The Case Against Putting A Whole Chicken In A Slow Cooker

If there's one thing everyone could use more of, it's time. That is where the convenience factor of slow cookers shines. They allow us to make scrumptious meals with minimal effort, freeing us from the time-consuming chore of babysitting dinner over the stove. Still, anyone who has experimented with the appliance knows that not all foods turn out great in a slow cooker. Venecia Willis, director of culinary at Velvet Taco, told The Takeout in an exclusive interview that one of those foods is whole chicken.

"Slow cookers have limited heat sources and work best with dense food items, chilis, soups, stews, or roasts cooked in a liquid," Willis said. When these types of fare are seasoned correctly, you end up with a satisfying meal that only costs a few minutes of your time. Yet, there are some meats that aren't the best candidates for the slow cooker.

"Roasting a chicken is best when the air around it is heated and rotating to create an even cooking process," Willis said. That beautiful golden-brown finish that makes a roasted chicken so appealing –- never going to happen in a slow cooker. You might get a little color on the bird, but nothing like what the oven can produce. And if you make the mistake of leaving the skin on chicken in a slow cooker, you can forget about getting it crispy. However, if a whole chicken is what you have on hand and you're committed to using the set-it-and-forget-it method to make it, you can achieve a decent result if you put a little more time into prepping the bird.

Aside from missing out on some of the best aspects of chicken when it's made in a slow cooker, a whole bird is going to take quite some time to be done. Venecia Willis noted, "Chicken also requires the highest minimal internal cooking temperature to ensure safety, and I'm not sure a slow cooker could achieve the internal temp within a safe timeframe." Reaching 165 degrees Fahrenheit slowly could take the better part of a day. However, you can significantly reduce that time and come away with a more appealing dish with just one extra step.

"The best way to cook chicken in a slow cooker is to cube the chicken into consistent pieces, so they all cook at the same time," Willis said. Uniform pieces are crucial. If some chunks are larger than others, they will obviously require more time to cook, which can result in the smaller portions drying out.

Another trick to preparing cubed poultry in the slow cooker may seem counterintuitive to some, but it's worth bearing in mind if you want your bird juicy as opposed to saturated in moisture. Willis said, "Limit the amount of liquid used, as the time to cook the chicken will be less than cooking a large piece of beef or pork." A dash of stock or broth isn't a bad idea, but the meat doesn't need to be sitting in a bath. This addition will help the chicken pieces achieve a little more color on the outside, and all the moisture that gets trapped inside the slow cooker when the lid is on will prevent the protein from becoming dry if you time it right.