Best Slow Cooker Whole Chicken and Overnight Chicken Stock

One of the easiest meals you can prepare is a whole chicken in the slow cooker. I say “prepare,” rather than “cook” because all you do is throw everything in the slow cooker and let it do all of the cooking. When dinnertime comes around, use tongs to get the chicken out of the slow cooker because it will surely fall apart as you remove it. Serve alongside twice baked potatoes and a crisp salad and voila, dinner is served. 

But wait! Don’t throw that chicken carcass/bones away. After dinner, toss all of that back into the slow cooker, add a few ingredients, fill the pot up with cold water, and turn it on low and allow to simmer all night. In the morning, your entire home will smell like chicken pot pie (can you say yummy?) and you will have lots of homemade chicken stock to make the best soups you have ever had. 

Home Matters Tip:

Keep a “stock bag” in your freezer. When your carrots or celery begin to look like they have seen better days, put them in your stock bag in the freezer. You can also toss in herbs, mushrooms, onions, etc. Just don’t use super strong vegetables such as broccoli or cabbage in your stock as they can take over the other more subtle flavors. 

Best Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

1 whole chicken, preferably organic

1 large onion, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

3 sprigs fresh thyme

½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth

Rinse and dry chicken and remove any giblets or plastic packet inside cavity. Place the onion chunks in the bottom of the slow cooker and pour white wine on top. Toss in the thyme sprigs. Pat chicken dry with paper towels—you can do this with the chicken already in the slow cooker. Rub the olive oil onto the chicken. In a small bowl combine the spices and sprinkle them all over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours. 

I remember when one of our daughter’s said, “Mom, why is your soup always so good?” Well, this is the secret to all good soups—homemade stock. This overnight chicken stock could not be easier or more delicious. There is no hard and fast recipe—think of this as a guide. If you don’t happen to have any celery on hand, your stock will still be terrific. 

Overnight Chicken Stock

1 leftover carcass/bones from a roasted chicken or slow cooker chicken

2 carrots, cut into large chunks

1 onion, cut into chunks

2 stalks celery, cut into chunks

1 head of garlic, cut in half lengthwise

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons sea salt

3 sprigs fresh thyme

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours, or overnight. Strain, refrigerate and use within a week, or freeze in 2 to 3 cup portions.