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Cooked crockpot lemon chicken in a slow cooker, ready to serve

Zesty Crockpot Lemon Herb Chicken

This Zesty Crockpot Lemon Herb Chicken recipe is a simple yet flavorful dish that creates tender, juicy chicken with a bright, herbaceous sauce. Perfect for a weeknight meal, it requires minimal hands-on time thanks to the slow cooker.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 2-2.5 lbs Chicken Thighs or Breast
  • 2-3 medium-sized Lemons for juice and zest
  • 4-6 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 cup Chicken Broth low sodium
  • 1-2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch or Flour optional
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley chopped, for garnish
  • Salt To taste
  • Black Pepper To taste
  • Red Pepper Flakes Optional
  • White Wine Optional

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Skillet
  • Whisk
  • Small Bowl

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt and black pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then sear chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown before transferring it to the slow cooker.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice (from 2 lemons), lemon zest (from 1 lemon), minced garlic, chicken broth, dried oregano, and dried thyme, then season with salt and pepper.
  4. Pour the lemon-herb sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker, ensuring the chicken is mostly submerged.
  5. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, or until chicken is tender and cooked through (165°F/74°C).
  6. If thickening the sauce, remove the chicken, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch or flour with 2 tablespoons cold water to create a slurry, stir into the sauce in the slow cooker, and cook on high for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
  7. Stir in fresh chopped parsley and squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon over the chicken just before serving.

Notes

For an extra kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce. A splash of white wine can also enhance the flavor profile.