Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

Your slow cooker can turn out a juicy, rotisserie-style bird with almost no hands-on time. Pick up a whole chicken at the market, and plan on leftovers for salads, soups and sandwiches.

Serves 6 · About 4 hours

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 5 pounds), neck and giblets removed
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Stir the brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika together in a small bowl.
2. Spray the inside of a large slow cooker. Roll a length of heavy-duty foil into a ring and set it in the bottom to act as a rack.
3. Rest the chicken on the foil ring and rub the spice mix over every surface.
4. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, until a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads at least 165°F.
5. Move the chicken to a sheet pan or baking dish and broil 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin is browned and crisp.

Adapted from Sara Welch.