Learn How Long to Cook a Whole Chicken in a Crockpot With These Five Simple Questions

If you don't know how long to cook a whole chicken in a crockpot, don't worry; you are not alone. Ask the cooks in your own family and I'll bet you get a different answer from each one. Then start looking through recipes and I guarantee you'll get even more confused.

That's because you have to ask a few questions first. Directions for cooking a whole chicken in a crockpot vary. It all depends on a few things. That's the reason you get puzzling and contradicting answers.

Normally, trying to adapt a crockpot recipe you have for diced chicken or chicken parts will have you a bit baffled right from the start. So, let's begin by figuring out the variables you have to look at when choosing to cook a whole chicken in your slowcooker:

1) What's A Whole Chicken?

This is not as silly as it sounds. One person may use the term "whole chicken" to mean a chicken in its entirety, all the parts. Another person may mean a chicken that is not in pieces is "whole." A whole chicken can mean two parts of a halved chicken, four parts of a quartered chicken, or all the combined parts, even though they are cut up. Is that even more confusing? The term whole has to be translated to figure cooking times.

2) What's The Chicken Recipe?

If you choose a crispy rotisserie chicken style of recipe, you will time your crockpot differently than if you have a chicken recipe loaded with lots of vegetables. A big pile of carrots and potatoes sitting around your chicken will cause a chicken to cook differently than if it is cooking in dry heat, rotisserie style.

3) What's The Preparation?

If you brown your chicken before you throw it in the crockpot you will have your chicken partially cooked. That will certainly shorten the time your chicken needs to be in the crockpot. And don't forget the stuffing. If you have a stuffed bird you've got to add time to get the temperature up in order to cook that chicken and dressing all the way through.

4) What's The Size Of The Chicken?

If you have a big six pound chicken, you're going to cook it longer than you would a little three pound chicken. That's just common sense. However, you also have to consider how much room you have in your crockpot. If your six pound bird is squeezed inside a five quart crockpot, your cooking time will have to be increased. There isn't enough room around the chicken to let air and heat circulate.

5) What's The Design Of The Crockpot?

The simple design and features of the crockpot play a role, too. Is your chicken able to lay down in a nice big six quart oval crock? Will you be starting your dish on high heat and finishing on low heat? Do you have a brand new super-insulated model or an old model that sits on top of a burner with little or no insulation? How tight does the lid fit?

You want to know how long to cook a whole chicken in a crockpot? Start by asking yourself these five simple questions. Once you determine the variables, you'll be able to take any of your favorite chicken crockpot recipes and use a whole chicken instead. Save money, save time, and eat a delicious dinner. Those are definitely three things I can support! Enjoy!