Here is proof that you can indeed cook a whole chicken in the crockpot! For this I made an herbed butter and mushed it all over under the skin and rubbed it on the entire outside of the skin. I sprinkled a little onion powder, salt, and pepper all over the chicken before I used the butter. Then I put a cut in half lemon inside the cavity. Slow cooked it on low until it was done (I started checking it around 6 or so hours, I’m not sure since I don’t use a timer and I never pay attention to the time lol.) When it was done I very carefully transported it from the cooker to a foil pan for cutting. Which there was no cutting, it was fall off the bone tender, so I just used a fork to pull pieces off. Skin was crispy, and the meat was sooo juicy and flavorful! All you had to do was touch it with the fork and it came apart.
I didn’t use any liquid, no foil used in the crockpot, I didn’t spray it or use liners. It was my first time making a whole chicken in the crockpot. I’m only going to be making it in the crockpot or air fryer from now on.
Edit to answer a few things:
No, I didn’t put it in the oven or broiler to brown the skin. I don’t know why it was crispy and brown, I think it’s the herbed butter maybe. I’ve made at least 7 like this and each came out the same way. Skeptics are welcome to come on over to watch and learn. I have nothing to gain lying to strangers in the internet about browned skin on a chicken lol.
I don’t have a recipe for my herbed butters. I just put herbs and seasonings that I think will taste good. My go to is garlic and onion powder, salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings (oregano, parsley, basil, etc) all to taste.
