Crockpot Chicken Thighs with Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce – If you are looking for an easy but delicious crock pot dinner idea, then this crockpot chicken thighs recipe is for you! The chicken thighs cook up tender and juicy in a buttery lemon garlic sauce. This chicken recipe is very easy to make in the crock pot and the flavor is outstanding. We guarantee your family will love this slow cooker chicken thighs recipe and put it on the family favorite rotation list! Serve the chicken thighs over a bed of cauliflower rice (ideal for keto or low carb diet) or rice with a salad and dinner is done. Hint, if you make rice (or cauliflower rice) in the Instant Pot, this crockpot chicken dinner gets crazy easy.
Ingredients list for the Crock-Pot Butter Chicken Thighs
- 6-8 boneless chicken thighs, skinless or with skin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes, or Cayenne (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 stick butter, diced
- Zest of half a lemon
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
- Chopped fresh parsley and lemon slices, for garnish
How To Make Chicken in the Crockpot
This crockpot chicken thighs recipe is SUPER easy to make. Simply place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Combine 1/3 cup chicken broth, lemon juice, and zest. Pour the broth over the chicken. Season the chicken with Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, crushed red chili pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Top chicken with fresh minced garlic and diced butter. Cook on High for 3-4 hours.
Once the chicken thighs are cooked, serve the chicken over white rice, pasta, cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, zucchini noodles, or egg noodles.
If you want a thinner sauce, add about 1/2 to 1 cup of water or chicken broth to the soup mixture.
Recipe tips for the crockpot chicken thighs recipe
This chicken thighs recipe in the slow cooker is very accommodating and you can customize it to your taste. The chicken thighs is super quick to prep and the delicious garlic lemon butter herb sauce is to die for! Here are a few tips to make it even better!
- Try cooking the chicken over a bed of chunky cauliflower florets. This instantly turns the crockpot chicken thighs recipe into a one-pot dinner, and the cauliflower side is packed with flavor since it will soak up the fat and juices from the chicken thighs. If you’re not on a Keto or low carb diet, cook the crockpot chicken thighs over a bed of baby or new potatoes instead.
- If you want to give your crockpot chicken thighs dinner a zesty touch to brighten the flavor, add a dash of fresh lemon juice at the end of cooking.
- Make sure to use skinless chicken thighs. Chicken skin contains fat that will make the crockpot dish too greasy, especially when we use butter in the sauce. If you’re not fond of chicken thighs, go for skinless chicken breasts instead–They are lean and shred easily after being slow-cooked!
- Shredding chicken meat is also a great option. Simply remove the cooked chicken thighs from the crockpot and shred on a cutting board after removing the bone. Add chicken back to the crockpot and mix with the sauce to combine and reheat quickly before serving the crockpot chicken.
Directions
1. To make this crockpot chicken thighs recipe: Place chicken thighs at the bottom of your slow cooker. Combine 1/3 cup chicken broth, lemon juice, and zest, and pour over chicken thighs. 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.
2. Cover the crockpot and cook the chicken thighs for 3-4 hours on HIGH or 6-8 hours on LOW.
3. Sprinkle your crockpot chicken thighs dinner with chopped parsley and garnish with lemon slices. Serve hot with cauliflower rice, spiralized zucchini noodles, rice, pasta or quinoa. Enjoy! 
