Slow cooker chicken thighs are quick and easy to prep, well seasoned and so juicy and flavorful. They make a great dinner on a busy night and are also a versatile meal prep protein.
Today's recipe for slow cooker chicken thighs is my new favorite go-to when I have chicken thighs on hand and I don't know what to make.
This recipe is easy, quick to prep and comes out so hearty and flavorful. I can throw these in earlier in the day and then pull together some quick side dishes last minute and we've got dinner.
I've made a variety of different versions of these slow cooker chicken thighs, but I keep coming back to this flavor combination.
They are well seasoned, rich and meaty, juicy and a little bit saucy. Each bite just packs in the flavor!
Plus, it's just 10 minutes to prep. You just have to season the chicken thighs, add them to the crock pot and add the broth and butter. Done and ready to set it and forget it!
It smells delicious, too, as it's cooking. You'll be happy to sit down to this for dinner!
To sum it up, slow cooker chicken thighs are a meal prep or dinner win that's quick, easy and so versatile to serve up for friends and family.
OK, let's get cooking.
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken thighs: You'll want to make sure these are trimmed of excess fat and ready to use. (That can take a bit of time so plan accordingly.) The flavor won't be quite as rich and delicious if you substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Broth: If you don't have any on hand, feel free to just use water.
Butter: This helps build the sauce and adds great flavor.
Lemon: This gets added at the end and gives the chicken a great freshness and brightness. I recommend you don't skip it!
I love the combination of seasonings here. It's really versatile, very kid and family friendly and they are spices I always have on hand.
That said, you are welcome to experiment and use this as a base recipe and change up the seasoning flavors or use a store-bought seasoning blend if you'd like. You could do a southwest or Cajun style or a more Mediterranean or Italian style seasoning blend.
As for serving, this chicken is so versatile you can pair it with all kinds of things.
We love it with rice, mashed potatoes or orzo with the extra sauce drizzled over top of everything.
It also pairs with with a microwave baked potato or some boxed mac and cheese if you've got teens who need to reheat this for dinner with a quick side.
And as mentioned, this stores great in both the refrigerator and the freezer. Details are in the recipe card below.
I've definitely used leftovers for grain bowls and salads. It's so nice having some protein on hand and ready to use.
I hope you give these a try for a new delicious way to enjoy chicken thighs - without much effort!
Happy cooking!
XO,
Kathryn
Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- Juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the salt through dried thyme.
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with the seasoning mixture and add to the insert of the slow cooker.
- Pour the chicken broth on top of the chicken thighs. Add the cubed butter on top of the chicken thighs.
- Cover and cook the chicken on high for 2 ½ hours or on low for 5 hours.
- Remove the chicken thighs and slice or chop them.
- Add the lemon juice to the sauce in the slow cooker and stir to combine. Return the chopped chicken to the slow cooker and stir into the sauce. Let sit on warm for 15 minutes so the chicken absorbs the sauce.
- Serve chicken with sauce drizzled on top.
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Notes
Nutrition
Love chicken thighs as much as we do?
Try these easy oven baked chicken thighs - another great easy dinner or meal prep - and sheet pan chicken thighs with potatoes and green beans for a full meal.
Or for other crock pot options, try French bistro chicken thighs and the crowd favorite slow cooker honey garlic chicken.
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