Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

I've never had much luck cooking a whole chicken in the instant pot or crockpot. The chicken ends up tender but the skin winds up with a rubbery, inedible texture. Now I finish the chicken in the oven to crisp up the skin and it makes all the difference. My husband thought i picked up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store!

• Ready In: 4 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 5  lbs whole chickens
•  cooking spray
• 2  tablespoons bacon grease (or any oil of choice)
• 2  tablespoons  mccormick's roasted  garlic and herb seasoning
• 1  lemon, cut into quarters
• 1  onion, cut into quarters

Directions

1. 1. Spray the insert to the Slow Cooker with cooking spray. I like to use the Slow Cooker liners, so I sprayed the inside of the liner.
2. 2. Place a metal trivet (I used the one that came with my Instant Pot) in the center of the Slow Cooker. You can also make a metal ring out of aluminum foil.
3. 3. Removed the giblets and rinse and pat the chicken dry.
4. 4. Rub bacon grease on the chicken and sprinkle liberally with seasoning.
5. 5. Stuff the onion quarters and lemon quarters inside the cavity.
6. 6. Place the chicken in the Slow Cooker breast side up.
7. 7. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
8. 8. Remove chicken from Slow Cooker and place on a baking dish. I did this by placing tongs underneath the trivet and through the cavity to not disturb the skin.
9. 9. Place chicken in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes (or until the skin is crispy and brown). If using a broiler safe dish you can broil for 5 minutes instead.