Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken

This Slow Cooker Whole Chicken is tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Just a few ingredients and minimal prep for a perfect weeknight dinner.

If you’re looking for an easy, flavorful, and comforting meal, this Crockpot Chicken recipe is the answer. With just a handful of simple ingredients and a few minutes of prep time, you’ll end up with juicy, tender meat that practically falls off the bone and is infused with garlic, lemon, and buttery goodness.

A rotisserie style chicken cooked in the Slow Cooker goes great with just about any side dish. Some of my favorites to serve with it are Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Veggies, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, a big green salad and some Crusty Bread.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe makes a beautiful whole chicken that’s perfect for family dinners, meal prep for those busy days, or even a low-effort holiday centerpiece. Let your slow cooker do the work while your home fills with the delicious aroma of roasted garlic and lemon. This chicken recipe is so easy, like my Honey Garlic Chicken. Perfect to serve as is or use in other recipes like my Ultimate Chicken Casserole.

Let’s Gather The Ingredients

• Whole chicken: About 4 pounds is good.
• Butter: Either salted or unsalted.
• Lemon: Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken

• Step 1: Add softened butter, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice with salt, and pepper to a small bowl.
• Step 2: Remove the giblets and other inner parts from the cavity of the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a spoon to lift the skin up off the chicken breasts and rub some of the butter mixture inside. Then rub the rest of the garlic butter all over the outside of the whole chicken skin.
• Step 3: Cut two potatoes in half and place them cut side down in the Slow Cooker. You can also use balls of aluminium foil.
• Step 4: Carefully place buttered chicken on top of potatoes and place the lid on top of the Slow Cooker. Cook chicken. Let the chicken rest before carving.

Recipe Tips

• Fresh rosemary, thyme, or sage can be added to the butter mixture for a deeper herb flavor.
• Save the leftover bones and skin to make a delicious homemade chicken stock or chicken broth.
• Refrigerate leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. You can shred the meat to freeze for later use in chicken soup, casseroles, or sandwiches.

Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken

Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken is moist and flavorful and a super easy dinner option that takes very little effort.

Prep Time10minutes mins

Cook Time8hours hrs

Total Time8hours hrs 10minutes mins

Servings8 servings

Calories459

Equipment

Ingredients

• 1 (4-5 lb) whole chicken
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lemon zest and juice
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Instructions

• Remove the inner parts from the chicken and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Make 4 large aluminum foil balls (see notes) and place them into the slow cooker.
• In a small bowl mix softened butter, garlic, zest, and juice of 1 lemon, salt, and pepper until combined.
• With a spoon lift the skin up from the breast and place about 1 tablespoon of garlic butter under the skin on both sides of the breast. Rub the remaining garlic butter all over the outside of the chicken skin.
• Place chicken on the foil balls, and place sliced lemon along the sides of the chicken.
• Cook for 4- 4 1/2 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low or until internal temp reaches 165 degrees.
• If your slow cooker has a removable crockery insert (check to make sure it is oven safe first) place it in the oven and broil for 4-5 minutes to get the skin crispy. You can also flip the chicken and broil it another 4-5 minutes to crisp up the other side. If your slow cooker isn’t oven-safe just place your chicken on a sheet pan and then broil for 4-5 minutes in the oven.
• Let rest for 10 minutes and carve, drizzle juices over cut-up chicken.

Notes

On average, a 4-pound chicken will fit into a slow cooker.

You can use a couple of whole large onions or potatoes cut in half  instead of the foil balls if you prefer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 459kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 28gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 999mgPotassium: 320mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 680IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg