Chicken Vegetable Crockpot Recipes: Herb Chicken and Vegetables
These chicken vegetable crockpot recipes start with a simple, complete dinner: chicken thighs cooked with potatoes, carrots and green beans in a light herb broth. Chicken and vegetables go in the pot together and cook low all afternoon. You get the meat, the sides and the sauce from one insert.
Chicken Vegetable Crockpot Recipes: Herb Chicken and Vegetables
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes7
hoursChicken thighs cook over potatoes and carrots in a garlic herb broth, with green beans added near the end.
Ingredients
3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb baby potatoes, halved
4 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
8 oz fresh green beans, trimmed
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Directions
- Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme and rosemary in a small bowl. Rub about two thirds of it on the chicken thighs.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the thighs skin side down for 4 to 5 minutes, then flip for 2 minutes.
- Put the potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic in a 6-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with the remaining seasoning and toss.
- Whisk the broth, mustard and lemon juice, then pour it over the vegetables.
- Set the browned chicken on top, skin side up, so it stays above the liquid.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. The chicken should reach at least 175°F and the potatoes should be tender.
- Add the green beans around the chicken for the last 45 minutes on HIGH, until crisp-tender.
- Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a platter.
- Skim the fat from the juices and pour some over the platter.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Skip the browning if you are short on time, and take the skin off before eating. Use sweet potatoes for a sweeter dinner. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge. Freeze the chicken separately, up to 3 months, since potatoes turn grainy when frozen.
Why chicken and vegetables cook well together
Chicken thighs release juices and fat as they cook, and those drip into the vegetables below. Potatoes and carrots soak up that flavor, so the sides taste richer than they would on their own. It is a self-basting setup.
Root vegetables need long cooking, and the slow cooker gives them what they need. Putting them under the chicken means they sit in the liquid and cook through while the chicken stays above and cooks gently. Everything finishes together. It is a good weeknight pattern because you can swap vegetables by season: sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts in fall, zucchini and corn in summer.
What to buy and why
Chicken thighs: bone-in and skin-on give the most flavor. Pull off the skin after cooking if you prefer less fat.
Baby potatoes: waxy potatoes hold their shape. Cut larger ones to a uniform size.
Carrots: choose thick ones. Skinny carrots go soft too fast, so cut them into big chunks.
Green beans: fresh beans stay bright if you add them late. Frozen beans can go in the last 30 minutes.
Dijon mustard: it adds depth to the broth and helps hold the sauce together. Rosemary and thyme: dried herbs hold up better than fresh in a long cook. Use fresh sprigs only if you can fish them out.
Tips for dinner that is not mushy
Stack in order: put the hardest vegetables on the bottom where heat is most direct and the chicken on top.
Brown the skin: a few minutes in a skillet turns pale skin golden and adds flavor to the juices.
Add green vegetables late: the common mistake is putting green beans in at the start. They turn olive and limp after hours. Add them in the last 45 minutes. Finish with lemon. One squeeze over the platter makes the chicken and vegetables taste fresh after hours in the pot. A sprinkle of parsley adds color to the plate. Season the vegetables too, not just the chicken, since potatoes need a good amount of salt.
Swaps and variations
Use chicken breasts if you prefer white meat and cut the time to 3 to 4 hours on LOW. Swap the potatoes for sweet potatoes, parsnips or butternut squash. Use broccoli or zucchini in place of green beans, added in the last 20 minutes. For a lighter dinner, use skinless thighs and extra vegetables.
Do not add cream or cheese at the start. They split over hours of heat. Stir in a spoon of cream cheese at the end if you want a creamy sauce. Mushrooms, parsnips or turnips can be added with the potatoes for a different flavor each time you make it.
What to serve with it
The pot is already a full meal, so you only need something for the juices. A loaf of crusty bread or warm biscuits is ideal. A simple green salad with lemon dressing balances the herbs and rounds out the plate. Serve the juices in a small pitcher so everyone can pour what they like over their plate.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate leftover chicken and vegetables with a bit of the juices for up to 4 days. The potatoes will keep soaking up flavor and still taste fine.
Freeze the chicken and juices only, up to 3 months. Reheat the chicken in a covered pan or a 300°F oven with a splash of broth, and warm the vegetables separately so they do not fall apart. Leftover chicken is easy to shred into a quick soup, with extra broth and a handful of noodles.
Chicken Vegetable Crockpot Recipes: Herb Chicken and Vegetables at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 7 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 16, led by bone-in, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder
Tips for Chicken Vegetable Crockpot Recipes: Herb Chicken and Vegetables
Skip the browning if you are short on time, and take the skin off before eating. Use sweet potatoes for a sweeter dinner. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge. Freeze the chicken separately, up to 3 months, since potatoes turn grainy when frozen.
Chicken Vegetable Crockpot Recipes: Herb Chicken and Vegetables FAQ
How long does Chicken Vegetable Crockpot Recipes: Herb Chicken and Vegetables take?
Chicken Vegetable Crockpot Recipes: Herb Chicken and Vegetables takes 7 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Chicken Vegetable Crockpot Recipes: Herb Chicken and Vegetables serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Chicken Vegetable Crockpot Recipes: Herb Chicken and Vegetables?
16 ingredients, led by bone-in, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
