Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (4.5 lbs), giblets removed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 0.5 lemon
  • 1 small yellow onion, halved
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed

Instructions:

  1. Remove the chicken from packaging and discard giblets. Note: Never wash your chicken; it just spreads bacteria around the sink.
  2. Dry completely. Pat the skin with paper towels until it feels like parchment paper.
  3. Mix the rub. Combine sea salt, smoked paprika, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper in a small bowl.
  4. Oil and season. Rub the 1 tablespoon of olive oil all over the skin, then coat thoroughly with the spice mix.
  5. Aromatize. Stuff the 0.5 lemon, onion halves, and 4 smashed garlic cloves into the cavity.
  6. Create the pedestal. Place the three foil balls in the bottom of the crockpot.
  7. Position the chicken. Place the bird breast side up on top of the foil balls.
  8. Cover and cook. Set the slow cooker to HIGH for 4 hours until the aroma fills the room.
  9. Check doneness. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F.
  10. Rest the meat. Remove to a platter and wait 15 minutes until the juices settle back into the meat.