Healthier Baked Slow Cooker Chicken

1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon paprika

3 large carrots, split lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces

2 medium onions, quartered

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Wad three pieces of aluminum foil into 3- to 4-inch balls, and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.

Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Place chicken in the slow cooker on top of the crumbled aluminum foil.

Set the slow cooker to High for 1 hour, then turn down to Low for 4 to 5 hours. Add the vegetables and cook until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about another 4 to 5 hours. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.