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Cook an entire chicken, plus veggies, and stuffing in one pot, basically hands-free! You can’t get easier than this slow cooker whole chicken and stuffing when it comes to feeding your family a healthy, wholesome meal with loads of flavor and minimal effort.
Tender juicy chicken gets cooked low and slow until the meat falls off the bones and the veggies absorb so much of that flavor.
You can choose to finish it under the broiler if you like crispy skin like I do.
It’s similar to my slow cooker whole chicken, but this time we’re adding stuffing that gets cooked in some reserved juices until fluffy, and bam, an instant side dish!
This chicken and stuffing in a slow cooker is an easy alternative to a turkey dinner over the holidays or a Sunday dinner with the family.
Truth be told, it’s easy enough to do during the busy week.
Plus, whatever chicken you have leftover you can use for buffalo chicken dip or small batch chicken enchiladas and use the carcass to make chicken stock!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- A one-pot meal – Everything is done in the crockpot. The chicken, veggies, and stuffing which is great when it comes time to clean up!
- Full of flavor – Perfectly seasoned chicken, flavorful tender veggies, and your favorite stuffing is delicious comfort food.
- Budget-friendly – An entire meal made with inexpensive ingredients with the option to reduce waste by using leftover chicken and the carcass.
Tools you’ll need
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Veggies – Dice carrots, onions, and celery into 1/2” pieces. You can peel the carrots or leave them unpeeled, it’s up to you.
- Chicken – A whole chicken. I used a 5 lb chicken for this recipe, but use whatever fits in your slow cooker. If it’s a larger chicken, use the maximum cooking time listed in the directions.
- Butter – I use salted for extra flavor. I love good salty skin!
- Seasoning – Poultry seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Paprika also helps to give the skin some color.
- Boxed stuffing – Any flavor of your favorite brand.
How to make Chicken and Stuffing in a Slow Cooker
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: Add the diced veggies to the bottom of your slow cooker basin. Spread them out evenly.
- Step Two: Place the chicken (cleaned out of any gizzards or inner extra parts) on top of the veggies.
- Step Three: Mix melted butter with seasoning and pour it over the chicken. Use your hands to rub it into the meat, fully coating all the nooks and crannies.
- Step Four: Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5-6 hours. Once cooked, remove it to a platter and tent it with a piece of foil to stay warm.
- Step Five: Remove all but 1.5 cups of the juices from the crockpot and pour the stuffing into the slow cooker, stir in with the veggies. Cover with the lid and cook for 10 minutes.
- Step Six: Fluff the stuffing with a fork and serve with chicken and veggies. Enjoy!
Every slow cooker runs differently. Times given are a general recommendation and should be tested in your own slow cooker and adjusted as needed.
How to serve it
When the stuffing is ready, you can either slice the chicken up and lay the pieces down on a platter and serve the stuffing from the crockpot, or put the chicken back into the crockpot with the stuffing and serve everything from there.
Since this is a complete meal on its own, you don’t need much else! The stuffing does a great job replacing any other carbs, but if you’re looking for extra sides to serve a larger crowd, try some cilantro lime rice, garlic mashed potatoes, or easy roasted potatoes on the side. Macaroni and cheese is also a great option.
You could also ramp up the veggies with a simple chopped veggie salad.
- Do not discard the juices. Once you remove all but 1.5 cups from the crockpot, you can use what you’ve taken out to make gravy.
- I recommend cooking the chicken on low heat, but if you’re short on time, using high heat will work too.
- For crispy skin, once it’s finished cooking, place it in a roasting pan and put it under the broiler for a few minutes. Keep an eye on it so the skin doesn’t start to burn.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers
Keep leftover slow cooker chicken and stuffing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The longer the stuffing sits, the soggier it gets. That also means the more flavorful it is!
Freezing Instructions
Make sure everything has cooled completely. You can freeze the chicken, veggies, and stuffing, but if possible, store them separately. Keep them in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers and keep the leftovers frozen for up to 1 month.
Reheating Instructions
Warm any leftovers in the microwave or the oven on medium-low. You can also use the slow cooker’s warm function to reheat it.
FAQs
Can I season the chicken ahead of time?
Sure you can! You can season it with a dry rub and keep it covered in the fridge overnight. Pour the melted butter over everything once it is in the crockpot.
You can also mix the butter and seasoning ahead of time and rub the chicken with it, however, because it stays in the fridge, the butter will solidify anyway. In this case, you don’t have to melt the butter, you can make a compound butter with the seasonings and use that to rub over the chicken.
It will melt the next day as it cooks.
How do I know when a whole chicken is fully cooked?
Stick a thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, or at the joints where the breasts meet the thighs. If it reads a temperature of 165°F it’s ready.
Do you need to put liquid in the slow cooker when cooking chicken?
It’s a good idea to have some liquid, even though the chicken will provide its own juices. This is where the butter helps! Since we’re not adding any broth, the butter plus the fat from the chicken is enough to keep it moist.
Crockpot Chicken & Stuffing
Need more crockpot meal recipes? Try these:
Crockpot Meatloaf with BBQ Sauce
Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup
Click here to view my entire collection of slow cooker recipes.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Stuffing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large carrots diced to approximately 1/2" pieces
- 1 small yellow onion diced to approximately 1/2" pieces
- 2 ribs celery diced to approximately 1/2" pieces
- 5 pound whole chicken
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 ounces boxed stuffing any flavor
Instructions
- To the basin of a 6 quart slow cooker, add the diced carrots, onion, and celery.2 large carrots, 1 small yellow onion, 2 ribs celery
- Clean out the inside of the chicken, discarding any extra parts. Add the clean chicken on top of the vegetables.5 pound whole chicken
- Melt the butter in a small microwave safe bowl and stir in the poultry seasoning, paprika, and salt & pepper. Pour it over the chicken, rubbing to fully coat.½ cup salted butter, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 5-6 hours.
- Once the cook time is up, and the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F, remove it from the crockpot and place it on a platter. Tent aluminum foil over it to keep it warm.6 ounces boxed stuffing
- Remove all but 1.5 cups of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker, also leaving the veggies.
- Pour in the box of stuffing to the slow cooker and stir. Cover and let cook for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
- For serving, add the cooked chicken back to the slow cooker, or slice it on a platter, serving the stuffing from the crockpot.
Notes
- The excess cooking liquid can be used to make a gravy.
- I recommend cooking on LOW but HIGH also works.
- Use your favorite brand and flavor of boxed stuffing.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- If you prefer a crisp skin, after the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the slow cooker, place it in a roasting pan and broil for a few minutes.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
