The most flavorful slow cooker chicken thighs served with hearty vegetables! Tender pieces of chicken, potatoes, carrots, and corn, all simmered in a lemon, garlic, and herb sauce.
If you’re a fan of Crock-Pot meals, check out my other recipes for chicken noodle soup, turkey breast, and honey garlic chicken.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Bone-in chicken thighs stay tender and juicy during long cooking because their higher fat and connective tissue soften with heat, while the porous bones help regulate even cooking.
- Braising chicken thighs in the slow cooker creates a steamy and hot environment for the poultry and vegetables to tenderize.
- The collagen in the connective tissues of the chicken breaks down and turns into gelatin, adding flavor and body to the sauce.
Featured Comment 184
“I made this for the first time and it was delicious. It was enjoyed by the most finicky eater in my house. I am not a good cook but the recipe was so simple to follow, will definitely make again.”—Alex
Why It Works
Slow cooker chicken thighs are the perfect meal for lazy Sunday suppers or busy weeknight dinners. Protein and hearty root vegetables simmer in a light lemon sauce that infuses tons of flavor. As an option, I recommend searing the chicken on the stovetop to elevate this dish before adding it to the vessel. Doing so adds a flavorful golden brown hue to the skin and a crisp texture.
The skin-on chicken thighs braise inside the Crock-Pot, creating tender pieces of meat and vegetables that absorb the fragrant gravy. Adding in fresh rosemary and thyme creates earthy and enticing aromas. Make sure to drizzle a little more sauce over your plate before serving. This is a delicious recipe that your family will love.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: Affordable chicken thighs are chosen for this recipe because they are rich in flavor. The higher fat content compared to lean chicken breasts keeps them juicy. I like bone-in pieces because they prevent the poultry from overcooking. Leave the skin on; the extra fat renders onto the meat during slow cooking, enhancing the flavor.
- Vegetables: The mix of red onion, garlic, carrots, potatoes, and corn adds flavor and heartiness. Onions and garlic release sulfur compounds that mellow into savory sweetness, carrots infuse natural sugars for balance, while waxy red potatoes become creamy and stay intact through long cooking.
- Seasoning: The chicken is seasoned with salt and pepper and pan-seared in fruity olive oil before cooking.
- Herbs: Sprigs of thyme and rosemary slowly release their fat-soluble aromatic oils during cooking, infusing the broth with earthy, piney, and slightly floral notes.
- Sauce: Chicken stock provides savory depth, flour thickens the liquid, salt and pepper season and enhance flavor, and lemon juice adds acidity to brighten the richness of the chicken and vegetables. Just pour the mixture right into the pot!
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This slow cooker chicken thighs recipe can be easily customized! Try these delicious options:
- Chicken Options: Boneless chicken thighs will cook faster. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 to 170ºF (74 to 77ºC), and cover to keep warm. Chicken breast can be used; cook until it reaches 160 to 165ºF (71 to 74ºF).
- Seasoning Swaps: You can season the chicken with a spice mixture like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Try my Cajun seasoning for a spicy kick or add red pepper flakes. Add one tablespoon of soy sauce if you want a more robust umami flavor in the sauce.
- Vegetable Substitutes: Add diced sweet potatoes, butternut squash, brussels sprouts, green beans, or mushrooms.
- Make the Sauce Gluten-Free: Mix 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water. Strain the lemon sauce into a pot. Bring the liquid to a boil, then slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook, stirring continuously, until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
Trimming the excess skin and fat from the chicken prevents the slow cooker from collecting too much rendered grease, which can make the sauce oily. Seasoning both sides with salt and pepper allows them to diffuse into the meat while in the crockpot.
Step 2: Sear the Chicken
Because the skin is fatty, I first like to brown the chicken on the stovetop in some olive oil. Pan-seared thighs have more flavor and an attractive appearance. Skipping this step will create a flabbier texture and greasier sauce.
Pro Tip: The moist environment in the slow cooker will soften the skin, but you will have an opportunity to further crisp the skin in the broiler before serving.
Step 3: Add the Vegetables
Use at least a 6-quart Crock-Pot to fit all of the ingredients. Make a bed of vegetables using onions, potatoes, carrots, corn, and garlic at the bottom of the vessel to elevate the chicken pieces. Add the seared chicken in a single layer, along with thyme and rosemary sprigs.
Step 4: Prepare the Sauce
The best part of this chicken recipe is that the sauce is made right in the same pot, thickening and becoming more flavorful as time passes. The mixture of chicken broth or stock, flour, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and thyme simmers together gently, forming a delicious liquid.
Ingredient Chemistry: As the temperature gradually increases in the sealed slow cooker, the starches in the flour absorb the liquid, swell, and gelatinize at the endpoint cooking temperature for maximum thickness.
Step 5: Slow Cook
Cover and cook on the high setting for 2 to 4 hours, or on the low setting for 4 to 6 hours. You may need to adjust cook time depending on the thickness of the meat and the size of the root vegetables. The thickest part of the chicken should reach between 165 to 170ºF (74 to 77ºC), and the potatoes should be easily pierced with a knife.
Step 6: To Serve
With a bit of patience, the chicken becomes extremely tender. If desired, strain the sauce to make it smooth and remove any bits. The sauce can be further reduced on the stovetop for a thicker consistency. The baby red potatoes, carrot slices, and corn wheels gently bubble in the fragrant garlic and herb gravy for a complete dinner.
Expert Tip: To crisp up the chicken skin after slow cooking, brush it with oil, then broil it on a sheet pan until crunchy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dark meat contains more chewy connective tissue and fat. For meat that falls off the bone, it’s best to simmer the thighs. Braising in a slow cooker creates a moist heat environment that turns collagen into rich gelatin and renders fat, resulting in moist and tender pieces.
Browning the meat or skin adds more flavor due to the Maillard browning process. It also renders the excess fat from the thighs to prevent greasiness. Don’t thoroughly cook the meat, just create the golden crust since it can’t be achieved in a steamy pot.
If not carefully monitored, lean white meat like breasts can become tough in the slow cooker. Dark meat, like thighs and legs, benefits from the moist heat environment and long cook time. The fat adds flavor and a protective barrier to the meat. Bones don’t heat up as fast and won’t overcook as quickly.
It does not need to be fully submerged in liquid. As the ingredients in the pot cook, the heat will cause the chicken and vegetables (if used) to release some juices. Plus, any additional liquids added to the pot will generate steam to cook any exposed ingredients in the covered pot.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
If you tried this Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, about 1 to 1 ½ pounds
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more for seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup red onion, 1" dice
- 1 ½ cups carrots, 1" pieces
- 1 pound baby red potatoes, cut in half, quartered if large
- 1 ear corn, cut into 4 pieces
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
- 1 ¼ cup unsalted chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus 4 wedges for serving
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs rosemary
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken – Trim excess skin and fat from the chicken thighs. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Sear Chicken – Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add olive oil. Add the chicken skin-side down. Sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate.
- Add Vegetables – To a 6-quart slow cooker, add onions, carrots, potatoes, corn, and garlic. Add the seared chicken on top of the vegetables, plus thyme, and rosemary.
- Prepare Sauce – In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, chicken stock, flour, and lemon juice. Add the sauce to the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook – Cover and cook for 2 to 4 hours on the High setting, or 4 to 6 hours on the Low setting, or until the chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.If desired, place the chicken on a sheet pan and broil to crisp the skin (see notes).
- To Serve – Transfer the chicken and vegetables to serving plates. If desired, strain the sauce liquid, and season with salt and pepper. Serve the meal with lemon wedges and sauce.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Crispy Chicken Skin: To make the skin on the chicken crispy again after slow cooking, transfer the chicken to a foil-lined sheet pan. Brush lightly with olive oil and broil in the oven about 10 inches from the upper heating element, about 3 to 7 minutes.
- Make it Gluten-Free: Substitute all-purpose flour with 2 ½ tablespoons arrowroot powder, or 3 tablespoons cassava flour. Alternatively, make a slurry by mixing 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water. Mix it into the cooking liquid in the last 45 minutes of cooking.
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Cover and microwave on high setting in 30-second increments until hot.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Stephanie says
Hello, to get a crispy exterior, what oven temperature would you put the chicken in? Thank you!
Jessica Gavin says
Set the oven to about 500-degrees, and keep an eye on the browning on the skin.
Alyssa says
I LOVE this recipe! I have made it several times now. I would love to make this for a crowd, but I would need multiple crockpots. Would it be possible to make just the chicken in a larger quantity in one crockpot or would that alter the flavors and cooking times?
Jessica Gavin says
You could make the chicken in a separate pot and it may cook quicker. The vegetables would not absorb the juice so it may not be as flavorful.
Linda says
trying this for the first time. My chicken thighs did not say boneless; once opened I found, what I think, is a chicken thigh bone; therefore not boneless.
Do to the amount of skin on the thighs I removed it. Thought the dish would be too greasy with all the fat from the skin. Starting in a dutch oven at 325 for 60 mins. Will check at the 1 hr mark Will report back, if I can find this site again, as to how it went
Danielle Story says
I only have boneless skinless chicken thighs. Would this still work?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can use boneless chicken thighs but it will cook quicker. I would cut the root vegetables smaller to take into account the quicker cook time.
Philpott Philpott says
I have yet to try the food. But I was checking the food, and it seems to have a very bitter sour smell. I followed the directions word for word. But my question is could putting a little too much rosemary, and thyme make the food smell bitter? If so how would I fix this without getting that smell?
Jessica Gavin says
The sour aroma could be coming from the lemon juice. Bitterness possibly from the garlic, but that mellows out over time.
Susan Jerabek says
Can you use frozen corn on the Cobb? I’m going to try it tonight I pray it comes out alright.. Susan J
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can use frozen corn on the cobb. Is it already fully cooked? If not, I would defrost it in some lukewarm water first.
Maggie says
This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! I’m wondering if it will work well with cornstarch instead of flour. I’m trying to avoid gluten but I have never tried thickening a sauce right in the crock pot, so I’m not sure how it would turn out with cornstarch.
Jessica Gavin says
I would use 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of cold water. Add the liquid to a pot on the stovetop at the end of cooking, bring it to a boil, then stir in the cornstarch, stir continuously, and cook until thickened, about 1-2 minute. Let me know how it goes!
Paola says
Delicious. My whole family loved it. Forgot ky crockpot, so had to make it the old fashioned way. But it was fantastic anyway. I’ll try it again tonight.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, Paola! Glad to hear that it worked on the stovetop as well.
Pais says
Do I have to broil the chicken at the end? My oven isn’t working just now so relying on slow cooker meals.
Jean says
Tried this recipe; after 5 hours on low and one hour on high, it was still not anywhere near 165* for the chicken and the vegetables were barely half done. I should have noticed that the timing was very different from other chicken/vegetable recipes. Finally dumped everything in a large bowl and put it in the oven. The carrots and onions were still crunchy but everything else was finally done. Flavor was good but next time I will increase the amount of seasoning.
Jessica Gavin says
I appreciate your feedback, Jean! I’m glad that you were able to complete cooking in the oven. Perhaps you can also cut the vegetables a little smaller next time? Looking forward to hearing your feedback!
Loralee Hurley says
This is a delicious and easy recipe. Have made it several times. Put it on in the morning and have dinner ready when you get home from work.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, Loralee! I love that you can have dinner waiting for you when you get home, that’s always so nice.
Irving says
I just put everything into the crock pot but I changed a process in the recipe. Since after browning I had a pan full of browned bits I decided to add some more oil to the pan, take the flour and form a roux. After that I deglazed with some white wine and then hit it with the chicken stock. When it was slightly thickened, I added the herbs and then tossed that sauce into the slow cooker with the veggies and chicken.
We’ll see how things turn out in 4 hours. Cheers!