Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Thighs

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Thighs

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Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Thighs

Hello friends, welcome to Slow Cook Recipe. Today we are going to make Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Thighs.

This is our go-to recipe for slow cooker chicken! We make ultra tender lemon chicken in our slow cooker, and the lemony chicken gravy is always a hit. Our slow cooker chicken recipes are always packed with flavor, and this one is no exception. The lemon juice and chicken broth create a delicious gravy that everyone will love. Serve this chicken over rice or pasta for a complete meal.

This recipe for slow cooker lemon chicken thighs is absolutely delicious, and thanks to the crock pot, most of the time for this recipe is hands-off! Simply place the chicken thighs in the crock pot, add the lemon juice and chicken broth, and set the timer. In just a few hours, you’ll have juicy, flavorful chicken thighs that are perfect for a weeknight meal. Serve with a simple salad and some crusty bread, and you’ve got a meal that the whole family will love.

This dish is so easy to make and is sure to be a new favorite in your household. All you need is a crock pot and some simple ingredients. This recipe is practically effortless and is perfect for a busy weeknight. Thanks to the crock pot, you can just set it and forget it. The best part is that this dish is packed with flavor and is sure to please everyone at the table.

Why I Love These Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Quite a few years ago, we shared our original lemon chicken recipe. In that recipe, we brown chicken thighs on the stove, and then finish them in the oven.

This recipe takes our original with all the herby lemony goodness and adapts it for the slow cooker.

The first time we made this recipe, I knew it would taste good, but I honestly didn’t know that it was going to be as tender or as mouth-watering. The slow cooker does magical things to chicken thighs. Let’s walk through how to make them.

How to Make The Best Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

First off, let’s talk about what happens to skin-on chicken thighs when they are cooked in a slow cooker. Many crock pot chicken recipes call for adding extra liquid into the pot, but you don’t need to do that.

To make the best chicken thighs in a slow cooker, all you need to do is place chicken thighs directly into the cooker, season with salt, and cover with a lid.

As the slow cooker heats up, the fat from the skin renders and falls down over the chicken. The chicken literally cooks in it’s own juices and fat.

Now, let me back up. You can just place the chicken thighs into the cooker, but for an even better result, I prefer to add some extra flavor with herbs and lemon zest, and then brown the skin in a skillet.

This adds a bit of color to the chicken, which looks much better in the end. Then since I’ve dirtied the skillet, I use it to make delicious lemony gravy to serve with the chicken when they are done cooking.

For the best slow cooker chicken thighs, brown the skin in a skillet first, and then add to the slow cooker. No additional liquid is required.

For the best slow cooker chicken thighs, brown the skin in a skillet first, and then add to the slow cooker. No additional liquid is required.

In the photo below, I’m showing how the chicken looks after 5 hours of cooking. See all that liquid in the bottom? That’s pure gold. It’s a rich chicken broth that’s absolutely delicious stirred into our lemon gravy or simply spooned over the chicken. Just skim most of the fat from the top and you are all set.

I’m not sure I can even convey how tender the chicken turns out. It’s making my mouth water just looking at that photo.

Here’s what the chicken thighs look like after 5 hours of cooking in the slow cooker.

Here’s what the chicken thighs look like after 5 hours of cooking in the slow cooker. They are so unbelievably tender!

For The Best Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken, Make My Lemony Gravy

Slow Cooker Chicken Legs and Thighs Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Legs and Thighs Recipe

We impart lemony flavor into this chicken in two ways. The first way is to rub the chicken with a combination of mustard, lemon zest, herbs, and salt. After seasoning the chicken, I sear the chicken skin in a hot skillet until browned.

As I mentioned above, the searing step is not 100% necessary, but it ensures browned, delicious chicken skin when the chicken is done cooking. It also gives us the perfect opportunity to make flavorful gravy right in the skillet.

The lemon gravy is optional, but wow is it tasty. It’s easy and made directly in the pan used to sear the chicken in. By using the same pan, you get to scrape up any browned bits of chicken that got stuck on the bottom, which adds extra flavor.

To make the gravy, we whisk some of the rendered fat from searing the chicken with flour. Once the fat and flour has had a chance to cook for a minute, I pour in chicken stock and lemon juice.

Then I cook the gravy until it thickens slightly. It takes a minute or two, tops. (By the way, this is exactly how we make regular gravy).

And that’s it. Mouth-watering, tender, ultra-flavorful Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Thighs. It’s honestly one of the best chicken recipes we’ve shared.

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Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Thighs
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Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Thighs
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Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Thighs Recipe
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