This slow cooker roast chicken and vegetables is the ultimate set-and-forget family dinner.
Chuck it in the pot in the morning and come home to pull-apart chicken and soft roast veg, no oven babysitting required. It's right up there with my Slow Cooker Butter Chicken and Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken for busy weeknights.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Slow Cooker Roast Chicken & Vegetables
🕒 Ready In: 20 minutes prep + 5-8 hours slow cooking
👪 Serves: 6 people
🍚 Calories: 435kcal per serve
🥣 Main Ingredients: whole chicken, potatoes, carrots, onion, herbs
📖 Dietary Info: gluten-free, dairy-free, freezer-friendly
⭐ Why You'll Love It: a genuine one-pot dinner, packed with vegetables, and it fills the whole house with roast chicken smells all day.
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Winner winner chicken dinner!
- Sharon
This is one of those meals I put on before school drop-off and completely forget about until the smell hits me at 3pm.
If you love a good crock pot dinner, try my Slow Cooker Roast Beef or Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder next, or check out my 20+ Best Slow Cooker Recipes for more inspiration.
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Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Genuinely set and forget - 20 minutes of prep, then the slow cooker does the rest.
- Healthy and filling, with a whole tray of roast vegetables cooked right in with the chicken.
- One pot, so there's barely any washing up. My favourite kind of dinner.
- Leftovers make brilliant sandwiches, wraps or a quick chicken soup the next day.
Roast Chicken Ingredients
A pretty simple shopping list, with a couple of things worth knowing.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredient quantities and full detailed method.
- Whole chicken - a 2kg (4 pound) bird is the sweet spot for a 6 quart slow cooker. Go much bigger and it may not cook evenly.
- Firm vegetables (potato, carrot, onion) hold their shape best. Softer ones like pumpkin will break down and go mushy, still tasty, just a different texture.
- Fresh rosemary and thyme give a much better flavour than dried here, since they sit under the chicken the whole cook and slowly infuse everything.
Variations
- Vegetable swaps: parsnip, sweet potato, capsicum and swede all work well. Add softer veg like capsicum halfway through if you want them to stay firmer.
- Pop a few lemon wedges and extra garlic cloves inside the cavity of the chicken for even more flavour.
- Crispy veg option: cook the chicken alone in the slow cooker and roast your vegetables separately in the oven if you prefer them crispy rather than soft.
- Turn the pan juices into a simple gravy, just strain, thicken with a little cornflour mixed with cold water, and simmer until thickened.
- Want a curry twist instead? Try my Slow Cooker Butter Chicken.
How To Make Slow Cooker Roast Chicken
Six simple steps, most of it hands-off.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredient quantities and full detailed method.
- Step 1: Add the vegetables. Chop the vegetables into large chunks and place them into the base of the slow cooker.
- Step 2: Add the herbs. Place the rosemary and thyme sprigs on top of the vegetables.
- Step 3: Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel, check the giblets are removed, then sit it breast-side up on top of the vegetables.
- Step 4: Season. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil, mix the seasoning ingredients together, then sprinkle over and rub in gently.
- Step 5: Slow cook. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours, until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches at least 75°C (165°F) and the meat pulls easily from the bone.
- Step 6: Rest, then crisp if you like. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. For crispy skin, brush with olive oil and pop the crockpot dish under the grill/broiler for 5-10 minutes first.
Recipe Tips
- Chop your veg into large chunks. The bigger the pieces, the firmer they'll stay after hours in the slow cooker.
- Never wash raw chicken before cooking it, it just spreads bacteria around your kitchen. Pat it dry with paper towels instead.
- Use a meat thermometer if you have one. The thigh should read at least 75°C (165°F) before you take it out.
- Storage: once cooled, store leftover chicken and vegetables in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: shredded chicken freezes really well for up to 2 months. Freeze the vegetables separately as they can go a bit watery when thawed.
- No slow cooker? Roast it in the oven at 200°C (fan-forced) for 10 minutes, then drop to 180°C for another 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear.
Slow Cooker Roast Chicken FAQs
Cook the chicken in the slow cooker as normal, then once it's done, brush the skin with olive oil and pop the crockpot dish under the oven grill/broiler for 5-10 minutes until golden and crispy.
For a 2.5kg chicken, allow around 8 hours on LOW or 5-6 hours on HIGH. Slow cookers vary, but the chicken's ready once the meat is tender and pulling away easily from the bone, or reads at least 75°C (165°F) in the thigh.
No. The chicken and vegetables release plenty of their own liquid as they cook, and the seasoning rub gives so much flavour you really don't need extra stock.
You can, but keep in mind the meat will turn out very soft and fall-apart rather than holding together like a roast. Reduce the cooking time too, since breasts cook faster than a whole bird.
Shred any leftover chicken for sandwiches, wraps or salads. Or throw the bones and scraps into a pot with stock and noodles for a quick next-day soup, nothing goes to waste.
More Slow Cooker Recipes You'll Love
My slow cooker gets a workout all year round. Here's a few more family favourites:
Slow Cooker Roast Chicken & Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken approx 4 pounds or 2 kilograms
- 4 red potatoes chopped into large pieces
- 2 large carrots chopped into large pieces
- 1 red onion sliced
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 tbs olive oil
Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Chop the vegetables and place into the base of the slow cooker.
- Add the rosemary and thyme sprigs.
- Dry the chicken with paper towel and ensure that any giblets have been removed from inside the chicken.
- Place the chicken on top of the vegetables (breast side up).
- Drizzle the chicken with olive oil.
- Make the seasoning by adding all ingredients to a small bowl and mixing to combine. Sprinkle over the chicken and rub in gently.
- Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 7-8 hours (see recipe notes for getting a crispy skin).
Notes
- Vegetable Options - in this recipe I used some classic roast vegetables (potatoes, carrots and red onion), but you can use any vegetables you like (parsnip, sweet potato, capsicum, swede are all great options too).
- Firm vs Soft Vegetables - the vegetables will cook quite soft in the slow cooker. If you'd like them to stay a little firmer, cut them into larger chunks. You can also add softer vegetables such as capsicum and carrot partway through the cooking time.
- Cooking Time - this recipe can be cooked on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours. However, it's a very forgiving recipe, so it won't matter if it's cooked a little longer.
- Crispy Skin (Optional) - if you'd like a crispy skin on your chicken, cook it as per the recipe in the slow cooker. After the cooking time has finished, remove the lid, brush the chicken with olive oil and place the crockpot into the oven on grill/broil for 5-10 minutes.
Emma says
I am cooking this now. It smells amazing... Quick question though..... How long do I cook 2.5kg chicken for?
Lucy Mathieson says
For a 2.5kg chicken, I’d allow around 8 hours on LOW or 5-6 hours on HIGH 😊 Slow cookers can vary a little, but the chicken is ready when the meat is tender and pulling away easily from the bone.
Sharon says
Winner winner chicken dinner!
Hailey says
Can I use chicken breast rather than whole chicken?
Lucy says
Sure! However, please note that the meat will be very fall-apart soft!
Tamara says
Hi, does it need any stock?
Lucy says
Hi Tamrara, it doesn't as it has SO much flavour from the seasoning.
Ken says
Sounds good i will try it.