The flavors in this Slow Cooker Whole Beer Chicken are absolutely delicious. A whole chicken is cooked in a variety of seasonings along with butter, beer, lemon, and elephant garlic. This is one of those chicken recipes you’ll want to add to your weeknight meal plan!
Looking to try another type of beer-based recipe? Feed your family, game day crowd, or potluck friends with my Slow Cooker Beer Brats meal idea!
Why this recipe works
In addition to the whole chicken, this chicken in beer recipe also includes baby potatoes, making it a one-pot meal. It’s totally up to you if you’d like to add more sides (suggestions below), but you don’t have to. This chicken recipe also works because it’s low prep and has a moderate cooking time, meaning you can start it by lunchtime and have it for dinner tonight. It’s just what you need for those busy days! Looking for a recipe without beer? Try my classic whole chicken recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
- Whole Chicken: You’ll want to leave the chicken skin on to help with savoring the flavors of the spices.
- Baby Potatoes: I like the colors of the mixed baby potatoes; however, you can always stick with the baby reds or golds.
- Greek Yogurt: This will be brushed onto the whole chicken to help the spice rub stay on (and add flavor).
- Lemons: Sliced into wedges, they are stuffed into the chicken to add both flavor and an acidic balance to the beer.
- Sweet Yellow Onion: Sweet onion adds a mild, non-spicy flavor to this chicken in beer recipe.
- Butter: Butter simply makes everything better, right?
- Seasonings: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, and mustard powder are combined and rubbed onto the chicken before cooking.
- Thyme & Rosemary: Used both for cooking and final garnish.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Prepare chicken and coat chicken with Greek yogurt.
Step Two – Season chicken with sea salt, black pepper, paprika, mustard powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Stuff the chicken with as much cut onion, lemon wedges, garlic cloves, and potatoes.
Step Three – Add remaining to the bottom of the crockpot and pour beer inside.
Step Four – Place chicken on top.
Step Five – Place the butter and a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme on top.
Step Six – Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours.
Serving Suggestions
- As is: Slow Cooker Whole Beer Chicken can be considered a one-pot meal, which means it can be served as is. Simply pull off some of the tender chicken pieces and scoop out a nice helping of potatoes (and onion).
- Side Dish Ideas: If you’d like to serve more than the baby potatoes, consider additional side options such as yellow rice, roasted veggies (green beans, carrots, asparagus, etc.), and/or corn on the cob.
- Bread: Chicken recipes like this also pair perfectly with a variety of bread. From white sandwich bread to buttery dinner rolls and garlic bread, you can’t go wrong serving a hearty piece of bread.
Recipe FAQs
Wheat beer or pale ale works best for this recipe, though any beer you like to drink works great. If you aren’t a beer drinker but want a hint of beer, use something very light, such as bud light.
You can; however, the mini potatoes typically cook better and yield a less mushy result.
Sure! Of course, the name of this recipe is “whole beer chicken,” but you can certainly use another cut like chicken thighs.
If you just so happen to have them (wink, wink), store them in an airtight container and keep it the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Slow Cooker Whole Beer Chicken Recipe
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs. whole chicken
- 2 Tbsp. Greek yogurt
- 12 oz. can wheat beer or pale ale
- 1 head elephant garlic
- 1 sweet yellow onion
- 2 lbs. mini potatoes
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 sprigs Rosemary
- 3-4 sprigs thyme
- 2 lemons
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. coarse black pepper
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. mustard powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
Instructions:
- Prepare the chicken by removing the items from cavity and blotting dry with a paper towel.
- Brush Greek yogurt over the entirety of the chicken. Combine sea salt, black pepper, paprika, mustard powder, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl or ramekin and season the chicken.
- Cut onion and lemon into wedges. Remove elephant garlic cloves from skin and slice in half. Add to a large bowl with potatoes. Stuff the chicken with as much of this as you can. Add remaining to the bottom of the crockpot and pour beer inside. Place chicken on top. Add the butter on top, and rosemary and thyme, and close the lid. Cook for 6-7 hours on low (completely depends on exactly how large your bird is or how hot your slow cooker cooks).
- You will want to make sure your chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees.
- Plate and serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
- Wheat beer or pale ale works best for this recipe, though any beer you like to drink works great. If you aren’t a beer drinker but want a hint of beer, use something very light, such as bud light.
- Want to use a different cut of chicken? You can use bone-in chicken breasts or thighs. Though, it will still take 5-6 hours on low to get tender results.
- Have leftovers? Store them in an airtight container and keep it the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Not good. Very bitter, strange taste. No one on my family liked it!