Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 lbs, giblets removed
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix, 1 oz
Instructions
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and remove any giblets from the cavity. Drying the skin helps the seasoning stick. Wash your hands and any surfaces that touched the raw chicken with hot, soapy water. It is not necessary to rinse the chicken, and rinsing can spread bacteria around the kitchen.
Place the chicken breast-side up in the slow cooker. If your slow cooker is large, you can set the chicken on a bed of thickly sliced onions or crumpled foil balls to keep it slightly above the juices. This is optional.
Mix the melted butter with the dry onion soup mix until well combined. Stir until the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the butter.
Brush the seasoned butter mixture over the entire chicken, including the legs and wings. Use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon. For even more flavor, gently loosen the skin over the breast and spread some of the seasoned butter underneath. Pour any remaining butter over the top.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F (74°C) and the thighs reach at least 165°F (74°C). The most reliable way to check is with an instant-read thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the breast and the thigh without touching the bone. Resist the urge to lift the lid, since each peek lets out heat and extends the cooking time.
Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving. The chicken will be very tender and may fall apart as you lift it, so use two large spatulas or tongs to support it. Resting allows the juices to settle, keeping the meat moist.
Spoon some of the flavorful cooking juices over the chicken before serving. You can skim off some of the fat first, if you like.