This recipe for spicy chicken soup is one of my favorite chicken noodle soup recipes. I need to be honest and admit to you that it takes a little bit of time to prep because there are so many vegetables in it but it's well worth it.

This spicy chicken noodle soup brings back so many memories! First of all, I love ordering Mama Mandola’s Sicilian chicken soup at Carrabba's Italian Grill.

I have made this Carrabba's chicken soup recipe for years. I have a funny story about it below. But I did stop making it for a few years. Last December, something reminded me about this recipe so I made it again. I ended up eating it for days after we had to put our beloved dog, Charley, to sleep. I can't even tell you how much it brought me comfort.

I didn't have to cook dinner, I would just defrost the container from the freezer and just eat it. It had starch, protein and vegetables and while I was in the thickest part of my grieving, I was well nourished.

Years ago, when I made this chicken noodle soup for dinner, Curtis, my husband, refused to eat it. I probably shouldn't even tell you this story but we laugh about it now. After I finished making it, I put a lot of it away in the refrigerator and left just enough for the both of us to eat in the soup pot.

If you see other recipes online for this Sicilian chicken soup, they will tell you to cook the soup with the whole chicken in the pot for two hours+. The whole chicken falls apart and that's exactly what happened. Curtis went to make himself a bowl for dinner and in the ladle was a neck bone.

He freaked out and said, I'm not eating this! I was so upset, I had worked so hard on making this dinner. I packed it all up and brought all of the soup into work the next day. Everyone LOVED this chicken noodle soup.

One of my co-workers asked, “can Curtis refuse to eat more of your food so we can get more of your cooking, Julie?” LOL Take it from 18 of my former co-workers, this Sicilian chicken soup tastes good!

By the way, I'll show you how to make this spicy chicken noodle soup and you don't have to cook the entire soup for 2+ hours.

Why chicken noodle soup is the best

Chicken noodle soup is the best because it's pure comfort food. You can't go wrong with chicken noodle soup. Doesn't it bring back childhood memories for you? I love a good bowl of spicy chicken noodle soup any day of the year!

How chicken soup is made

Chicken noodle soup is usually made with a whole chicken. Most chicken soup recipes use a whole chicken and a few different vegetables. You'll want to add the chicken and vegetables to a large soup pot with water. Bring the soup to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. I let it simmer for 1.5 hours.

Can chicken soup be frozen?

Yes, I freeze the leftovers and when I'm craving some comfort food like chicken noodle soup, I defrost it in the microwave and then heat it up, add Parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

When I freeze soup, I put one or two portions in each container so I only defrost what I need. Be sure to put the name of the recipe and the date (with the year!) on a label on all of your containers so you can easily identify each container. It usually keeps just fine in the freezer for a few months!

Which pasta for chicken soup?

You can use any pasta you like for chicken soup! I love curly egg noodles and even bow ties. For this spicy chicken soup recipe, I love to use the small tube shaped pasta also known as ditalini pasta.

How to make spicy chicken soup at home

How to make spicy chicken noodle soup

First, you do some prep work cutting up vegetables. The vegetables are:  onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes. Take the whole chicken and remove the giblets. Add the chicken, vegetables and water to a soup pot. Bring the pot to a boil and then skim the foam from the soup. I use a spoon to do that.

Add the parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to the soup. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. You'll want to remove the whole chicken from the spicy chicken noodle soup, I use turkey lifters to remove the chicken easily.

Allow the chicken to cool and then cut it up with a knife. While the soup is cooking, you'll want to use another pot to boil your favorite pasta noodles for the soup.

I'll share the instructions on how to make this Sicilian chicken soup again below with step by step photos:

Chop the onion.

Dice the celery.

Dice the carrots.

Dice the bell peppers. You can totally use red bell peppers if you like them better.

Chop the potatoes into cubes.

Chop the parsley and garlic.

Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Place the whole chicken into a large soup pot.

Add the chopped vegetables: onion, celery, carrots and bell peppers.

Next, the potatoes.

Add the canned tomatoes along with the juices.

Add water to the pot (about 6 to 7 cups) to cover the chicken and vegetables.

Bring the soup pot to a boil on high. Using a spoon, skim off any foam that rises to surface (you’ll need to do this every so often while the soup is cooking).

Add parsley, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to the soup pot.

Reduce heat to medium low. Allow the soup to cook at a simmer for about 1.5 hours, partially covered with a lid, until the chicken is cooked through. (I usually flip the chicken over in the pot halfway through using big tongs.)

In a separate smaller pot, bring water to a boil and cook the ditalini pasta according to the package instructions.

Drain and set aside.

Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Allow for it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the pot of soup simmering and add more water (about 2-3 cups), if you want.

Remove the skin from the chicken. Separate meat from the bones. Cut up the chicken using a knife. Set aside.

Using a potato masher, mash some potatoes in pot, this will thicken the broth slightly. Serve the soup with chicken, pasta and parmesan cheese.

I can't even say enough…how luxuriously comforting this soup is. I love the spiciness from the black pepper and the crushed red pepper. (If you have little ones, you can totally omit the crushed red pepper and use less black pepper.) The cut up chicken stays intact and the pasta al dente when I keep the chicken and the pasta separate from the soup if I'm storing the leftovers in the refrigerator.

You have to make this soup!

And I have to mention, today, Curtis eats this soup!

Now tell me, have you made chicken noodle soup before? Are you going to make this recipe for spicy chicken soup?

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Sicilian-Style Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 3 celery diced
• 3 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 green bell peppers cored and diced
• 3 medium baking potatoes such as russet, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the juice
• 1 whole chicken about 4 to 4.5 pounds, giblets removed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 8 garlic cloves chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper optional
• 8 ounces ditalini pasta
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

• Prep the vegetables: the onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes.
• Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Place the whole chicken into a large soup pot.
• Add the chopped vegetables to the soup pot.
• Add water to the pot (about 6 to 7 cups) to cover the chicken and vegetables.
• Bring the soup pot to a boil on high. Using a spoon, skim off any foam that rises to surface (you’ll need to do this every so often while the soup is cooking).
• Add parsley, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to the soup pot.
• Reduce heat to medium low. Allow the soup to cook at a simmer for about 1.5 hours, partially covered with a lid, until the chicken is cooked through.
• In a separate smaller pot, bring water to a boil and cook the ditalini pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Allow for it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the pot of soup simmering and add more water (about 2-3 cups), if you want.
• Remove the skin from the chicken. Separate meat from the bones. Cut up the chicken using a knife. Set aside.
• Using a potato masher, mash some potatoes in pot, this will thicken the broth slightly.
• Serve the soup with chicken, pasta and parmesan cheese.

Notes

If you’re storing your leftovers in the fridge, I like to save the soup separate from the chicken and the pasta and when I go to reheat it, I add the chicken and pasta to the bowl.

If you’re storing your leftovers in the freezer, add the chicken and the pasta to the soup and then portion into containers. Label the containers with the date and the recipe name. I use the defrost function on my microwave and then heat on 100% power. (Sometimes after defrosting, I will add additional water to the soup before heating on 100%.) Add parmesan cheese and enjoy when you’re craving soup!

Other Chicken Soup Recipes

Homemade Chicken and Noodles 
Chicken Tortilla Soup

Other Soup Recipes

Panera Garden Vegetable Soup
Pork and Shrimp Wonton Soup

Other Whole Chicken Recipes

Crockpot Whole Chicken
Homemade Chicken Stock
Crispy Roasted Garlic Chicken

The post Sicilian-Style Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

You know how much I love cooking in my slow cooker, Crockpot Whole Chicken to Slow Cooker Turkey, I'm so excited to share with you how to cook a turkey breast in a slow cooker today!

There are affiliate links in this post. I get commissions for purchases made through these types of links in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

It's really easy and it's perfect for Thanksgiving or any holiday!

Spices for Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Vegetables

• salt
• ground black pepper
• ground white pepper
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• dried thyme
• paprika

I have a quick video for you to watch in this post and I know you'll find it really helpful!

How to Make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

I mix all of the rub ingredients together first and then smash and peel the garlic. Cut up the vegetables and add them to the slow cooker. Pour the chicken broth on top.

Quarter the lemon.

Pat the turkey breast dry.

Rub the garlic all over the turkey breast.

Add the rub to the turkey.

And then I add the lemon to the opening in the turkey breast. I always use lemon when roasting a turkey or chicken. It keeps keep the meat moist and tender.

Put the turkey breast in the slow cooker on top of the veggies and chicken broth.

Cook on low for 3.5 to 5 hours. Remove the turkey breast from the slow cooker and place in a baking dish and broil for a few minutes to crisp up the skin.

I use the broth from the slow cooker to make a gravy in a skillet. I know you'll love this!

It's a no fuss way of making a turkey breast in the slow cooker and makes it easy for your holiday get together!

My favorite kitchen tools for this slow cooker turkey breast:

slow cooker
turkey lifters
baking dish (pictured above) or this one

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Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 large onion chopped
• 3 carrots ends cut off, cut into thirds
• 2 celery stalks ends cut off, cut into thirds
• one 15-ounce can low sodium chicken broth
• 4 to 5 pound turkey breast with the bone-in
• 4 garlic cloves smashed and peeled
• 1 lemon quartered

Rub Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Gravy Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

• Add the onion, carrots and celery and broth to the crockpot. Turn on low.
• Mix all of the rub ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Rub smashed garlic on the skin. Add spice rub to turkey. Leftover spices put on top of vegetables.
• Add garlic and lemon to the inner cavity of the breast. Place the breast on top of the veggies.
• Cook on low for 3 1/2 to 5 hours, depending on the size of the breast. It should have an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees F.
• Remove the turkey breast using turkey lifters and place in a roasting pan or baking dish. Place in the oven on the broil setting to crisp up the skin, for about 3 to 4 minutes, watching carefully so it won’t burn.

Make the Gravy

• Strain the broth from the slow cooker (mine made about 1 1/3 cups)
• Add 3 tablespoons of butter to a sauce pan and melt. Add flour and mix well, allowing the flour to cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Slowly add the strained broth and mix, until desired consistency. Allow to simmer and thicken. Add water if needed to thin out the gravy (about 2 to 3 tablespoons).
• Add dried thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the turkey breast.

More recipes for you to check out!

Crockpot Whole Chicken
Cook a whole turkey in a slow cooker: Crockpot Turkey
Roast Turkey with Wine and Herbs
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy
Use your leftovers to make this Turkey Tetrazzini or Turkey Stuffed Peppers

The post How to Cook a Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This crockpot turkey is so easy to put together and what I love most about it is you free up your oven for sides and desserts! You'll love how easy it and tasty is it is to cook a whole turkey in a slow cooker!

There are affiliate links in this post. I get commissions for purchases made through these types of links in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

If you're looking to make turkey but want to make something smaller, you can always make my slow cooker turkey breast recipe!

Every year, at a company that I worked at for 8 years, we had a Thanksgiving luncheon. Everyone signed up to bring different things. Since there were so many of us, five to six people signed up for the stuffing, different veggies, the pie, and so on. We even had many turkeys! My former boss, BJ, always cooked his turkey in the slow cooker. He said his mom cooked it that way when he was growing up. The turkey always turned out moist.

I emailed him the other day because this year, we decided to cook our Thanksgiving dinner early- we enjoyed it on Sunday night and I wanted to try my hand at cooking the turkey in the slow cooker. He told me you can leave it in longer than the 6 to 8 hours but it starts to fall apart, which is totally fine! Just make sure the turkey you buy will fit in your slow cooker!

If you're running low on oven space or just want a low maintenance way to cook a turkey- the slow cooker is the way to go! This turkey version is a modified version of my popular crockpot whole chicken recipe that we LOVE to make all the time!

Prep the dry ingredients.

Cut up the vegetables and add them to the crockpot.

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Pat the turkey dry.

Fold back the wings and rub the turkey with garlic.

Add the rub to the inside of the turkey and all over it.

Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.

All ready to go into the slow cooker.

I put one of the garlic cloves and the rest of the dry ingredients I didn't use on top of the veggies.

Place the turkey on top of the vegetables and cover the crockpot. Cook for 6 to 8 hours.

Remove the turkey and place on an oven-safe baking dish. Broil the skin in your oven broiler for 4 to 5 minutes, watching it carefully so it doesn't burn. Allow the turkey to rest for 30 minutes before carving.

Skim the fat from the broth and save it for another recipe! I'm thinking turkey ramen noodle soup are in order for this week!

Once you carve the turkey, add some broth to the turkey to keep the meat moist.

We loved this and it made it less stressful in the kitchen since I was able to do all of my sides in the oven without them having to compete with the turkey. We'll definitely do this again!

Wishing you and yours a happy Thanksgiving and hoping that you have a lot to be thankful for! I know I do! Huge hugs!

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Whole Turkey in a Slow Cooker Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Rub Ingredients for the Turkey:

• 4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Crockpot:

• 1/2 medium onion chopped
• 2 carrots scrubbed, no need to peel, chopped in halves or thirds
• 2 celery stalks cut in thirds
• 4 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
• 1 whole lemon quartered
• 8 to 9- pound whole turkey fresh, if frozen then defrosted

Instructions

• Combine salt, paprika, onion powder, dried thyme, white pepper, garlic powder and black pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Prep the vegetables and place inside the slow cooker (I use a 7 quart that's oval shaped but this one is an 8-Quart or this one).
• Remove turkey from packaging and remove neck and pouch with organs. Discard or save for use in another recipe. Optionally, rinse turkey with water. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Fold back the wings. Rub smashed garlic all over outside of the turkey. Put one garlic in the slow cooker and the rest inside the turkey. Put the rub all over the outside and inside the turkey. Add the quartered lemon to the inside of the turkey. Tie the legs with kitchen twine.
• Place turkey on top of the vegetables, you may need to move the veggies around depending on the size of your slow cooker. Cover slow cooker and cook turkey on low for 6-8 hours. (I used a 9.82-pound turkey, it took about 6 1/2 hours. The time will depend on the size of the turkey and your slow cooker.)
• Remove turkey and place in a 9×13 glass or ceramic baking dish. Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes but watch it carefully. It may take less time or a little longer, depending on the temperature of the broiler in your oven, you don’t want to burn your turkey.
• Allow turkey to rest after removing it from the broiler for 25 to 30 minutes.

Notes

Notes: No need to add water to the slow cooker. The turkey creates a broth while cooking.

Pin it for Later

The post Slow Cooker Whole Turkey appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This recipe was originally published on July 27, 2011, I recently updated it along with the photos. We love this recipe and make it all the time during the winter months, I know you'll enjoy it!

I love my slow cooker. Lately, it's been my most favorite appliance because it's so nice to come home with dinner almost ready. On really busy nights and nights I work late, the slow cooker is my friend.

This French onion pot roast recipe is something I have been making for at least a couple of years now. I have adapted the original recipe and changed it up several times but this is how I make it now. My favorite cut of beef for this recipe is a boneless chuck roast that my grocery store calls a California roast. I love adding celery, carrots and onions and even using them as a side dish when serving it.

Add the vegetables to the bottom of your slow cooker.

This is what a California roast looks like. It's flat unlike the chuck roast. I trim some of the fat off from the edges and pat it dry with a paper towel.

Cover the roast in flour, salt and pepper.

Add to a dutch oven on  brown in a pan 2-4 minutes on each side at medium to medium high heat.

I use tongs to stand the roast on its ends to sear the ends too!

Place the roast in the slow cooker and add the french onion soup along with water. After 5 hours on high or 10 hours on low, you'll have a wonderfully moist and tender roast. I like to serve it in chunks and then shred it up on my plate. If you prefer, you can shred up the meat and put back into the slow cooker. I use the sauce from the slow cooker and serve it over the meat as well as my potatoes.

I'm a huge fan of comfort food, can you tell? This is a great dish for an easy Sunday dinner or just a quick weeknight meal and it's not too heavy for a summer dinner.

The original photo from when this post was published in July 2011.

Aren't these plates so lovely? They are from Ree (The Pioneer Woman's new collection). You can buy them here.

We love this recipe…our family and friends do too! I just love being able to have a little bit of prep and dinner is ready in the evening. When I make this French onion pot roast recipe…when Curtis comes home and opens the garage door, he can usually smell it all the way in the garage…he gets so excited!

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French Onion Pot Roast (Slow Cooker Recipe)

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 9 hours hours

Total Time 9 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 3 celery stalks trimmed & cut into 3-inch pieces
• 4 large carrots washed, ends trimmed & cut into thirds (if really thick, cut in half length-wise)
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 to 4 pound boneless beef chuck roast also known as a California roast
• 3 Tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
• homemade or canned french onion soup if using condensed, use 10.5-ounce can or 3 cups non-condensed

Instructions

• Add carrots, celery and onions to the bottom of the slow cooker.
• Mix flour, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
• (Optional) Trim any fat on the sides off of the roast and rinse with water.
• Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Using your fingers, add flour mixture to cover the roast. (My roast this time was taller than I usually get it and it was tied for me. You can tie yours with kitchen twine if you want.)
• Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a large dutch oven on medium to medium high heat for  to 4 minutes. Add roast to heated pan and heat to sear for 2 to 4 minutes on each side. (Add more oil if needed and lower heat if necessary.) Use tongs to flip the roast and to hold the roast on its ends and sear for one minute.
• Add the seared beef roast on top of the vegetables. Add french onion soup to the slow cooker. (If using condensed soup, add 1 cup of water to the slow cooker.)
• Cook roast in slow cooker on low for 8 to 9 hours or high for 5 hours.
• Serve with vegetables from the slow cooker and mashed potatoes or noodles.

Disclosure: There are a couple of affiliate links in this post.

The post French Onion Pot Roast (Slow Cooker Recipe) appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This post was originally published on February 12, 2011 and was updated recently with photos and updated text. We love this recipe and make it at least once a month…it's a tried and true & very tasty recipe, I know you'll love it!

Last week I shared with you this wonderful Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker recipe and now I'm going to show you what I did the leftovers. I made chicken pot pie. And what better way to find a recipe than to tweet about it and see what other food bloggers say their favorite recipe is.

I actually put a call out to twitter asking about people's favorite chicken pot pie recipes.

I received a few replies including one from (my now dear friend) Lindsay. I love Lindsay and her blog so I went investigating. The recipe seemed relatively simple and the bulk of the work is the prepping of the ingredients.

The only problem was that I didn't have a whole set of ramekins nor do they match. But oh well, that didn't stop me. I had to go out and get two more ramekins and it ended up working out. The recipe she used is based on Chef Emeril's recipe for turkey pot pie but it was easily changeable to be a chicken pot pie.

After we had the slow cooker chicken recipe, I took the rest of the chicken left over and cut into smaller than bite size pieces and put into a plastic container – you need about 2 cups. This chicken pot pie was so amazing. It's going to be our regular after we make the slow cooker chicken recipe, always.

When I first made this recipe back in 2011, I had different size ramekins, some bigger than the ones I have bought since then. So depending on how many you have and the size, you might get the filling into a less number of ramekins or a larger number!

I pinch the pie dough against the sides of the ramekin and don't you like the little mini blossom flower cut outs? I use a similar to this one made by Wilton. Mine is also made by Wilton but it doesn't have the super convenient push tab to push out the shape. You want to cut a little vent hole whether it's with a knife or even another shape before baking.

This recipe takes a little bit of prep work but everyone I know who has made it, says it's worth it. Curtis and I love this recipe to pieces. Serve it with a salad and you have a complete dinner!

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Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 1 9x9 pan or 7 to 12 ramekins

Ingredients

• 1 cup peeled and diced red potatoes
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup chopped yellow onions approx 2 small onions
• 1/2 cup chopped celery approx 1 celery stalk
• 6 Tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups canned low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken white and dark meat
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves optional
• 2 homemade or pre-made pie crusts room temperature

Instructions

• Turn on oven to preheat at 400 degrees F. If using a baking pan (such as a 9x9x2), grease it. Or if using ramekins, ready your ramekins (I generally use 7 to 12, all different sizes). Place baking pan or ramekins on a baking sheet covered in foil (the ramekins do not need to be greased).
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add diced potatoes and carrots and boil for about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and celery as well as salt and pepper. Allow the onions and celery to for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add flour and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes to make a blond roux.
• Add chicken broth while stirring constantly. Bring it to a boil then turn the heat down to medium-low. Allow it simmer until the sauce thickens, about 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add half and half while stirring. Allow filling mixture to cook for 4 minutes and stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the rest of the vegetables (potatoes, carrots, peas), the chicken and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste and make sure all vegetables and chicken are incorporated well.
• If using a baking pan, line it with one of the rolled out pie crusts. Pour the filling into the prepared pan or divide equally into ramekins. If using a baking pan, cut vent holes and place the second crust on top of the filling.
• If using ramekins, roll out and cut out dough (I used the ramekins, flipped them upside and used them as a cutter) and cut out vents (I used a Wilton flower blossom cutter). Fill the ramekin with filling and then add the pie crust on top. Tuck in crust(s) into the pan or ramekins and pinch the edges against the sides of the ramekins.
• Place into oven on covered baking sheet. Bake until the crust is golden brown and crusty, 25 to 30 minutes (18-20 minutes if using ramekins). Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes:

• Preparing the filling on the stove doesn't take that much time, the prepping of the ingredients does though. So it's very important to prep everything before you heat the pan on the stove!

I just adore this recipe for chicken pot pie and it's going on regular rotation in our house. It's one of the perfect comfort foods. So what do you like to make with your leftover chicken when making recipes like the slow cooker chicken, roast chicken or rotisserie chicken?

Disclosure: There's an affiliate link in this post.

The post Chicken Pot Pie appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This recipe was originally published in February 2011. I just updated the photos and added some recipe notes based on the many comments and questions I have received over the years. This recipe is a family favorite of ours and I hope you'll enjoy it if you try it!

My friend piqued my curiosity when she told me about her co-worker bringing in a slow cooker to work making crockpot whole chicken it for an entire day.

She often brought her crockpot in with some kind of concoction so she could bring dinner over to her friend's house who was going through chemotherapy treatment.

What a great friend, I'm sure her friend appreciated it. My friend told me their office often smelled really good during these days.

(Original photo this recipe was posted with in February 2011)

So when I was on the hunt for a chicken slow cooker recipe, I googled and found this one.

Why I love this recipe for Crockpot Whole Chicken

It's incredibly simple and the chicken goes into the crockpot in minutes. I added my own twist to it and guess what? The chicken is wonderfully moist and it's very simple.

After the chicken is done, you can put it in your broiler to crisp up the skin.

Carving the chicken is so easy because it just wants to fall apart. The breast comes right off the bone and is very easy to cut up. The chicken is really tender and flavorful and much easier than roasting a chicken in the oven.

I use a 3.5 to 4.5 pound chicken and it fits just fine in my slow cooker. I added the carrots and vegetables and the chicken rests nicely on them. Also, I added garlic and lemon.

My favorite roast chicken recipe calls for garlic and lemon inside the chicken so I do the same when I make it in the crockpot.

This makes a wonderfully easy meal you can serve with mashed potatoes or rice and your favorite vegetable alongside the carrots and celery if you wish. And  I make chicken pot pies with the leftover chicken.

Can I roast a chicken in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can totally cook a whole chicken in a crock pot. I use a 4 lb chicken in the crockpot. It's really easy to prep and honestly, I don't even bother roasting chicken in an oven anymore!

After the chicken is done in the slow cooker, I crispy the skin in my oven broiler so it's a slow cooker roast chicken with crispy skin!

If you want to roast a turkey as well, you can try this crockpot turkey recipe. If you still want to roast a chicken in the oven, try this recipe for perfect roast chicken.

How to Cook a Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker

How to Cook a Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot

Using the ingredients listed below for my crockpot whole chicken recipe, you want to rub garlic on the outside of the chicken. Then, put the spices on the outside and inside of the chicken.

Add a cut up lemon inside the cavity of the chicken and then lay the chicken on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker.

Crockpot Whole Chicken Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 to 5 carrots
• 4 celery stalks
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 whole lemon
• 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds whole chicken

How long to cook chicken in a crock pot?

It will take four to eight hours on low to cook a whole chicken in a crock pot. It really depends on the size of your chicken. When I made a 4 pound chicken, it took about 6 hours.

Do I need to add water when making crockpot whole chicken?

There's no need to add water when making my recipe for slow cooker whole chicken because when the chicken is cooking in the crock pot, it creates a broth. Definitely use that broth to flavor the meat and keep it moist for when you save it for leftovers.

Can you cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker from frozen?

No, you shouldn't put a frozen chicken into a crock pot. If you want to use my recipe for crockpot whole chicken, you'll want to fully defrost the chicken first. But you can roast chicken from frozen.

Let me show you the step by step for making crockpot whole chicken

I put the vegetables in the slow cooker first. Then, prep the chicken.

Pat your chicken dry with a clean paper towel. Rub the outside of the chicken with garlic and place the garlic inside.

Fold the wings back below the chicken.

Add the rub to the outside and inside of the chicken. And place the lemon quarters inside.

I try to put the insides of the lemons up against the insides of the chicken, see how the outsides of the lemon quarters are touching?

Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine.

When making this slow cooker whole chicken recipe, place the chicken on top of the vegetables. This creates the best cooking situation for the chicken.

Cooking a whole chicken inside of the slow cooker creates a lot of broth and resting the chicken on top of veggies keeps the chicken from failing apart too much.

I use turkey lifters to remove the chicken from the crockpot carefully.

Place chicken in an oven safe dish or roasting pan & in the broiler for just about 4-5 minutes.

But it's inevitable, the chicken does fall apart a little bit. The meat is so moist and tender and it's honestly, the only way we make a roast chicken these days!

Crockpot Whole Chicken Video

I show you how easy it is to put the slow cooker whole chicken recipe together in this video below.

Print

Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker Recipe

It's incredibly simple and the whole chicken goes into the crockpot in minutes.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

Rub Ingredients for the Chicken

• 4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Crockpot

• 1 cup chopped onion approx 1 medium to large onion
• 4 to 5 carrots scrubbed, no need to peel, chopped in halves or thirds
• 4 celery stalks cut in thirds
• 2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
• 1 whole lemon quartered
• 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds whole chicken

Instructions

• Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Prep the vegetables and place inside the slow cooker (I use a 7 quart oval one like this one.)
• Remove chicken from packaging and remove neck and pouch with organs. Discard or reserve for later use in another recipe. Pat your chicken dry with clean paper towels.
• Rub garlic all over outside of the chicken. Put garlic inside the chicken. Put the rub all over the outside and inside the chicken. Add quartered lemon to the inside of the chicken.
• Place chicken on top of the vegetables. Cover slow cooker and cook chicken on low for 4-8 hours. (When I used a 4 lb chicken, it took about 6 hours. The time will depend on the size of the chicken and your slow cooker.) Cook until the internal temperature of the leg is at 160 degrees F or use a pop-up thermometer as the original recipe calls for.
• Remove chicken and place in a 9x13 glass or ceramic baking dish. Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Allow chicken to rest after removing it from the broiler for 5-10 minutes.

Notes

Frequently asked questions:

Do I need to add water to the crockpot?
Nope no water needed. This recipe actually makes broth while it's cooking the chicken. You can strain it and use it for a later recipe if you want!

How do I get the skin crispy?
After it's done in the crockpot, see the instructions in the recipe to crisp up the skin in your oven broiler.

Can I cook this recipe skinless?
I have never tried it but I have seen other bloggers post a recipe where they did it. If you want to, definitely try it! I can't guarantee it will turn out the same as with the skin (moist and tender) since I haven't tried it myself.

Can I make this recipe with a frozen chicken?
I wouldn't do this. Be sure to thaw your chicken first and then place it in the your crockpot using the instructions above.

Modified and adapted from food.com.

I have made this recipe so many times now that I can't even count. It seriously is the best recipe for making slow cooker whole chicken! I can't believe it's taken me this long to blog about it. I even make chicken pot pies with the leftovers!

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More Crockpot Whole Chicken Recipes

Lemon Pepper Roast Chicken in a Slow Cooker

Other Slow Cooker Recipes

Crockpot Turkey
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Pulled Pork Sliders 
Slow Cooker Ham
Free Slow Cooker Recipes eBook 
Kale Soup Crock Pot
Crockpot Spinach Dip 

Tools I use to make Crockpot Whole Chicken:

• Crock-Pot 7 Quart Slow Cooker – We use our slow cooker at least a few times a month if not more. It's easy to use and I have had one that doesn't have bells and whistles forever and it works just fine.
• OXO Fat Separator – Super easy and super durable, get rid of the fat from the chicken juices so you can make a sauce or use it as a broth.
• Italian Bakers -I love these baking dishes for this recipe and for making scalloped potatoes!
• Turkey Lifters – I have a similar set I bought years ago that we use every Thanksgiving and every time I make this recipe. The best way to remove the entire chicken out of the slow cooker in one piece. (Amazon | Williams-Sonoma)
• Anchor Hocking glass baking dish – We have a cobalt blue one that we have had forever. It's great for this recipe, potatoes. You can never have too many baking dishes because of holiday baking!
• Carving Knives – We have had a similar set for years now and love it. Love this brand, we have cheese knives from them that are amazing too! (Amazon | Williams-Sonoma)
• Glass Prep Bowls – These were given as a gift to us from my in-laws and I use them EVERY DAY. So convenient for prepping meals and we use them as storage in the refrigerator too!

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post – that means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I make enough for a cup of coffee or two. Thanks!

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