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!
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WINpkr says
I tried this Easy Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken recipe, and it was a hit with my family! The flavors were bright and refreshing, and it was so easy to prepare. Thank you for sharing such a delicious and healthy dish!
JS says
Loved this! Juicy and tons of flavor! I had green beans so just tossed those in the last hour with seasoning and it turned out so well! Thanks!
Nikki k says
So per my lab work all my cholesterol is high , high uric acid , good cholesterol is low so time to get on my cooking game ” been slacking and eating out to much ” !
I’ve recently started my instant pot journey and while I absolutely love it, I don’t have time to man the thing ! my son is in tournament soccer which means 3-5 games sat thru Sunday. So pulling out the crockpot and going give this recipe a try! Looks delicious, can’t wait! Will update soon!
Kristin says
No flavor! I was sad! Just a basic. Crockpot meal. I should have doubled the sauce.
Donna says
Hi Lorena would you please advise how to switch the cooking method for Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken from slow cooker to instant pot? I was going to make it then looked up the recipe and it’s much too late in the day to use the slowcooker. Thanks!
Lorena Grater says
Here you go: https://greenhealthycooking.com/instant-pot-lemon-chicken/
Thomas Fernandez says
Tried the Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken and loved it!!
The aromatic herbs filled the house with the wonderful smell that was just a tease of what was to come.
Question: Can the recipe be made the night before and cooked the next day?
Also, any insight on placing the cold from the fridge crock into the warmer?
suggested time at room temp before heating, etc…
Many thanks
Thomas
Lorena Grater says
I’m not sure, I haven’t tried it. I have put fridge-cold slow cooker insert into the slow cooker before though and it worked. I used low only so there wouldn’t be a shock in temperature that could get the insert to crack and I added an extra 2 hours to account for the extra time it takes the cooker to get to temperature. I do wonder though if with chicken it’s safe to do because it’ll sit at “danger temp” much longer than if the inner bowl wasn’t so cold. That’s a whole other topic you have to keep in mind.
Michele says
Thank you, Lorena. I made it with the sugar free maple syrup and it worked! Two thumbs up from my hubby and me. Granted, it would have probably been better with your original recipe with honey, but this was definitely a good substitution for those who don’t eat (or just don’t happen to have it in the house) honey. Adding it to the rotation!
Michele says
Hello there, I am wondering what your thoughts are on substituting sugar free maple syrup for the honey. Please advise. Thank you!
Lorena Grater says
That should “in theory” work. I haven’t tried though so not 100% sure.
Ana Doyle says
Dear Lorena,
Thank you for my green healthy cooking recipes (31). Your instructions are so simple and clear that if feels like you’re standing right next to me and talking to me. Yesterday was first day of autumn and was a little bit chilly 🥶 here in Sydney so I decided to cook Chicken and veggies stew, well that was a winner with my family and especially for me using green healthy cooking recipes it made me proud, so thank you!. I have tried out the kale/quinoa salad, well let me tell you, this is the best salad I’ve eaten and made it myself, thanks to green healthy cooking. It was so delicious, especially with the dressing, fantastic. I felt so content I had a really good night sleep and I felt so good waking up and throughout the day, did not feel hungry until later in the evening, amazing feeling for me. Kept forgetting to take pictures, but will be cooking more of your recipes. School holidays end of this week, it’s Easter break, my grandson and I will be making Chocolate coated bananas and oatmeal cookies. Thank you!!!
Have a wonderful week 🤗♥️
Lorena Grater says
I am so so happy to read you and your family enjoyed this recipe.
Marcella Ryan says
We are always looking for wholesome but quick week night meals so we tested this one today. So delicious, fresh and healthy. I love the tip to broil the chicken at the end and to steam asparagus right on top of potatoes during the last 5 minutes. It tastes like a Sunday dinner on a busy week night.
Kim says
This is super easy to make. Just 10 min prep time and leave to cook for hours. I used boneless, skinless thigh and they broke apart when I tried to remove them, but it was very light and tasty. I am saving the leftover sauce to add to a salad in the week. This one is a win for me..
Rachel says
How long in the crockpot with the boneless?
Lorena Grater says
Same time.
Jennifer says
I wonder if green beans would stand for the entire cooking process? My husband likes his vegetables overcooked so that they are soft, not crirp.
Lorena Grater says
Yes. If you like them overcooked then it’ll work great. Also carrots and celery.
Sunil says
I’d really like to try this – can I make this as meal prep?
Can I just portion the chicken thighs into tupperware and heat up over a few days?
if so, anything I need to be aware of to make sure it doesn’t get dry?
Lorena Grater says
Yes! It’s the perfect recipe for meal prep. It won’t dry out. Keep in air-tight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you plan on eating later I recommend freezing.
Ck says
How about boneless skinless thighs?
Lorena Grater says
works perfectly with boneless skinless thighs.
Derby says
I’ve made this recipe before and is making it again today. This should tell you something.