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
Violet albonico says
Could you cook this recipe in the oven?
Lorena Graeter says
Yes! Use a deep baking dish, not a baking sheet. 45 minutes at 400F should do the trick. Add the asparagus only 10-15 mins before the chicken and potatoes are done and preferably in a separate dish drizzled with some oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Alexandra E Osborne says
Can you use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes?
Lorena says
You could but they will be total mush. So more like mashed sweet potatoes.
Ouida says
Would this work with drumsticks? My kids eat them better & I made this once before with thighs & it was delicious
Lorena says
Yes, absolutely! It’ll work perfectly with drumsticks.
Kristy says
Loved the taste but the chicken thighs shredded after 5 hours on low!
Lorena says
Do you have a very large slow-cooker? I’ve now been told that larger slow-cookers heat more than small ones. Mine is only a 7-quart I believe.
Mary says
The carbs are high for this recipe. My husband is diabetic, and we really need to watch the carb intake. Is it due to the potatoes?
Lorena says
Yes, the carbs are due to the potatoes and honey. You can leave out the honey and instead of potatoes use some cauliflower or broccoli florets. Add them at the same time as the asparagus, not with the chicken.
Carb crusher says
You can also use radishes as a subsitute for the potatoes. I cook mine in the crockpot all the time and hubby swears they taste EXACTLY like red potatoes.
Lorena says
woooow!! That’s a great suggestion!
Jean says
Instant Pot directions – 30 minutes high pressure on poultry, then quick release. Add asparagus, 12 minutes high pressure on veggies, then quick release.
Sandra says
Hi can you use corn on the cob with this meal
Lorena says
Of course!! I haven’t tried myself but I assume you can even add that at the same time with the chicken and potatoes. Corn is way more forgiving than green veggies when cooked a little longer than usual.
Courtney Jack says
I regularly eat slow cooker chicken. I have picked this recipe to make for Thanksgiving. As it’s only myself and hubby. I am going to use leg quarters. 😋
Lorena says
Yay! I feel honored! You will absolutely love it! Great Thanksgiving dinner!
Tina says
Why is the fat grams and calories so high? It seems too high for the recipe?
Lorena says
Because of the chicken skin. If you just cook it but don’t eat it, calories and fat are reduced massively.
Matthew says
I would not recommend slow cooker chicken. I am fairly certain this is the meal that gave me the worst food poisoning I have endured in some time. Cook chicken safely.
Lorena says
I’m sorry you had to go through this Matthew but I can assure you this has nothing to do with the recipe and all with the ingredients used. If the chicken wasn’t fresh, there is no way you can cook it to make it safe to eat. I hope you recover quickly.
Danielle says
That’s not what makes chicken inedible: if you’re not cooking it all the way through (it has to be 165 degrees fahrenheit) it won’t be safe to eat, and if it’s not good chicken, it won’t be safe to eat.
I’ve cooked many chicken dishes in a crock pot and they’ve all turned out just fine.
M Martin says
Been using a slow cooker for chicken for over 25 years and have never had a problem. Something else made you sick.
Beverly says
Could you use chicken breast and it still come out the same
Lorena says
You can “in theory”. I don’t recommend it though. Chicken breasts dry out when cooked in the slow-cooker unless drenched in sauce or soup. Save your breasts for oven baking or pan frying.
David Miller says
We need to double the recipe. What do you recommend for cook time for thighs and then the veggies? Using for a dinner party of 8.
Thanks
Lorena says
All stays the same for doubling the recipe in a large slow-cooker (7 quart and up). I can’t speak for small slow-cookers.
Casey says
How would you recommend substituting/cooking fresh green beans or broccoli with this instead of the asparagus? Time wise…
Lorena says
They take about the same time. All 3 of them.
Jennifer says
I only have boneless, skinless thighs. Does the cooking time change?
Lorena says
No, the cooking time stays the same.
Agnieszka says
Hi 🙂,
I don’t have slow cooked but I am going to try to make it in the oven.
What would be recomended temperature in this case….? 🙂
Best greetings,
Agnieszka
Lorena says
Check out my latest blog post on my website 😁 It’s basically the same recipe but in the oven, haha.