Make Crock-Pot 'Rotisserie' Chicken With Less Effort Than A Trip To Costco

Devotees of grocery store rotisserie chickens know two things about these delicious roasted birds: they're amazingly convenient, and snagging a fresh rotisserie chicken from Costco (and other grocery stores) can be tricky. You definitely want it fresh, as chickens sitting under the heat lamp for too long can be dry or even a little scorched. The best way to guarantee this (other than haunting Costco) is to make one at home — a task made that much easier by relying on your Crock-Pot.

It may sound odd, but if you're using your Crock-Pot like a pro, you know that it's capable of much more than just producing a hearty batch of chili or beef stew. In fact, this may be the best technique for roasting a whole chicken to juicy perfection without having to babysit it in the oven. Prep is ridiculously simple, requiring little more than seasoning your chicken as you like and tucking it breast-side down into the Crock-Pot. You'll want to insert a wire roasting rack made for slow cookers first, to prevent your bird from getting soggy. Expect about seven hours on low heat to give you a moist, flavorful whole chicken that can easily serve as the centerpiece for a big meal or be broken down into smaller portions for making things like chopped mango and avocado chicken salad, pulled chicken tacos, or easy chicken and mashed potato croquettes.

Though this technique is fairly straightforward, if you don't have a wire rack Crock-Pot insert, it's crucial that you don't simply plop the chicken down inside your slow cooker. Since the bird releases plenty of juice as it cooks, there's no need to add liquid to the Crock-Pot. Plus, allowing it to sit in that pool of juice for hours can make the meat mushy, so in lieu of a wire rack, you can use a latticework of celery and carrots, potatoes, thickly sliced onions, or thick coils of aluminum foil to support your chicken as it cooks.

Any scaffolding that elevates your chicken an inch or so above the bottom of the Crock-Pot should work fine. However, veggies may soften and cause the bird to sink, so use aluminum foil if you're concerned about them falling apart. You should still add vegetables to the bottom of the Crock-Pot, however, as they'll soak up and mingle with the juices your chicken sheds, creating a delicious, brothy mixture that makes a beautiful base for soup, gravy, or freezing to later fortify bone broth made with the chicken's carcass once you've picked it clean. Another pain point to consider is that slow cookers retain moisture, meaning the skin will be soft rather than crispy. If you're determined to have crispy skin, just transfer your chicken to a high-heat roasting pan and stick it under the broiler for a scant five minutes.