This easy Christmas chicken recipe brings traditional holiday flavors right to your dinner table. And it's very hands-off with the help of your crockpot.
By slow cooking the chicken with fresh cranberries, orange slices, and a medley of vegetables, you'll create a mouthwatering Christmas roast chicken that's not just delicious, but wonderfully simple to prepare. Have a second slow cooker looking to be used? Toss in ingredients for my Cheesy Potato Soup and your family will be coming back for seconds.
Ingredients needed to make Christmas Chicken:
Recipe Card?
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How to make roast Christmas chicken in the Crockpot:
A juicy whole chicken seasoned with sage and perfectly roasted, this easy Christmas chicken recipe brings traditional holiday flavors right to your dinner table.
Prepare the Chicken Rub:
Mix seasonings, dry the chicken thoroughly,
Coat the Chicken
Rub the entire bird with the seasoning blend to ensure deep flavor penetration.
Prepare the Vegetables
Chop potatoes, onions, and add baby carrots.
Add the cranberries, chopped vegetables and chicken broth to the slow cooker insert.
Add the seasoned chicken
Place seasoned chicken on vegetables, distribute butter pats around the chicken.
Add orange slices for moisture and flavor.
Cover and cook
Slow cook on low for 8-9 hours, stirring vegetables occasionally to prevent sticking.
Sarah's recommendation
7 qt. Crock-Pot
Perfect for Chicken, Roasts and Meals for 8+ people.
Serve and finish.
Remove chicken, slice as desired, and serve with the cooked vegetables and optional side dishes. For extra browning, briefly broil the chicken before serving.
Featured Side
Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes
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Chicken Carving Tip
A chicken can be carved just like a turkey. It is just smaller. Check out my tutorial for carving a turkey below.
Learn a kitchen skill
How To Carve A Turkey
Grab a sharp knife, a large cutting board and your confidence. We are going to do this together.
Make ahead tips for slow cooker roast chicken
Preparation Options
Prep Night Before:
- Chop vegetables.
- Mix seasonings.
- Store separately in refrigerator.
- Assemble quickly in morning.
Freezer Prep:
- Assemble entire recipe in freezer bag.
- Freeze up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in refrigerator before cooking.
- Cook as recipe directs.
Prep Ahead Tip
If frozen/prepped ahead, may need additional 30-60 minutes cooking time. Always verify chicken's internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Food Safety Considerations:
- Always thaw in refrigerator, never at room temperature
- Use fresh ingredients when prepping ahead
- Do not leave prepared ingredients at room temperature more than 2 hours
- Check chicken's internal temperature reaches 165°F when cooking
Seasonal Favorite
This is the best homemade seedless black raspberry jam recipe made with fresh or frozen black raspberries.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, storing in shallow containers.
- Use refrigerated leftovers within 3-4 days.
- Reheat to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to kill potential bacteria.
How to reheat leftovers
Oven Method:
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Place chicken and vegetables in oven-safe dish
- Cover with foil to prevent drying
- Heat until internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 20-25 minutes)
- Check temperature with meat thermometer
Microwave Method:
- Place chicken and vegetables in microwave-safe dish
- Cover and heat on medium power
- Stir halfway through cooking
- Check temperature in multiple spots
- Ensure 165°F throughout before serving
Slow Cooker Reheat:
- Place leftovers in slow cooker
- Add small amount of chicken broth to prevent drying
- Heat on low for 2-3 hours
- Verify internal temperature reaches 165°F
Chef Tip
Never reheat chicken multiple times; reheat only what you'll consume immediately.
Christmas Chicken Recipe (Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb chicken
- 6 tablespoon Butter cut into pats
- 1 tablespoon Poultry season
- ⅓ Brown Sugar
- 1 Tbsp. Orange zest
- 1 tablespoon Parsley
- 1 Teaspoon Salt and pepper
- 1.5 lb Potatoes cut in half
- 2 tbsps Garlic minced
- 1 ½ Cup Carrots
- 1 Onion chopped into wedges
- 1 Cup fresh cranberries
- 1 Cup chicken broth
- 1 Orange cut into 8 slices
Method
- Mix seasonings, dry the chicken thoroughly, and rub the entire bird with the seasoning blend to ensure deep flavor penetration.4-5 lb chicken , 1 tbsp Poultry season, ⅓ Brown Sugar, 1 Tbsp. Orange zest, 1 tbsp Parsley, 1 Teaspoon Salt and pepper, 2 tbsps Garlic
- Chop potatoes, onions, and add baby carrots and cranberries with chicken broth, creating a flavorful base for the chicken to cook on.1.5 lb Potatoes, 1 ½ Cup Carrots, 1 Onion, 1 Cup fresh cranberries, 1 Cup chicken broth
- Place seasoned chicken on vegetables, distribute butter pats around the chicken, and add orange slices for moisture and flavor. Slow cook on low for 8-9 hours, stirring vegetables occasionally to prevent sticking.1 Orange, 6 tbsp Butter
- Remove chicken, slice as desired, and serve with the cooked vegetables and optional side dishes. For extra browning, briefly broil the chicken before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition Discolure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 15 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
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