Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken

I told some friends last week that I was going to post a crock pot rotisserie chicken recipe soon and they all said they wanted it.  I kinda thought they might not let me hold out on them this long.  But I promise it was worth the wait!  This chicken might be one of my favorite fall/winter dinners.  It's only slightly more work than going to the store and picking up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store (or less, if you're like me and don't pass a grocery store on the way home from work).  Plus, you can control the fat and sodium content, which can be important.  I do take most of the skin off of the bird before cooking, so if your crock pot runs hot, it might dry out.  I've always had success with this method, but there are a few things you can do it you tend to get dry chicken.  Leave some of the skin on (you can always take it off before you eat if that concerns you); add a bit (1/4 to 1/2 cup) of water or chicken broth to the bottom of the stoneware before cooking; or cook for slightly less time (maybe an hour less) and check with a meat thermometer to ensure it's fully cooked.  Another way I save time with this meal is that I whip up a big batch of the seasoning mixture and keep it on hand so that I always have some ready for this recipe.  Saves me from measuring out all the ingredients each time, especially since I'll make this several times over the next few months.  There's lots of flavor from this juicy chicken that's delicious just sliced and serves or however you like to use a rotisserie-style chicken.

I originally found this recipe from Stephanie at A Year of Slow Cooking and I've been making it for a few years.  Stephanie literally takes off every last bit of skin, but I'm not quite that concerned, plus it's hard to get the skin off the legs and wings.   So I take off as much as I can from the back and breast-side, maybe trim it close on the legs and wings if it's coming off easily, and cut of the grossness by the neck (come on, a whole raw chick is nasty, let's be real).  And once you rub it down with the spice mixture and shove it full of garlic and onion, you'll get plenty of flavor that you won't miss the skin, I promise.  And you'll have successfully turned your crock pot into a rotisserie without making the chicken dizzy.

Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken

Ingredients for rotisserie spice mix


2 1/2 Tablespoons salt
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon paprika
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

In a small bowl or jar, combine all the seasonings and mix well to combine.  Label and store in a cool place.

Ingredients for rotisserie chicken

1 5-7 pound whole roasting chicken, thawed
1 onion
4 whole garlic cloves
2-3 Tablespoons rotisserie spice mix

Remove any "goodies" from the cavity of the chicken and discard or set aside for other use.  Pat chicken dry.  Remove as much of the skin as desired.  I leave some on the legs and wings, but remove most from the back and breast sides, as well as near the neck.

Place chicken in the stoneware of a crock pot, breast side down.   Quarter onion and insert onion and garlic into the cavity.  Rub rotisserie spice mix all over the chicken, breast, back, legs, wings and inside.  Be sure to rub some under any remaining skin.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (stay to the low end for a 5 pound bird, high end for a larger chicken) .  If your crock pot runs hot, you might want to add 1/4-1/2 cup of water or chicken broth to prevent drying out the meat.

Chicken will be moist and fall off the bones, so carefully remove from crock pot to serve.


Makes 1 chicken, serving about 6-8 people.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

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