This slow cooker chicken thighs recipe is a family favorite. We especially love the lemon gravy inspired by our skillet lemon chicken thighs. When cooked in a slow cooker, chicken thighs become tender and practically mouth-watering. It’s one of our favorite ways to use a slow cooker.
Key Ingredients
Chicken: For this slow cooker recipe, I prefer using skin-on chicken thighs. The skin helps protect the chicken from drying out, but you can definitely use skinless thighs if that’s your preference. Both bone-in and boneless thighs work well here. If you’d rather use chicken breast, just remember that it won’t be quite as tender. Mustard: This adds a zesty kick to the chicken. Feel free to use either Dijon or whole-grain mustard. Lemon: Both lemon zest and juice are key in this recipe. The zest goes into the spice rub for the chicken and the gravy, while the juice adds fresh lemon flavor to the gravy. Herbs: I like using oregano and thyme in my mustard spice rub. Dried herbs are perfect for this. Chicken stock: This forms the base of our delicious lemon gravy. You can use store-bought or homemade stock. Flour: Just 2 tablespoons of flour will help thicken the gravy nicely.
How to Make Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Thighs
Let’s start with the chicken! I always use skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. I find they stay juicier in the slow cooker. I also use them to make this slow cooker shredded chicken. To incorporate lots of flavor, I make a quick rub with mustard, lemon zest, oregano, thyme, and salt. Then, rub it all over the chicken thighs before searing them in a skillet for a few minutes. The chicken won’t pick up any color in the slow cooker, so this step guarantees that gorgeous golden-brown color you see in our photos. The seared chicken goes right into the slow cooker (no extra liquid is needed). As it cooks on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, the fat renders, and the chicken basically cooks in its own delicious juices. There is no need to add extra liquid like many other slow cooker chicken recipes. As the chicken cooks, I make the lemon gravy. It’s super easy, and I use the same skillet used for browning the chicken. I add a bit of flour and then a mixture of lemon juice and chicken stock. Then, I set it aside in the fridge to finish when the chicken is ready. Here’s what the chicken thighs look like after 4 hours of cooking. See all that liquid in the bottom? That’s pure gold. I skim the excess fat and mix the rest of the liquid with our lemon gravy. It’s so tasty!
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
When serving these slow cooker chicken thighs, choose a side that will help soak up all that delicious lemon gravy. I especially love this chicken and the gravy served over a bowl of grits, creamy mashed potatoes, or creamy mashed cauliflower. Some bread to soak up the sauce is nice, too. Try our homemade focaccia or these no-yeast flatbreads. I love some vegetables on the side, too. Try roasted carrots, crispy broccolini, sautéed vegetables, or roasted cabbage. 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or whole-grain mustard 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1/4 cup (60ml) lemon juice from 1 large lemon 1 ¼ cups (295ml) chicken stock 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2Rub the mustard mixture evenly over both sides of your chicken thighs using your fingers or a brush. 3Whisk together the remaining lemon zest (1 ½ teaspoons), lemon juice, and chicken stock in a separate bowl or measuring jug. Set aside. 4Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the skin is golden brown. 5Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker, skin-side up. Cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or until tender. 6Remove excess fat from the skillet (leave about 2 tablespoons). If needed, add butter to reach 2 tablespoons total. Whisk in the flour over medium heat until smooth and golden (about 1 minute). Gradually whisk in the reserved lemon-stock mixture until smooth and thickened. Transfer to a jar or measuring jug and refrigerate until the chicken is ready. 2Skim as much fat from the slow cooker as possible, but leave the rest of the liquid (there will be about 2 cups left). 3Warm the reserved sauce from earlier, pour it into the cooking liquid in the slow cooker, and stir to combine. Add the chicken to the slow cooker to keep warm, or serve with some lemony sauce.
