Slow cooker whole roasted chicken is the perfect dinner! Succulent, seasoned chicken on a bed of root vegetables, slow roasted all day for a flavorful and fragrant weeknight meal.
One might think that because I don’t work outside the home that I’d have oodles of time in which to prepare elaborate meals on any given night of the week. And by “one,” I mean someone whom doesn’t home school four boys at the dining room table. đ
Our weeks are crazy-busy with just school and the most basic of household responsibilities. (Read: keeping everyone reasonably hygienic and wearing clean underwear.) Adding extra curricular activities to the mix only adds to the weeknight madness.
Trying to keep everyone well fed with real, nutritious food can be a real challenge in the midst of all the crazy around here.
For example, I coach Son #3’s soccer team, and Son #1 plays on two teams. This week we have (had) six games and one practice over the course of seven days. I’ve had one day off–yesterday–which happened to be the day that Bacon Slayer and I celebrated our 15th Wedding Anniversary.
We went out to dinner. Obviously.
That still means that I have or will be out running around on five days–which also means that I’ll be too exhausted to even think about cooking by the time I get home.
I’ve mentioned on numerous occasions that my crock pot has saved us from the Drive-Thru Line more times than I can count, and this week is no exception. I’m convinced that there is no better feeling in the world than driving past the nearest fast food establishment, knowing that dinner is waiting to welcome us home with it’s tantalizing aroma the moment we walk through the door after a busy day.
All that is required is a clean, whole chicken stuffed with such aromatics as shallots, garlic, and a bouquet of fresh herbs.
Then, the bird is rubbed with a simple blend of spices, tied, and placed onto a bed of root vegetables. What’s even better is knowing that this delicious chicken dinner can be prepped and thrown in the slow cooker in a matter of minutes before dashing out the door.
I promise that it’s much more tasty than a store bought rotisserie chicken. And those suckers are good!
The slow cooker works all day, roasting my chicken to perfection. Meanwhile, I drive all over Northern Michigan in the name of soccer, fellowship, and family fun.
This slow cooker whole roasted chicken is a luxurious weeknight dinner that comes together in a snap. My favorite part of this recipe is that it makes enough to feed my family of six, with enough left over to make:
One recipe that yields several great meal options is always a winner in my book!
Come home after a long day to a delicious, slow cooker whole roasted chicken for dinner.
Here’s the recipe for slow cooker whole roasted chicken with root vegetables:
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Kirsten Kubert
Yields 6
Succulent, seasoned chicken on a bed of root vegetables, slow roasted all day for a simple, flavorful, and fragrant weeknight meal.
30 minPrep Time
7 hrCook Time
7 hr, 30 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- ½ C. turnips, diced (3 small)
- 1 Âź C. carrots, scrubbed and cut into 3-inch chunks (6 small)
- ž C. parsnips, scrubbed and cut into 3-inch chunks (2 small)
- 1 C. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 small)
- ½ C. shallots, peeled and chopped
- 1 (4 lb.) roasting chicken (whole)
- 4 cloves garlic, halved
- 3 small shallots, peeled
- 1 small bouquet of fresh thyme, sage, rosemary, and parsley (3 to 5 sprigs of each, tied with butcherâs twine)
- Additional butcherâs twine
- 3 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
Instructions
- Spray the interior crock of a 6 quart slow cooker with olive oil. Prepare the root vegetables, and place them on the bottom of the prepared crock.
- Rinse both the exterior and interior of the roasting chicken with cool water, being sure to check the neck or cavity for a âgiblet pouch.â If a pouch is found, remove it and freeze to make stock at a later date. Pat the exterior of the rinsed chicken dry with a paper towel. Stuff the main cavity of the chicken with the garlic cloves, shallots, and fresh herb bouquetâthese aromatics will serve to season the chicken from the inside, but will not be eaten.
- Combine the kosher salt, smoked paprika, thyme, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to form a rub. Rub the spices over the exterior of the chicken, pressing to adhere. Tie the legs together with butcherâs twine.
- Place the chicken on top of the root vegetables in the crock. Cover and cook on the LOW heat setting for at 7 to 8 hours, or until chicken is done but not dry.
- Remove the root vegetables with a slotted spoon, placing them on a serving platter. Carefully transfer the chicken to the serving platter, setting it atop of the root vegetables. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving it to serve.
- To crisp the skin on the chicken before serving, broil the cooked chicken on a baking sheet for 3 to 4 minutes.Â
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