Name: Rosemary and Thyme Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 480 min
Ingredients: 4-5 lbs whole chicken; 1 onion (roughly chopped); 1 bunch fresh thyme; 3 sprigs fresh rosemary; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 10 cups water

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Rosemary and thyme slow cooker whole chicken is the easiest and most delicious way to get a whole cooked chicken along with lots of healthy, gelatinous broth. All it takes are some simple ingredients and less than 10 minutes.

closeup of rosemary and thyme slow cooker whole chicken covered in salt and pepper with fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme on each side in a white baking dish

Everyone in our family loves this delicious slow cooker chicken packed with fresh herbs from the garden. It makes for the perfect easy summer meal as you can set-it-and-forget-it to cook all day while you spend your summer days outside. According to our seven year old, it goes great with homemade lemonade too.

This recipe was born out of a desire to have a whole chicken bursting with flavor that required minimal effort all while producing a large quantity of broth. It is one of those slow cooker recipes that takes the least amount of effort, yet provides so much in return.

rosemary and thyme slow cooker whole chicken covered in salt and pepper with fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme on each side in a white baking dish on a farmhouse table

Inspired by the garden, I decided to cover the chicken with a bundle of fresh herbs – two of my favorites and coincidentally two that we had an excess of in our garden – rosemary and thyme. Our whole family loves rosemary and will take every opportunity to use it.

In under ten minutes prep time, I can have an absolutely delicious whole cooked chicken and plenty of healthy chicken broth by the end of the day. With all that said, you can understand why this rosemary and thyme chicken has become a new staple in our home.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31

slow cooked whole chicken covered in salt and pepper with fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme on each side in a white baking dish

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Perfect for busy days – This slow cooker chicken is one of the quickest recipes ever to toss together in the morning before the start of a busy day and still have dinner ready by the end of it. Simply pair with some fresh veggies and rice for a no effort kind of chicken dinner.

Flavorful and moist meat – No more bland chicken or dried out white meat that needs to be hidden in a dish to make it palatable.

Versatile leftovers – This rosemary chicken makes for the best cooked chicken to be used in various other recipes such as chicken salad, chicken vermicelli, or creamy chicken pasta.

Delicious and gelatinous broth – After cooking, you are left with over half a gallon of thick, nutrient rich chicken broth full of herb-y goodness flavor – all for free.

Flexible cooking time – Start first thing in the morning and let it cook all day or for just the afternoon.

Kitchen Tools

Slow cooker – I use a 6 quart slow cooker.

Funnel – A funnel with a filter is extremely handy for straining and transferring the broth directly into glass jars.

Ingredients

Whole chicken – a 4-5 pound chicken is a good size for a slow cooker.

Onion – white or yellow onion pairs well with this recipe.

Herbs – I love grabbing a handful of fresh herbs from the garden for this recipe, but dried herbs work as well. The combination of fresh rosemary and thyme is *chefs kiss* to me, but feel free to change it up with your favorite herb pairings!

Seasonings – pure salt and freshly ground black pepper make for the most potent flavor.

Find the full recipe and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

slow cooker whole chicken covered in salt and pepper with fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme on each side in a white baking dish on a farmhouse table

How to Make Rosemary and Thyme Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

roughly chopped white onion scattered across the bottom of a slow cooker insert

Step 1: Scatter the onion along the bottom of the slow cooker.

a walnut wood pepper mill sprinkling freshly ground black pepper across a whole chicken inside of a slow cooker

Step 2: Place chicken on top of the bed of onions with breast side facing up. Sprinkle the salt and pepper across the top of the chicken.

a handful of fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs lying across the top of a whole chicken in a slow cooker

Step 3: Spread the rosemary and thyme across the entire top of the chicken.

closeup of a stream of water pouring out from a glass measuring cup into a slow cooker filled with a whole chicken, onion, fresh rosemary and thyme

Step 4: Pour 10 cups of water into the slow cooker.

fully slow cooked whole chicken with salt and pepper sprinkled skin and sprigs of rosemary and thyme on top. the chicken is sitting in fresh homemade chicken broth and roughly chopped onions inside of a slow cooker

Step 5: Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.

Step 6: Remove the chicken and after the broth has had some time to cool, strain the remainder for a tasty and healthy broth.

Tips

Cooking it low and slow for 8 to 10 hours results in fall-off-the-bone juicy chicken and a more gelatinous broth.
If using dried herbs, use 1 teaspoon dried herbs for every 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs.
After deboning the chicken and straining the broth, keep the leftover onions and scraps from the entire chicken in the slow cooker to make a batch of healthy bone broth.
Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Storage

Debone the chicken and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Chop up or shred the chicken and store in the freezer for future use in various recipes.

Let the broth cool some before storing to avoid shocking the glass. Store the broth in a half gallon glass jar in the refrigerator. Freeze in pint sized jars or silicone trays for smaller portions.

closeup of a slow cooked whole chicken covered in salt and pepper with fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme on each side in a white baking dish

Recipe FAQ

Use the leftover chicken to add in some delicious herb flavor to any recipe that calls for cooked chicken or one you would normally use a rotisserie chicken.

Nope! I leave it and use it for the added nutrients and flavor it provides.

No. You could also use a dutch oven or stock pot on the stove top, but temperature and cooking times will vary.

More Farmhouse Kitchen Recipes

Find more homemade recipes here!

Try this recipe and love it? Please leave a much appreciated 5 stars and comment below to let me know! Tag me on Instagram @the_bluebonnet_farmhouse.