Description
This Crock Pot Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken is a simple, flavorful slow cooker recipe featuring tender chicken thighs or breasts cooked in a zesty lemon garlic butter sauce. Perfect for easy meal prep, this dish delivers a buttery, savory meal with minimal effort, ideal for serving alongside rice, pasta, or roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
Sauce
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
- Lemon slices (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts in the bottom of a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker, evenly spreading them out for consistent cooking.
- Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if using, to create the flavorful lemon garlic butter sauce.
- Combine and cook: Pour the lemon garlic butter mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker, ensuring all pieces are coated. Cover the slow cooker.
- Slow cook: Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours until the chicken is tender and fully cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F/74°C).
- Optional sauce thickening: For a thicker sauce, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow some liquid to evaporate and slightly thicken the sauce.
- Serve: Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and optional lemon slices. Serve with your choice of rice, pasta, or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- This dish is great for meal prep as leftovers can be shredded to use in wraps, salads, or sandwiches.
- For enhanced flavor, sear the chicken in a skillet for 2-3 minutes per side before placing it in the slow cooker.
- If you prefer less spice, omit the crushed red pepper flakes.
- The slow cooker method ensures the chicken stays moist and absorbs all the lemon garlic butter flavors thoroughly.
