Description
Delicious and tender boneless chicken thighs slow cooked in a savory garlic butter sauce with a blend of herbs and spices, enhanced by fresh lemon zest and broth to create a rich, flavorful meal perfect for effortless weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon seasoning
- ½ tablespoon garlic herb seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Aromatics and Liquids
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 whole lemon, zested and sliced
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
Thickener
- 1 tablespoon corn starch (mixed with cooking liquid, optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Add your cleaned chicken thighs to your slow cooker and evenly sprinkle all the seasonings (chicken bouillon, garlic herb seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper, smoked paprika, black pepper, dried rosemary, thyme, and oregano) over them. Use clean hands or tongs to toss and coat each piece thoroughly with the spices.
- Add Aromatics and Butter: Place the minced garlic cloves directly into the slow cooker atop the chicken. Then, distribute the pieces of unsalted butter evenly over the chicken thighs.
- Prepare Lemon: Zest the lemon carefully to avoid the bitter white pith, collecting about 1 teaspoon of zest. Slice the lemon and layer the slices over the chicken and butter in the slow cooker.
- Add Broth: Pour the low sodium chicken broth gently around the edges of the crockpot, ensuring the seasonings remain mostly on the chicken without washing them away.
- Slow Cook the Chicken: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours until the chicken is tender and juicy.
- Make the Gravy: Before serving, mix 1 tablespoon of corn starch with about ¼ cup of the hot cooking liquid from the slow cooker to form a smooth slurry. Stir this mixture back into the slow cooker and mix gently into the juices to thicken into a light gravy.
- Serve: Serve the flavorful slow cooked chicken thighs and gravy over mashed potatoes or rice for a comforting, satisfying meal.
Notes
- These Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs cook low and slow in a garlic butter sauce until perfectly juicy, tender, and flavorful.
- This recipe makes an easy weeknight dinner that requires minimal hands-on time.
- The optional cornstarch slurry helps create a delicious gravy from the cooking juices.
- Use low sodium chicken broth to control the saltiness of the final dish.
- Fresh lemon zest adds brightness without bitterness—avoid zesting too deeply into the rind.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 thigh with gravy
- Calories: 155 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 782 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.05 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 109 mg
