My Favorite Crockpot Chicken

I LOVE roast chicken! I really, really love it. For one thing, it is easy! For another, everyone in my family eats it without complaint. Roast chicken is great for leftovers, sandwiches, soups, casseroles, and another family favorite: chicken pot pie. I use the bones to make a nice rich broth, which I freeze in muffin tins. I can grab a couple pucks and add it to other dishes. Let's get real for a second though. Who wants to heat up their kitchen in the summer time to make a roast chicken? Not me! The best solution to that problem is my crock-pot. I adore my 6 qt. crock-pot. I use it almost everyday in the summer. You will probably get sick of the crock-pot posts. Unless you also adore your crock-pot. Then you have come to the right place! Welcome, friend.
So roast chicken is pretty straight forward, right? You throw it in the crock-pot with some salt and pepper and a little water or broth? Maybe you add a little lemon-pepper? And while that is delicious as well...it does not cut it for me. So I am going to share my tricks for an AMAZING roast chicken. These same tips can be used when roasting your chicken for real in the oven.

Place your veggies in the bottom of the crock-pot. I usually skip potatoes and go straight for the carrots and onions. Add anything you like but remember that whatever is down there will get a little mushy.

While prepping your veggies, quarter a lemon.

Then, add a tablespoon of your favorite spices to a quarter cup of soft butter, and mix. This is my favorite right now but I found it at Sam's Club and I no longer have a membership. *sad face*

Place your chicken on top of your veggies breast side up and carefully lift the skin away from the breast by sliding your hand inside. Be careful not to tear it but if you do it is not the end of the world. You want the skin to be loose but attached on each side. This is my #1 secret to amazing chicken. You are going to scoop up the butter mix with one hand and lift the skin with the other. Then "stuff" the cavity with the butter. Here is a picture that may help:

Sorry it is blurry. My photographer is nine. 

I always spread a little over the skin too. Putting the butter and spices under the skin means the meat absorbs the flavor better. I spent years putting seasoning on the skin but the truth is I don't eat chicken skin...yuck! So the spice never really met the chicken, resulting in a disappointment every time.  

The final step to preparing this amazing chicken is putting the lemons in the cavity. You can also add a quartered onion or a lime. Or all three. If you are using a lime, I suggest using chili powder and cumin in your butter. 

Then turn your crock-pot to high for 4-5 hours. My chicken is 4 lbs. If you are using a larger chicken you will need to lengthen the cooking time. Be sure to check with a meat thermometer. 165 is the recommended internal temperature for whole poultry. 

This is seriously the best chicken ever! I have to thank my husband. He found a video by Gordon Ramsey that showed the technique of putting butter under the skin. I usually serve it with a salad or extra veggies. Sometimes I don't.