Crockpot Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs

This recipe is seriously a game-changer. It’s one of the easiest ways to cook chicken thighs, and you still get a good crust on top from the spice blend that’s rubbed on the chicken before cooking. Serve over pasta or on a bed of rice to soak up that delicious sauce!

If you love this recipe, you’ll love our Skillet Chicken Thighs and our Magic Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs.

Why My Recipe

• Set it and forget it slow cooker recipe with minimal prep time.
• Juicy, flavorful chicken ready to eat without the bones getting in the way.
• Easily repurpose leftovers for soups, salads, and tacos.

I developed this recipe to give you an easy way to cook chicken thighs without using your stovetop or oven! What’s great bout this recipe is the fact that you don’t even need to add any extra liquid! You can totally use your slow cooker without having to dump any cans in or broth. The butter, garlic, and lemon cook together with the chicken to create the sauce! So you get a delicious sauce built right in, but your chicken thighs aren’t completely swimming in it, so you still get that nice, seasoned crust on top!

Ingredient Notes

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: A leaner option without the skin yet still super moist and cooks quickly. You can use bone-in chicken thighs and with the skin, but it will increase your cooking time.
• Spice Blend: Our blend of paprika, garlic and onion powder, dried oregano and basil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes adds so much flavor with a slight kick of heat.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic provides the best flavor, but jarred works too. Jarred just has a less sweet, slightly more bitter flavor.
• Lemon: This recipe uses the zest and juice from the lemon. The zest and fresh juice bring so much flavor to this dish—you don’t want to skip it!
• Butter: Slice into small, tablespoon-size pieces to evenly place on top of the chicken. We use salted butter, but you can use unsalted and add an extra pinch of salt.
• Parsley: Optional, but highly recommended. Use freshly chopped parsley for a pop of color and herby freshness!

Adjust the Heat Level

For less heat: You can easily leave out the red pepper flakes if you’re looking for something that’s a little more on the mild side.

For more heat: Simply add a 1/2–1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, chili powder, or cumin. You could also bump up the red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon or add a dash (or more) of your favorite hot sauce!

Use Those Leftovers!

You can easily repurpose your chicken into other meals. For example, you can use them in sandwiches or salads, or you can shred the meat and use it in tacos or burritos. You can also use them in soups or stews. The possibilities are endless, so feel free to be creative!

Make it a Meal

Steamed Rice: A simple side of steamed rice is an excellent way to enjoy the flavorful juices from the chicken. Rice is a great option because it absorbs all the delicious drippings. You can use plain white rice or brown rice depending on your preference.

Potatoes: We love this crispy chicken paired with simple, roasted potatoes or served on top of fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes.

Vegetables: Add some green with some roasted broccoli or Brussel sprouts. You can always make things easy with our frozen veggies hacks. The whole point of this dinner is to keep things simple!