Chicken · Slow cooker

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken with Paprika Butter Rub

A whole chicken, a stick of melted butter, and a generous shake of paprika, that's all you need for a bird so tender it falls apart. Three hours in the slow cooker does the work while you get on with your day, and the payoff is a kitchen that smells absolutely incredible.

R By Richard · Adapted from YouTube · Published 28 May 2026
⏱Prep 10 min
🍽Serves 4
You'll never do chicken the same!

Source video by YouTube on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules and is marked for human review.

This is a fuss-free whole chicken cooked entirely in the slow cooker. A 4.5 lb bird is patted dry, slathered in melted butter, then rubbed with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and a hit of cayenne. It cooks on High for three to four hours until the meat is tender and the juices pool in the base. Finished with fresh chopped coriander (or parsley) for a bright lift, it makes a brilliant holiday centrepiece or an easy weekday dinner.

Editor's note: Chicken weight given in imperial (4.5 lb) in source; metric conversion provided. Coriander/parsley quantity not stated (a sprinkle). | Second-pass critique flagged 2 fabricated and 4 quantified issues. See critique.issues for detail.

Ingredients

Main
  • 2 kgwhole chicken, patted dry with kitchen paper
  • 113 gbutter, melted
Spice rub
  • 1 tbsppaprika
  • 2 tspgarlic powder
  • 2 tsponion powder
  • 2 tspsalt
  • 1 tspItalian seasoning
  • 0.5 tspcayenne pepper
  • 1 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
To finish
  • fresh coriander, finely chopped (add late)

Method

  1. Grease the slow cooker insert and pat the whole chicken dry with kitchen paper. Place it in the slow cooker.

    ~2 min

  2. Pour the melted butter over the entire chicken so it coats the skin and pools in the base.

    ~1 min

  3. Sprinkle over the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper and black pepper, distributing evenly across the top of the bird.

    ~2 min

  4. Using clean hands or gloves, massage the seasonings and butter all over the chicken. Flip the bird over so the underside picks up the buttery seasonings from the base, then turn it back breast-side up.

    ~3 min

  5. Cover with the lid and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, until the thickest part of the thigh reads well above 75C (165F) on a meat thermometer.

    ~210 min

  6. Spoon some of the buttery juices from the base of the slow cooker back over the chicken, then let it rest for about 10 minutes.

    ~10 min

  7. Scatter over fresh chopped coriander (or parsley or dill) and serve.

    ~1 min

Frequently asked

Do I need to add any liquid to the slow cooker?
No. The chicken releases plenty of its own juices as it cooks, and the melted butter sits in the base. You will have a generous pool of buttery cooking liquid by the end.
Can I cook it on Low instead of High?
The recipe is written for High for 3 to 4 hours. If you want to cook on Low, allow roughly 6 to 7 hours and always check the thickest part of the thigh reads at least 75C (165F) before serving.
Will the skin go crispy in the slow cooker?
No, slow cookers steam rather than roast, so the skin will be soft. If you want crispy skin, transfer the cooked chicken to a baking tray and pop it under a hot grill for a few minutes once it is done.
Can I swap the butter for oil?
Yes. Olive oil works well if you prefer, though butter gives a richer flavour and helps the spices cling to the skin.
What size chicken fits in a slow cooker?
A 1.8 to 2.2 kg (4 to 5 lb) chicken fits comfortably in a standard 6 litre slow cooker. Check it sits below the rim with the lid on before you start.
Extraction notes (transparency): Chicken weight given in imperial (4.5 lb) in source; metric conversion provided. Coriander/parsley quantity not stated (a sprinkle). | Second-pass critique flagged 2 fabricated and 4 quantified issues. See critique.issues for detail.