A super easy Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken recipe full of lemon flavor and tons of delicious garlic. No need for sides as the potatoes and veggies are cooked right in the crockpot with the bone-in chicken thighs.
Tried and loved by HUNDREDS of people. This recipe went mega-viral on social media and the feedback has been incredible.
There are days in the week where you have to have dinner ready within 15-20 minutes from the moment you enter the front door.
Of course, you can always make a fried egg and eat it with some bread but after a while, that can get pretty boring. Doesn’t a delicious Lemon Chicken sound so much better?
This is where our slow-cooker comes into the game. What an amazing tool this is!
This Crockpot Lemon Chicken recipe can be made in as little as 3 hours and up to 8 hours. Which makes it perfect for many different schedules. If you prefer rice over potatoes you may want to check out my Crockpot Chicken and Rice recipe instead.
Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken Thighs
I know I will get this question so I’m going to address it right away: “Can I use Chicken Breasts?”
Well of course you “CAN”. The question though is if you should and for this specific Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken recipe (and many others for that matter) I do not recommend it.
Here is why: Chicken breasts that are steamed or cooked for too long become incredibly dry. The only way to get around this is completely submerging them in sauce and making sure not to cook too long.
Bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs are much more forgiving. There is almost no way to overcook them. So I highly, highly recommend using those for this Crockpot Lemon Chicken.
You won’t regret it. I promise.
To address the fear of a soggy, leathery skin: yes, it will be soggy and leathery but you have two options once the chicken thighs are cooked through. Either remove and discard the skin. It will be super easy to remove at this point.
OR, place the chicken thighs on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. The skin will crisp up super nicely and taste absolutely fantastic.
If you are concerned about the fat rendered into the lemon sauce due to the skin you can always pass the sauce through a fat separator. I love those things. They are perfect for ANY sauce.
Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken And Potatoes
What you will probably love most about this recipe is that the sides are cooked right in the crockpot with the chicken.
Potatoes don’t need to be submerged in any liquid to cook through. You can place them all to one side or layer on top of the chicken.
The best potatoes to use are baby potatoes. They hold their shape the best. No need to peel them either because the skin is very soft and stays stuck on the potato halves as opposed to fall off and float around in the sauce.
If you want them crispy you can place them next to the chicken thighs on a baking sheet and also broil for 3-5 minutes. 3 minutes if you preheated the oven, 5 minutes if you didn’t.
I also like to add my veggies right into the pot, but at the end. Not for the whole cooking process. You risk vegetables becoming mush if you cook them for so long. The only vegetables that can withstand long cooking times are root vegetables.
You can use carrots or celery instead of asparagus if you prefer to cook everything in the crockpot from the beginning and be able to eat within 5 minutes of walking in through the front door.
I prefer fast cooking veggies that stay crispy though for some freshness and crunch in the meal.
Thin green asparagus cooks within 15-20 minutes max with the crockpot set on high. So it’s perfect as side for this Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken.
Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 red onion
- 6-8 chicken thighs - bone in, skin on
- 1-1.5 lbs baby potatoes
- 1 lemon
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- sea salt
- pepper
- bunch thin green asparagus
Instructions
- Peel and slice red onion and add to the bottom of the slow cooker in one layer.
- Add chicken thighs on top in one layer.
- Wash and half baby potatoes and add to slow-cooker.
- In a small bowl mix zest of 1 lemon, juice of that same lemon, olive oil, honey, thyme, sea salt, pepper and finely chopped garlic and then pour over ingredients in slow cooker.
- Put lid on and secure, then set to high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours (depending on your schedule. 3 hours on high being the minimum and 4 the maximum and 6 hours being the minimum and 8 hours the maximum when set on low).
- 15-20 minutes before the time is over, set slow cooker to high and add asparagus on top and put lid back on. The thicker the asparagus, the longer it will take.
- optional but recommended: 5 minutes before the time is over, remove the chicken thighs, place on a baking sheet and put under the broiler on high for 3-5 minutes or until the skin is golden.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Vietnamese Sticky Chicken
Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
Mushroom Collard Green Potatoes
Diane Growitz says
I was a little leery about making this because of the “boring” comments. Good grief!! I cannot imagine why it received those comments. This recipe has it all – VERY quick to make; subtly delicious (the lemon flavor seeps into the onions and makes them amazing); and one pot! What more can you ask? I do agree that it is oily (and I halved the OO), but that is to be expected with bone in, skin on thighs. We have chosen to save the sauce, chill it to skim off the fat, and use it in tomorrow night’s rice. I think a fat separator would be good, I just don’t own one (I will go get one, though). So – if you are like me and wonder whether this recipe is “worth” your time and effort. It is no time, teeny effort and absolutely delicious!
Lorena Grater says
Fat separators are incredible! I use mine a lot. A really good investment. I often wonder if people don’t use enough salt. In the end “blandness” is 90% lack of salt in my opinion.
Jackie V says
It’s ok. Not my favorite. I felt that the chicken was kinda pastey. I did put it in the oven under the broiler to brown it. I had to add salt and pepper in the end. I probably won’t make it again.
Katie says
This recipe is so easy to make and so flavorful! I will definitely make this again.
My only thing however is when I tried to take the chicken out towards the end to throw it under the broiler, it started falling apart. This isn’t a make or break though.
Lorena Grater says
Yes, the good thing about slow-cooking is that the meat becomes “fall-apart tender” but it makes it harder to keep as a whole for the broiler. Using big flat tongs helps or using a big spoon or spatula.
Mary says
I wanted to love this. I cooked it all on high for 330 and then added the asparagus for 45 minutes because it was thick. I broiled it all in the oven for 5 minutes and it looked pretty…but it really was bland. I even made the juice into gravy but it didn’t really make it any better. If I do make this again, I’ll season the chicken more, maybe sear it too. I’ll probably season the potatoes too and definitely salt the veggies.
Shelby Brigman says
Does this freeze well? Trying to prep meals for when my daughter is born and I’d love to give this a try.
Lorena Grater says
Yes, it freezes perfectly.
Mary says
Sorry new to freezing meals and I’m also post pregnancy prepping…do I freeze them precooked? Or do I have to cook and then freeze them?
Lorena Grater says
I recommend cooking this first and then freezing it.
Toni says
My husband and I enjoyed this. I enjoyed how simple it was to prepare. Will make again!
Rosemary Christensen says
This looks delicious! But I must say that locking the lid while cooking is prohibited. It states in the directions of this same crockpot!
Lina says
Hi! I made this for dinner last night and it was a hit with everyone! Thank you so much for sharing! I used boneless, skinless thighs that’s what we prefer here and I browned them slightly before adding to the slow cooker. I added the potatoes as directed but cooked vegetables in a separate pan (I made zucchini, mushrooms and spinach-YUM!) I will definitely make this again– THANK YOU!
Carlos says
I cooked this and the family said it was the nicest meal they have ever had and it was so easy. This meant a lot to me as I’m learning to cook at the age of 57. Thanks for this and all your recipes
Margie says
Yummy Yummy Yummy! I made this last night and there was no leftover. The sauce was “OMG”. I used fresh green beans and my 3yr old great granddaughter ate them. She hasn’t eaten green beans in a long time. She devour her dinner plate. This one is definitely a keeper.
Sactowngirl says
I made this recipe and followed the instructions to a T and it came out delicious! But let’s get one fact straight! There is no way the prep time is 5
minutes as stated on the recipe! In 5 minutes, who on earth can cut up onions, zest a lemon, squeeze that lemon, assemble all the other ingredients needed to make the sauce, rinse the potatoes, cut them in half, rinse the green beans, and trim the tips? I mean, let’s at least KEEP IT REAL. :)
Lorena Grater says
You are right, I timed it with everything out and ready. Cutting board, bowls, knives, everything ready. I changed it to 10 minutes. That’s more realistic with having to pull out equipment.
Melinda Hammersley says
Your should be cooked for 6/7 hours in a slow cooker don’t were these quick cooking times come from new age that why it called a slow cooker
Lorena Grater says
It’s 3-4 hours on “high” or 6-8 hours on “low”. The change in temperature makes the difference.
Teresa says
After reading these reviews and making this dish I had to write a review! I’m no Sous-Cheft (pretty sure that’s why we are all on Pinterest looking for dinner ideas) but to those that say “it was bland” or “it was dry” y’all really can’t cook! (I said it) This was so easy and so flavorful! I cooked with boneless thighs and because I read the reviews that “it was bland” , I was taste checking throughout the cooking & added as needed! & my family loved it! I will definitely be making this again!
Lorena Grater says
I’m so happy to read you enjoyed it Teresa :)
KD says
Just okay. Potatos weren’t done within 3.5 hours on high.
There wasn’t much flavor to the chicken which I had high hopes for. Asparagus cooked great in 20 minutes but again, no flavor.
Theresa says
I found this to be an easy and tasty recipe.
Rachel Jane says
It was very good, I found it to be oily. I’m not sure if some of that was the fat from the chicken thighs. If I make it again, I think I will use less oil. Otherwise it was delicious.