Slow-Cooker Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs Recipe Is a Chef's Favorite by Chef Gigi

I love this slow-cooker lemon, garlic and butter chicken thighs recipe, and so does my family. I really like to serve the juices over steamed brown rice and with a side dish of quickly sautéed buttered zucchini. But the best part is, this easy chicken thighs recipe cooks itself.

This slow-cooker boneless chicken thighs recipe is slowly cooked in chicken broth, lemon zest and juice, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red chili flakes, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic and butter. Cook the chicken for three to four hours on high or six to eight hours on low. The smell as all the simple ingredients cook together will fill your house and make your stomach growl. The family won't be able to wait until dinner is on the table.

Serve this slow-cooker recipe with brown rice, couscous or your favorite steamed vegetable. Pack the leftovers in an airtight container to take for lunch the day. This is one high-protein chicken dinner you'll make over and over again! (Especially after you read about the health benefits of protein.)

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 to 4 hours (high) or 6 to 8 hours (low)
Total Time: 3 hours and 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 8 boneless chicken thighs, skinless or with skin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 2 lemons, cut in half
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or ground cayenne (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 4 tablespoons butter, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
• chopped fresh parsley and lemon slices, for garnish (optional)

Here's how to make it:

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan on medium-high heat. Salt and pepper your chicken thighs and sear, skin side down, until browned on the outside, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from pan and place chicken at the bottom of your slow cooker. You could use other chicken pieces instead of thighs, or bone-in chicken.
2. Pour the chicken broth into the pan and deglaze, scraping up any remaining bits. Pour the pan juices over the thighs inside the slow cooker. Add the lemon juice, zest and halved lemon rinds. Don't have lemons? Try this recipe with oranges or limes.
3. In a small bowl, combine Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, crushed red chili pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the spice mix over the chicken thighs. Top with fresh minced garlic and diced butter. 
4. Cover and cook the chicken thighs for 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. Chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F internal temperature on a food thermometer. Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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