Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs With A Creamy Lemon Sauce

Need a new take on slow cooker chicken? Chicken thighs served with a creamy lemon sauce will absolutely raise the bar. The lemon sauce absolutely makes the recipe, and this dish is bound to be devoured at dinnertime!

What’s To Love About This Recipe

• This isn’t your standard chicken thigh recipe! This includes a zesty twist on chicken with the most delicious creamy lemony sauce.
• I’m willing to bet this is one of those recipes that you won’t tire of anytime soon! It’s one of our family favorites because it tastes luxurious but is really pretty simple to prepare.
• The combination of creamy lemon sauce and chicken thighs packs so much flavor. It’s a dish that is filling but also not too heavy.
• One of the nice things about the slow cooker is that the thighs won’t dry out like they might with other cooking methods. Since the thighs are slow-cooked in liquid, they stay juicy during cooking, and browning them beforehand also seals in lots of flavor.
• The homemade sauce sure beats a premade jar of sauce with chicken! You’ll be able to taste the difference and will also enjoy it with sides like veggies, rice, or potatoes.

Ingredients Needed 

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs – Chicken thighs are more fatty than breasts, and the darker meat is very flavorful. Be sure to use boneless thighs since bone-in may cause the meat to overcook and become more shredded – not what we want for this dish. This recipe calls for 2 pounds of thighs, which is typically 3-4 thighs per pound.
• Olive oil and butter – Melt some olive oil and butter together in the skillet to lightly brown the chicken and seal in flavor.
• Onion and garlic – Dice half a yellow onion for extra flavor and mince 3 garlic cloves. This combination enhances the chicken and adds complexity to the broth base.
• Seasonings – Grab a few things from your spice cabinet for a light seasoning. Combine Italian seasoning with just a bit of salt and pepper.
• Chicken broth – Broth will create the base for the creamy sauce and also keep the thighs juicy in the slow cooker.
• Grainy mustard – I like using stone ground mustard to add a little texture to the sauce and for a rustic element.
• Heavy cream – Heavy cream makes the sauce! Don’t make any swaps here – trust me, the richness is so worth it!
• Lemon juice – Surprisingly, just a bit of lemon juice is enough to give the sauce a tasty, zesty flavor.
• Cornstarch – Add a little cornstarch to the sauce at the end to thicken it. This ensures it will really stick to the chicken and anything else you want to serve with it.

How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

1. Sprinkle each side of the chicken thighs with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter with olive oil.
3. Add diced onion and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes.

4. Move onions and garlic to the side of the pan and add seasoned chicken thighs.
5. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes on each side until they are nicely browned.

6. Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker.
7. Add the chicken broth.
8. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

9. Remove the chicken thighs and cover to keep warm.
10. Add cream, mustard, and lemon juice to the slow cooker and whisk until combined.
11. To thicken the sauce, pour it into a small saucepan and whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.

12. Bring the sauce to a boil for 2-3 minutes until thickened to desired consistency.
13. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
14. Pour sauce over the chicken and serve.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• I don’t recommend swapping chicken breasts for boneless thighs in this recipe. Chicken breasts won’t deliver the same flavor and texture at the end. However, you could always recreate the sauce and serve it with other cuts of chicken.
• If you want to try this recipe with another method, I’ve already tested it for you in the Instant Pot! Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Lemon Sauce will deliver the tastiest results – but faster than the slow cooker!
• If you don’t have cornstarch on hand, you could always whisk in a bit of all-purpose flour or tapioca flour instead.

What To Serve With Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Enjoy a simple, family-friendly meal by serving slow cooker chicken thighs with your favorite veggies and a carb like rice or potatoes. Some of my favorites are roasted broccoli, asparagus, or Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic.

This would also be a delicious choice to serve over buttered penne or egg noodles. If you want to get a bit fancier with your meal, add Slow Cooker Gratin Potatoes and a fresh Caesar salad.

Whatever you serve, you’ll want something to really soak up every bit of the lemon sauce. I recommend including breadsticks or garlic bread just for that reason!

Storing and Reheating

Leftover chicken thighs can be sliced and turned into a delicious lunch over rice and with a side salad. You can also reheat extra sauce to serve over noodles or other veggies. 

Store leftover thighs and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or a skillet on the stove.

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs With A Creamy Lemon Sauce

Jennifer Draper

Need a new take on slow cooker chicken? Chicken thighs served with a creamy lemon sauce will absolutely raise the bar. The lemon sauce absolutely makes the recipe, and this dish is bound to be devoured at dinnertime!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 511 kcal

Equipment

• Slow Cooker
• saucepan
• Skillet

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 yellow onion diced or about 1/4 cup
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon grainy mustard
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

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Instructions

 

• Sprinkle each side of chicken thighs with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper
• In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter with olive oil
• Add diced onion and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes
• Move onions and garlic to side of the pan and add seasoned chicken thighs
• Sauté for about 2-3 minutes on each side until nicely browned
• Transfer contents of pan to slow cooker
• Add chicken broth
• Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours
• Remove chicken thighs and cover to keep warm
• Add cream, mustard, and lemon juice to slow cooker and whisk until combined
• To thicken sauce, pour it into a small saucepan and whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• Bring sauce to a boil for 2-3 minutes until thickened to desired consistency
• Add additional salt and pepper to taste
• Pour sauce over chicken and serve

Notes

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or a skillet on the stove.
• Transfer the sauce to a pan to simmer for the best results.
• This recipe is designed for boneless skinless chicken thighs to get the most accurate results.
• Check for doneness with a meat thermometer (165 ℉).

Nutrition

Calories: 511kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 47gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 273mgSodium: 569mgPotassium: 717mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 808IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 2mg

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Important nutritional disclaimer

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs FAQs 

• Do you need liquid in a slow cooker for chicken thighs? For this recipe, you do need to add chicken broth to keep the thighs juicy and to create the sauce base.
• Is it better to cook chicken thighs on high or low in the slow cooker? For this recipe, you can cook the chicken thighs on either the high or low setting.
• Why choose chicken thighs over chicken breasts for this recipe? Chicken thighs are the preferred option here because they are so much more flavorful than chicken breasts. With the extra browning step and the juiciness of the dark meat, you really cannot recreate the same results with chicken breasts. The added fat also enhances the already-decadent sauce – you’ll love it!
• Can chicken thighs be overcooked in the slow cooker? It is possible to overcook chicken thighs if they were left in the slow cooker for a very long time or if the contents dried out. Since these are cooked in chicken broth, the cooking time can be somewhat flexible.
• Can this recipe be made in the Instant Pot? Yes! See my directions for making chicken thighs with lemon sauce in the Instant Pot. 

More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes 

• Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
• Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan
• Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Slow Cooker Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Pasta
• Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
• Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie