Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken
This Slow Cooker Whole Chicken is tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Just a few ingredients and minimal prep for a perfect weeknight dinner.
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If you're looking for an easy, flavorful, and comforting meal, this Crockpot Chicken recipe is the answer. With just a handful of simple ingredients and a few minutes of prep time, you’ll end up with juicy, tender meat that practically falls off the bone and is infused with garlic, lemon, and buttery goodness.
A rotisserie style chicken cooked in the Slow Cooker goes great with just about any side dish. Some of my favorites to serve with it are Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Veggies, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, a big green salad and some Crusty Bread.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This recipe makes a beautiful whole chicken that’s perfect for family dinners, meal prep for those busy days, or even a low-effort holiday centerpiece. Let your slow cooker do the work while your home fills with the delicious aroma of roasted garlic and lemon. This chicken recipe is so easy, like my Honey Garlic Chicken. Perfect to serve as is or use in other recipes like my Ultimate Chicken Casserole.
Let's Gather The Ingredients
- Whole chicken: About 4 pounds is good.
- Butter: Either salted or unsalted.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken
- Step 1: Add softened butter, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice with salt, and pepper to a small bowl.
- Step 2: Remove the giblets and other inner parts from the cavity of the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a spoon to lift the skin up off the chicken breasts and rub some of the butter mixture inside. Then rub the rest of the garlic butter all over the outside of the whole chicken skin.
- Step 3: Cut two potatoes in half and place them cut side down in the Slow Cooker. You can also use balls of aluminium foil.
- Step 4: Carefully place buttered chicken on top of potatoes and place the lid on top of the Slow Cooker. Cook chicken. Let the chicken rest before carving.
Recipe Tips
- Fresh rosemary, thyme, or sage can be added to the butter mixture for a deeper herb flavor.
- Save the leftover bones and skin to make a delicious homemade chicken stock or chicken broth.
- Refrigerate leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. You can shred the meat to freeze for later use in chicken soup, casseroles, or sandwiches.
FAQ's
The cut potatoes help elevate the chicken so it doesn’t stew in its juices and get discolored. If you prefer, you can use a rack insert or other thick-cut veggies like carrots and onions as a base. Previously, I used balls of aluminum foil at the bottom to bring the chicken off the Slow Cooker.
Yes! You can prep the garlic butter and season the chicken the night before. Just store it covered in the fridge and place it into the slow cooker when you're ready to cook. This recipe is perfect for my Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap or my Mini Freezer Chicken Pot Pies.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
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Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (4-5 lb) whole chicken
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Remove the inner parts from the chicken and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Make 4 large aluminum foil balls (see notes) and place them into the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl mix softened butter, garlic, zest, and juice of 1 lemon, salt, and pepper until combined.
- With a spoon lift the skin up from the breast and place about 1 tablespoon of garlic butter under the skin on both sides of the breast. Rub the remaining garlic butter all over the outside of the chicken skin.
- Place chicken on the foil balls, and place sliced lemon along the sides of the chicken.
- Cook for 4- 4 1/2 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low or until internal temp reaches 165 degrees.
- If your slow cooker has a removable crockery insert (check to make sure it is oven safe first) place it in the oven and broil for 4-5 minutes to get the skin crispy. You can also flip the chicken and broil it another 4-5 minutes to crisp up the other side. If your slow cooker isn't oven-safe just place your chicken on a sheet pan and then broil for 4-5 minutes in the oven.
- Let rest for 10 minutes and carve, drizzle juices over cut-up chicken.
Thank you Barbara 🙂
i am so happy you have good recipes i had them a long time a go i am i am 78 years old i thank you barbara martino
The video shows added lemon juice but the written ingredients it doesn’t say juice just zest? Looks delicious! Thank you so much!
I edited it so it's less confusing. I have made this chicken with the breast up and face down, and there isn't a difference. Yes, if you don't like lemon you can definitely leave it out.:)
Hi..the recipe sounds delicious, however, I am confused. In your directions it says "Place chicken breast side down onto the foil balls"..wouldn't that mean upside down? In the video, the top/breast is facing up.
Also, can this be made without lemon?
Thank you
Hi! What a delicious sounding recipe! If I wanted to make this in my Instapot, I’m thinking it could could on the Poultry setting, how long do you think it should be set for? 25 minutes is what I’m thinking. 😃
You could use any cut of chicken really, you just have to adjust the cooking times. 🙂
So I think you could do this with boneless chicken breasts?