This slow cooker Lemon Pepper Rotisserie Chicken is juicy, tender, and couldn’t be easier to prepare. It’s made with fresh lemon juice, whole garlic cloves, and a delicious savory blend of spices that’s perfect for enjoying as is, or in soups, stews, casseroles, and more.
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Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken Recipe
You would be hard pressed to find an easier way to get tender, juicy, flavorful chicken than this slow cooker Lemon Pepper Rotisserie Chicken recipe. It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare the lemon pepper spice rub, stuff the chicken with fresh garlic and lemon, and toss it into your crock pot. From there, you can set it and forget it while it cooks away.
Not only is this recipe easy to prepare, it’s also incredibly versatile. You can serve the whole chicken as is with your favorite mashed potatoes, rice dish, or roasted veggies. Or, shred the chicken and use it in soups, stews, and pot pie. This is also a great meal prep recipe as you can shred the chicken and freeze it for up to 2 months so that it’s ready when you are.
If you are looking for more whole chicken recipes, you can also give our original Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken a try.
Ingredients in Lemon Pepper Rotisserie Chicken
- Whole Chicken - this recipe calls for any 4-5 pound whole chicken. I promise it will fit in any standard 6-7 quart slow cooker.
- Lemon Pepper - you can find this in the spice section at the grocery store.
- Salt
- Dried Thyme - this tastes great with lemon. Fresh thyme can be used as well if the small leaves are removed from the stems.
- Garlic Powder - garlic powder gives a sweet and mild garlic flavor to the spice rub.
- Garlic Cloves - these should be peeled and then stuffed into the chest cavity before cooking.
- Fresh Lemon - you’ll need half of the lemon to stuff into the chest cavity along with the garlic, and have to squeeze fresh lemon juice over the cooked chicken.
- Olive Oil - you could also substitute avocado oil.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Whole Chicken
- Prepare the chicken. Prepare the whole chicken by removing the innards from the chest cavity. Use a paper towel to pat dry both inside and out.
- Make the spice rub. In a small mixing bowl, combine the lemon pepper, salt, dried thyme, and garlic powder. Mix well, then use your hands to rub the mixture all over the chicken. Place the peeled garlic cloves and half of a lemon inside the breast cavity. Tie the legs together if desired.
- Cook the chicken. To keep the chicken from resting on the bottom of the slow cooker, place a small wire rack or 4 balls of aluminum foil. Place the chicken in, chicken breast side up. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh or breast reads 165 degrees F.
- Broil. Preheat the oven broiler about 30 minutes before the chicken is done cooking. Once the chicken has cooked through, place the whole chicken on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and broil for about 2 minutes, or until the chicken skin is golden and crispy. Be sure to keep a close eye so that it doesn't burn!
- Rest and serve. Remove chicken from the broiler and let rest for at least 15 minutes before squeezing with fresh lemon juice, then carving or shredding. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Grocery store rotisserie chicken stays so moist because it is being constantly basted by its own juices as it rotates. In this recipe, our slow cooker Lemon Pepper Rotisserie Chicken may not be rotating, but it stays just as moist. Because it’s cooked low and slow inside of a covered crockpot, no moisture evaporates and the juices are able to surround the chicken while it cooks.
Cooking this Lemon Pepper Rotisserie Chicken recipe will take about 6-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high for a 4-5 pound chicken. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken and the size of the crock pot so you should always check the internal temperature to make sure that the chicken has reached 165 degrees F in the thickest part.
Yes! Cooking a whole chicken in a pressure cooker is crazy fast and still juicy and tender. If you want to give it a try, you’ll just want to add about ½ cup of water to the pressure cooker along with your prepared chicken. Cook for about 6 minutes per pound, or 30 minutes for a 5 pound chicken.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: place leftovers in an airtight, covered container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: to freeze leftover rotisserie chicken, place in freezer bags and remove as much air as possible. Store frozen for up to 2 months.
Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Rotisserie Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 4-5 pound Whole Chicken
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 3 cloves Garlic peeled
- 1 whole Lemon cut in half
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Instructions
- Prepare the whole chicken by removing the innards from the chest cavity. Use a paper towel to pat dry both inside and out.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the lemon pepper, salt, dried thyme, and garlic powder. Mix well, then use your hands to rub the mixture all over the chicken. Place the peeled garlic cloves and half of a lemon inside the breast cavity. Tie legs together if desired.
- To keep the chicken from resting on the bottom of the slow cooker, place a small wire rack or 4 balls of aluminum foil.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until an internal thermometer reads 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast.
- Preheat the oven broiler about 30 minutes before the chicken is done cooking. Once the chicken has cooked through, place the whole chicken on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and broil for about 2 minutes, or until the chicken skin is golden and crispy. Be sure to keep a close eye so that it doesn't burn!
- Remove chicken from the broiler and let rest for at least 15 minutes before squeezing with fresh lemon juice, then carving or shredding. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
- White Chicken Chili
- Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice
- Crock Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
- More Slow Cooker Recipes
- More Best Chicken Recipes
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This Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken, lemon pepper, made in the slow cooker, is an easy way to make tender, juicy, flavorful chicken. It's perfect for enjoying as is, or in soups, stews, casseroles, and so much more.
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