Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

This slow cooker lemon garlic chicken is one of those recipes you’ll want to make over and over again. Tender, juicy chicken thighs with a bright lemony flavor and just the right amount of garlic.

The best part? Your slow cooker does almost all the work. You just toss everything in and let it cook low and slow until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.

And if you want crispy skin on top of all that tenderness, a quick few minutes under the broiler takes care of that. It’s the best of both worlds.

The pan juices you get from the slow cooker are incredible. Spooning those over the finished chicken makes the whole dish come together perfectly.

Serve it with rice, roasted vegetables, or a simple salad. It works with pretty much anything you have on hand.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

The Broil Step Is a Game Changer – Most slow cooker chicken recipes give you soggy skin, but the quick broil at the end gives you that golden crispy skin on top of meat that’s already melt-in-your-mouth tender, so you get the best of both worlds.

The Pan Juices Are Like a Built-In Sauce – The butter, lemon juice, garlic, and chicken broth cook down together for hours into a rich lemony sauce you can spoon right over the chicken and your sides without making a separate gravy.

Bright and Fresh Flavor Without Heavy Cream or Cheese – The combination of fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and smoked paprika gives this dish a bright, savory flavor that feels lighter and more exciting than typical slow cooker comfort food.

Ingredients

• 3 lb Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Thighs (about 6 thighs)
• 6 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup Fresh Lemon Juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 tbsp Lemon Zest
• 3 tbsp Butter, melted
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Dried Oregano
• 1 tsp Dried Thyme
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
• 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped

Directions

Step 1

In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.

Step 2

Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker, skin side up. Pour the lemon garlic mixture evenly over the chicken.

Step 3

Add the chicken broth to the bottom of the slow cooker around the chicken.

Step 4

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and very tender.

Step 5

For crispy skin, transfer the chicken thighs to a baking sheet skin side up. Broil on high for 3 to 4 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp.

Step 6

Spoon the lemony pan juices from the slow cooker over the chicken thighs. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with your favorite sides.

Pro Tips

Pat the Chicken Dry Before It Goes In

Before placing the thighs in the slow cooker, pat them dry with paper towels. This removes excess moisture from the skin, which matters a lot when you broil them later.

If the skin is already waterlogged before it even hits the slow cooker, you will have a much harder time getting it crispy under the broiler. Starting dry gives you a head start on that golden finish.

Don’t Skip the Broiler Step

Slow cooker chicken skin comes out soft and rubbery on its own. It is not great to eat that way. The broiler step at the end is what transforms this dish from okay to really good.

Keep the oven door cracked open a bit while broiling so you can watch it closely. The skin can go from golden to burnt in under a minute, so stay right there the entire time.

Place the baking sheet on the second rack from the top so the chicken is about 4-5 inches from the broiler element. That gives you a little more control over the browning.

Place the Thighs Skin Side Up the Whole Time

When you arrange the chicken in the slow cooker, make sure every thigh is skin side up and not overlapping. If the skin is submerged in the liquid or pressed against another piece, it basically gets boiled and turns into a soggy mess.

You want the skin exposed to the air inside the slow cooker as much as possible. This keeps it in the best shape for crisping up later under the broiler.

Related Recipes

• Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
• Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Instant Pot Butter Chicken
• Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta
• Instant Pot Salsa Chicken

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead?

You can, but the cook time will be a bit shorter since boneless thighs are thinner. Check them around the 5-hour mark on low or 2.5 hours on high to make sure they don’t dry out.

Keep in mind that bone-in skin-on thighs give you way more flavor and juicier meat in the slow cooker, plus you get that option to broil the skin crispy at the end. Without the skin, you’ll skip the broiling step entirely.