Description

This Slow Cooker Roast Chicken with Vegetables is a comforting and flavorful one-pot meal featuring a whole chicken slow-cooked to tender perfection atop a bed of hearty carrots, celery, and onions. The chicken is first seasoned and seared to develop a golden, crispy skin before slow cooking, and then finished under the broiler to enhance the crispiness. The result is juicy, fall-off-the-bone chicken with savory, caramelized vegetables and rich cooking juices, perfect for an effortless yet impressive family dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

1 whole chicken (preferably with skin on)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste

Vegetables & Aromatics

4 carrots (peeled and cut into chunks)
3 stalks celery (sliced)
1 onion (sliced into rings)
2 cloves garlic (minced)

Liquids

1 cup chicken broth (or water)

Instructions

Season the Chicken: Rub the whole chicken all over with salt, pepper, paprika, and dried thyme, ensuring even coverage. Set aside briefly to marinate and allow the flavors to meld.
Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place the chicken in the skillet and brown all sides until golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side. This step adds depth of flavor and improves skin texture.
Prepare the Slow Cooker Base: Arrange the sliced onion, peeled and chunked carrots, and sliced celery at the bottom of the slow cooker to form a flavorful vegetable bed for the chicken.
Assemble in Slow Cooker: Transfer the seared chicken directly on top of the vegetables. Pour chicken broth evenly over and around the chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle the minced garlic over the top of the chicken for aroma.
Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low heat for approximately 6 hours. The chicken should become tender enough to fall off the bone and the vegetables softened and infused with savory juices.
Crisp the Skin: Once slow cooking finishes, carefully remove the chicken onto a baking sheet. Place under a preheated oven broiler for 3-4 minutes until the skin crisps up and turns a golden brown. Monitor closely to prevent burning.
Prepare the Vegetables: Use a spoon to transfer the caramelized vegetables and flavorful cooking juices from the slow cooker into a serving dish. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
Slice and Serve: Slice the crispy-skinned chicken and arrange it on a platter alongside the vegetables. Drizzle some of the cooking juices over the chicken and vegetables to enhance richness.
Enjoy: Serve the meal hot, savoring the tender, juicy chicken with its crisp skin alongside the savory, caramelized vegetables.

Notes

For best results, choose a whole chicken that fits comfortably in your slow cooker.
Searing the chicken before slow cooking helps lock in juices and improves skin texture.
If you prefer, you can add additional herbs such as rosemary or sage for varied flavor.
Broiling at the end is key to achieving the crispy skin; do not skip this step.
The chicken broth can be substituted with water or vegetable broth if preferred.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: slow cooker chicken, roast chicken recipe, easy chicken dinner, slow cooked vegetables, one-pot meal, crispy skin chicken