eat the skin, it won’t be a problem. Will post how i got on once i’ve treid it.
I will be trying this recipe on Fri, my brand new gas cooker hasn’t been plumbed in yet so wont be able to brown the bird, but as i don’t eat the skin, it won’t be a problem. Will post how i got on once i’ve treid it.
I will be trying this recipe on Fri, my brand new gas cooker hasn’t been plumbed in yet so wont be able to brown the bird, but as i don’t eat the skin, it won’t be a problem. Will post how i got on once i’ve treid it.
Can I ask why you would not use a thawed frozen chicken?
Yes of course. Slow cookers do not raise the temperature of meat quickly. Poultry is known to cause food-poisoning more easily than say beef. There has to be a certain internal temp reached to kill the bacteria, and I’m always cautious about previously frozen chickens etc… It’s a preference really. I am quite cautious with poultry and pork.
Can I ask why you would not use a thawed frozen chicken?
Yes of course. Slow cookers do not raise the temperature of meat quickly. Poultry is known to cause food-poisoning more easily than say beef. There has to be a certain internal temp reached to kill the bacteria, and I’m always cautious about previously frozen chickens etc… It’s a preference really. I am quite cautious with poultry and pork.
Can I ask why you would not use a thawed frozen chicken?
Yes of course. Slow cookers do not raise the temperature of meat quickly. Poultry is known to cause food-poisoning more easily than say beef. There has to be a certain internal temp reached to kill the bacteria, and I’m always cautious about previously frozen chickens etc… It’s a preference really. I am quite cautious with poultry and pork.
Got mine sitting in the slow cooker now, looking forward to dinner tonight!
Going to try this tomorrow in my new slow cooker! Have you tried making foil handles – long folded strips of tin foil under the chicken before you start cooking? Apparently it makes it easy to lift the chicken out at the end. Going to give it a try. Wish me luck!
The foil sounds a great idea. The chicken is prone to falling apart so without a doubt this should make it easier to remove.
Good luck and please do let me know how you get on!
Got mine sitting in the slow cooker now, looking forward to dinner tonight!
Going to try this tomorrow in my new slow cooker! Have you tried making foil handles – long folded strips of tin foil under the chicken before you start cooking? Apparently it makes it easy to lift the chicken out at the end. Going to give it a try. Wish me luck!
The foil sounds a great idea. The chicken is prone to falling apart so without a doubt this should make it easier to remove.
Good luck and please do let me know how you get on!
Got mine sitting in the slow cooker now, looking forward to dinner tonight!
Going to try this tomorrow in my new slow cooker! Have you tried making foil handles – long folded strips of tin foil under the chicken before you start cooking? Apparently it makes it easy to lift the chicken out at the end. Going to give it a try. Wish me luck!
The foil sounds a great idea. The chicken is prone to falling apart so without a doubt this should make it easier to remove.
Good luck and please do let me know how you get on!
Hi, I’ve just brought a slow cooker….will this work in a 3.5l one?
Thanks
Claire I think it’ll be too small – that’s a standard slow cooker size I think? It’s whether you can get your chicken in really – but I’m thinking to fill the cooker may not be the best idea? Have a google see if anyone else has recipe in smaller pot? Jo
Thanks Jo….just thinking…may be able to try it with some chicken portions. Only got the slow cooker last week….trying to carve out time after school to help with homework! My first attempt last week was adapting a Jamie O 15 min recipe to a slow cook BBQ pork! I came across your site whilst looking at chilli recipes…I have one on the go now! My cooker didn’t come with any recipes!
Yes portions would work – try that. As for recipes there are a lot here on my blog – if you like Chilli the one I have (handed down from my brother) is really good – hand on heart. A great recipe book is Ultimate Slow Cooker by Sara Lewis! Jo
Thanks, have replied on your chilli recipe :o)