Cooking Time:
6-8 hoursServings:
8
Ingredients
1 T. olive oil1oz. package of Ranch dressing mix (dry)
1/4 c. butter, softened
4-5 lb. Whole Chicken
6 slices thick-cut bacon
1 c. of beer
Too cold to grill outside? This recipe for Slow Cooker Beer Chicken delivers a very moist and flavorful bird! (Inspired from the classic grilled recipe: Beer Can Chicken)
- Grease inside of large crock with olive oil.
- Stir butter and 1/2 the ranch dressing mix together in a bowl until completely combined.
- Carefully loosen each side of the skin of the chicken breast and spread the butter-ranch mixture under the skin. Transfer chicken, skin-side up, to crock.
- Sprinkle remaining 1/2 ranch dressing mix over chicken. Next, lay bacon strips evenly across bird.
- Pour beer around edges of chicken.
- Cover and crock on LOW 6-8 hours, or until chicken is tender.
NOTE: For added browning, place in an baking dish and broil for a few minutes!
Happy Crocking!
XOXO,
Jenn
Is that 695 calories per serving?
Kristine I doubled checked the nutrition value, and it was incorrect, as it is 588 calories per serving. I have corrected the recipe. Thank you for bringing this to my attention!
I tried using beer in your pork chop recipe, and the taste was too bitter for me…and Im afraid the same will happen here. What else can we use instead of beer? Chicken broth? Also, is 1 cup okay for any other liquid substitute?
Agellki, you can use the chicken broth absolutely! Make this recipe your own, and make it to your liking! Happy Crocking! 🙂
I make beer butt chicken and it is outstanding!! This should be also
I would suggest apple cider instead of beer if you didn’t like the beer taste. have used it and works great.
Marsala wine would be nice too!
Do you have to use the bacon? Can it be turkey bacon then?
Hi Stacey – it’s up to your personal taste if you’d like to include the bacon or not. I have found it helps keep the chicken moist. I haven’t made this with turkey bacon but if you do please let us know how it turns out. Thanks & Happy Crocking!
Yes Stacey, Turkey Bacon will work also! Enjoy! 🙂
Hello! How big of a crock pot are you using when you make this and how many people are you (comfortably) able to serve?
Sharon I us my 6 quart slow cooker for the whole chicken, but you could use a slightly smaller one too. The serving size is in the upper right hand corner of the page, but happy to share it serves “8”! Enjoy! 🙂
This has always been an easy and favorite Chicken recipe for me…just recently I used an Apple Ale Beer….YUMMY!!! It just added a little “something” extra along with the already wonderful smokey bacon & ranch taste!!
does the chicken come out moist? The problem I have with crock pot recipes, is that the chicken always comes out dry!
Angela it comes out moist. If you chicken always comes out dry, I would say your slow cooker is cooking too hot. Might want to add a new slow cooker to your Christmas list! 🙂
What brand/size do you recommend because mine seems to cook too hot on everything. I have a 6 qt CrockPot brand.
Does chicken need to be thawed? Or is frozen ok
Monica this particular recipe you will want it thawed, since you need to put the seasoning under the skin! Happy Crocking!
Hi Monica – I have never made this recipe with a frozen whole chicken. I’m not sure how that would turn out. To be safe I would thaw it first. Thanks & Happy Crocking!
this sounds delish thanks so much for the reply
Does the skin get crunchy?
Hi Sally, No the skin doesn’t typically get crunchy in the crock since the moisture is kept in with the slow cooking process. You could certainly stick the chicken under the broiler for a few minutes if you’d like to firm it up or brown it. Thanks & Happy Crocking!
I wish you had a pin it button!
LOL nevermind I found it , dummy here.
Whole garlic under the skin and the ranch butter mix would do way better melted and injected into the bird instead of just under the skin.
Wondering if you could use a whole breast or split breasts
Make this recipe your own Lori! I’m sure either one would work fine. Enjoy and Happy Crocking!
This was fabulous! I made it today without the bacon — I saw someone ask about this. It isn’t dry at all and spent about 6.5 hours on low in the crockpot. The only thing different that I did to kind of try to make up for not having the moisture from the bacon is I stuffed it with a lemon cut in half. I also just smothered the chicken in the butter and ranch mixture — I put some on the bottom before cooking it, too. I also can attest that using Pumpkin Spice ale (because it’s all I… Read more »
(P.S. and then I threw the softened, cooked lemon down the garbage disposal for some cleaning/deodorizing — does double duty!)
Sarah… thank you so much for your posting and your feedback! Love success stories! 🙂
Does this recipe call for 1 CUP or 1 CAN of beer?
Hi Linda… It is one cup of beer! Thanks for the question! Happy Crocking!