Lemon Garlic Chicken Crockpot
Tender, juicy chicken slow-cooked in a bright lemon garlic sauce -- a hands-off weeknight dinner that tastes like you spent hours on it.
Equipment
- 6-quart slow cooker
- Large skillet
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts up to 2 lbs; patted dry
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 0.33 cup fresh lemon juice about 2 lemons
- 1 lemon sliced into rounds
- 6 garlic cloves freshly minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil for searing
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter added in last 15 minutes of cooking
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown. You are not cooking it through -- just building color and flavor.
- Add the chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, and minced garlic to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Place the seared chicken breasts into the liquid. Lay the lemon slices on top and sprinkle Italian seasoning over everything.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Do not lift the lid during cooking. The chicken is ready when it reaches 165 degrees F internally and shreds easily with a fork.
- In the last 15 minutes of cooking, add the butter and let it melt into the sauce. For a thicker sauce, remove 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid, whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, stir it back in, and cook on HIGH uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove and discard the lemon slices. Shred or slice the chicken directly in the slow cooker so it soaks up the cooking juices. Top with fresh parsley and serve warm over rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta.
