Poultry in a slow cooker

[Maureen1504]

I have a Rival Slow Cooker and I love it. However, can I put in raw poultry along with the other ingredients? I have always cooked all meats first. I sure would like to eliminalte this step and just put all the ingredients in together. Thanks for any suggestions you can give me. Maureen

[Kris H.]

Absolutely! I cook chicken starting from raw this way all the time--usually starting with a whole chicken (technically a fryer, I guess...I don't know if the great big roasting chickens would fit my old Rival pot!)

I put in onions, celery, garlic, sage, thyme, bay leaf and whatever other herbs strike my fancy.

Just be sure to cook it long enough that it all gets done. I generally cook mine so long it's literally falling off the bones by the time I get it out, and the broth is so yummy! I strain and defat that in the fridge, and skin and bone the chicken so I have just a big pile of meat to use however I want. You wouldn't have to cook it quite that long, that's just how it usually works out for me.

What I would not feel safe doing is starting with a frozen whole chicken, though I have read of people doing that.

[Shirl (J) 831]

That is the wonder of the crockpot, throw it all in and leave it.
The crockpot is the working womans dream

[Djoanne]

Here is my recipe for whole chicken in the crockpot.

Start the night before. Mix all the ingredients. Rinse and pat whole chicken dry. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken both inside and out. Place in a plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to cook chicken place in a hot greased crockpot. I start it on high and cook for 8 hours. You can turn it down at anytime. It will fall off the bones.
This can also be baked in a 250 degree oven for 5 hours.

Here's the rub:
4 tsp. salt, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. thyme, 1 tsp. white pepper, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. black pepper.

[Verelucky]

Hi Maureen!
Try recipe #96988 "Turn your crockpot into a smokehouse chicken". This recipe is awesome by ThatBobbieGirl. By the way, I wouldn't use a frozen chicken either. Welcome to Zaar!

[Maureen1504]

Kris H.
I followed your recipe and cooked my chicken yesterday (31st) and started with the raw chicken. It was great. My son came over to shovel my snow and stayed for dinner. He said the smell got him as soon as he walked in the house. It was so easy and I eliminated cooking the chicken first. I think that the reason yours was so much better was I got all the flavour that I lost by cooking the chicken first. Thank You so much for such a quick reply. Look for you on site.
Maureen1504