Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

Remember that cookbook I got as a Christmas present from my mom? Well, in there is a recipe for a whole chicken made in the oven. It looked really good and I decided I was going to make it for a Sunday dinner. We ended up having other plans on the day I was going to make it, so I decided it would be a great crock pot meal for one day during the week, and oh my gosh I was so right! I got all my ingredients together on Wednesday morning and let it cook all day when Cory, Don, and I were at work. When I came home, the house smelled AMAZING! The recipe for Slow Cooker Whole Chicken is below. Enjoy, and don't forget to thank my momma for this one!

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

Ingredients:

~1 whole chicken (I think I ended up buying one that is meant for deep frying, but it worked)

~3 red apples (quartered)

~1 bunch of celery (separated into individual stalks)

~1 medium/large onion (quartered)

~handful of baby carrots

~ALL the rosemary you can get

~any seasonings you want for the chicken (I used pepper, garlic powder, Mrs. Dash original, and oregano)

Directions:

1. Prepare your chicken with desired spices. Rub your spice mixture evenly on all sides of your chicken. (My chicken already had all the insides taken out, so I didn't have to worry about that gross mess. If your chicken still has all the innards, there is usually a set of directions attached to the packaging of your chicken that will tell you how to properly remove everything). Add 2 apple quarters, 2 onion quarters, and 2 celery stalks to the inside of your chicken. Place your chicken inside your crockpot.

2. Place your remaining apples, onions, celery stalks, and carrots evenly around/on top of your chicken. Layer as much rosemary as you can on top of your chicken as well.

3. Cook on low for 8-9 hours (I did 8 1/2). You know your chicken is cooked thoroughly when your thermometer reads 165 F in multiple areas of your chicken.

When I made it, my chicken was falling off the bone when it was time to serve it up! I left all the vegetables in the crock pot, as opposed to serving them alongside the meal like you do with pot roast. I made mashed potatoes and steamed green beans as sides and it was a delicious dinner!

~S