Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot

I was surprised at how much I loved this. The seasonings could be changed to anything you like. The chicken turns out so tender and juicy and so delicious that it doesn't even bother me that it has bones. The sauce is a nice touch, but not necessary.

1 whole chicken that fits in your crockpot. Make sure to take out the giblets and stuff that are inside                      
        the bird. I throw that stuff out, but do whatever you do with it.
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional but delish
1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper
1 onion, chopped in large pieces


Combine all the dried herbs and spices in a bowl.  Place the chopped onion in the bottom of the crockpot. Rub all of the spice mixture all over the outside and some inside the chicken.  Also great to put some under the skin as well, but sometimes I don't cause it's a little extra yucky.   Put the chicken on top of the onions in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the chicken is falling off the bones.   At this point the chicken prices will easy pull away from the bones and I cut or pull the chicken into large pieces, like breasts, thighs, wings, drumsticks, etc. I have a few people in my family who like to eat the skin so I finish the chicken pieces under the broiler to crisp the skin.

Sauce, Optional:
I make this sauce when I am serving the chicken pieces

Strained juices from the crockpot
1/4 cup wine, apple juice, white grape juice, or 1/2 a lemon
2 TB butter, cold, chopped
Salt and pepper as needed

Strain all of the juices from the crockpot to have a smooth liquid. Then strain the fat off of the liquid. Put the strained, defatted liquid in a sauté pan over high heat. Cook sauce until it evaporates by about 1/2. Then add the wine or whatever you choose.  Continue cooking about 5 more minutes, or until the sauce slightly thickens. Check seasoning for salt and pepper. Turn the heat off and whisk in the butter1 tablespoon at a time. This will make the sauce silky and thicken a little bit. It's like a thin gravy so would be great if you served this with roasted potatoes also. Or any roasted veggies for that matter.

Submitted by: Kamdyn