| Have you ever asked anyone how long to cook a | | | | The Chicken Preparation - In order to provide a little |
| whole chicken in a crockpot? If so, were you even | | | | color and extra flavor, many people like to brown the |
| more baffled afterward? Did you walk away and start | | | | chicken in oil before putting it in the crockpot. If you do, |
| looking through recipes? I'll bet the answer got further | | | | your chicken has begun to cook, so it won't need as |
| and further away. Now you are even more confused, | | | | long to cook in the crockpot. And, what about those |
| right? | | | | times you put stuffing in your bird? That will always |
| The reason for all this confusion is because the | | | | add more time in order to get the inside cooked all the |
| answer varies depending on a great many things. | | | | way through. |
| Some cooks just grab the first recipe they find and try | | | | The Bird Itself - Don't forget the size of the chicken. If |
| to adapt it to a whole chicken. That's when they | | | | your chicken is around three pounds, it won't have to |
| usually start scratching their heads and looking even | | | | cook as long as a big six pound chicken. And the room |
| more perplexed. Let's take a look at some of the | | | | around the bird, inside of the crockpot, also will make a |
| variables to be considered when cooking a whole | | | | difference. If you're trying to cook a chicken that |
| chicken in a crockpot: | | | | doesn't have enough air space around it, you'll need to |
| The Term Itself - How do you interpret the term | | | | readjust your thinking. |
| "whole chicken?" Believe it or not, that simple term can | | | | The Crockpot - The simple design and features of the |
| be confusing. A chicken may be considered whole if it | | | | crockpot play a role, too. Is your chicken able to lay |
| remains in one piece. Or, you may use the term "whole | | | | down in a nice big six quart oval crock? Will you be |
| chicken" to refer to an "entire chicken." See the | | | | starting your dish on high heat and finishing on low |
| difference? An entire chicken can be cut into halves, | | | | heat? Do you have a brand new super-insulated |
| quarters, or pieces. That definitely affects cooking time. | | | | model or an old model that sits on top of a burner with |
| The Chicken Recipe - If you choose a crispy rotisserie | | | | little or no insulation? How tight does the lid fit? |
| chicken style of recipe, you will time your crockpot | | | | You want to know how long to cook a whole chicken |
| differently than if you have a chicken recipe loaded | | | | in a crockpot? It's still confusing, isn't it. Don't fret. Just |
| with lots of vegetables. A big pile of carrots and | | | | go ahead and experiment and soon you'll have a nice |
| potatoes sitting around your chicken will cause a | | | | collection of your own favorite crockpot recipes to |
| chicken to cook differently than if it is cooking in dry | | | | make with chicken - whole or otherwise. |
| heat, rotisserie style. | | | | |