Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Crockpot Recipe
This easy lemon pepper chicken crockpot recipe uses boneless thighs, butter, garlic and fresh lemon for a juicy dinner with almost no prep. The slow cooker keeps the chicken tender and builds a bright, peppery sauce right in the pot.
6
servings10
minutes5
hours30
minutesBoneless chicken thighs cook in a lemon, garlic and butter sauce until fork-tender. A quick stir of pan juices makes a bright sauce for rice or potatoes.
Ingredients
2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This helps the seasoning stick and keeps the sauce from turning watery.
- Rub the chicken all over with the lemon pepper seasoning, salt and oregano.
- Lay the lemon slices on the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker and place the chicken on top in one layer if you can, or overlapping slightly.
- Whisk the broth, lemon juice, zest, garlic and honey, then pour it around the chicken, not over it, so the seasoning stays on.
- Dot the butter pieces over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the chicken reaches 175°F and is fork-tender. Thighs are safe at 165°F but taste better when cooked a little further.
- Move the chicken to a plate and tent with foil.
- Stir the cornstarch slurry into the juices in the cooker, turn to HIGH and cook uncovered for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Return the chicken to the sauce, spoon it over the top and sprinkle with parsley.
Notes
- Boneless breasts work, but cook them only 3 to 4 hours on LOW or they dry out. Swap the butter for olive oil for a lighter version. Leftover chicken is great sliced over salad or in wraps. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Serve over rice, orzo or mashed potatoes.
Why thighs and a slow cooker make lemon pepper chicken juicy
Chicken breasts are the usual pick for lemon pepper, but they dry out in a slow cooker if you are even a little late. Thighs have more fat and connective tissue, so a few extra minutes make no difference. They stay soft and rich through a long cook.
The slow cooker also gives the sauce time to come together. Lemon juice, butter, garlic and the chicken's own juices mix into something thin and bright that you can thicken in ten minutes at the end. A skillet version would need to be stirred the whole time. Because it needs only a rub and a pour, this is one of the easiest chicken dinners you can start before work. You come home to a kitchen that smells of lemon and garlic.
Ingredient notes for easy lemon pepper chicken
Chicken thighs: boneless, skinless thighs are the easiest to find and trim. Cut off any large pieces of fat so the sauce does not turn greasy.
Lemon pepper seasoning: read the label. Some blends are mostly salt, so taste the sauce before adding any more. A blend with real lemon peel gives the most flavor.
Fresh lemons: you need juice, zest and slices. Bottled juice is sharp and flat and cannot stand in for fresh zest.
Butter: unsalted butter finishes the sauce and rounds out the acid. Use salted if that is all you have, and skip the added salt.
Honey: just a spoonful. It softens the lemon without making the dish sweet.
Oregano: a teaspoon of dried oregano gives the lemon something earthy to lean on. Fresh thyme sprigs work too and come out of the sauce easily.
Tips for a bright sauce
Add lemon juice with care: Citrus juice cooked all day can turn bitter. The zest and slices handle the long cook, and a splash of fresh juice stirred in at the end keeps the flavor bright.
Do not overcook breasts: This is the most common mistake with chicken in a slow cooker. If you use breasts, check them at 3 hours on LOW and pull them at 165°F.
Thicken at the end: The sauce is thin on purpose. A short cook with cornstarch turns it glossy so it clings to rice and potatoes.
Swaps and variations
Use bone-in thighs and add an hour, or use drumsticks for a family dinner. For dairy-free, replace the butter with olive oil. For heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes and a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the broth. A cup of baby potatoes on the bottom of the cooker makes it a one-pot meal.
One swap that does not work is cooking frozen chicken straight from the freezer. It stays in the unsafe temperature zone too long, so thaw it first in the fridge.
What to serve with lemon pepper chicken
Spoon the sauce over steamed white rice, buttered orzo or a pile of mashed potatoes. Roasted asparagus, green beans or a crisp Caesar-style salad suits the lemon flavor. A basket of warm rolls helps with the sauce left on the plate. If you want a full plate on the table, roast a pan of baby potatoes while the chicken finishes. They crisp in the oven while the sauce thickens in the cooker.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in the sauce for up to 4 days. The sauce will thicken and the lemon flavor mellows a little.
Freeze chicken and sauce in zip bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of broth, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
Sliced cold, the chicken makes a good sandwich filling with a little mayonnaise and arugula. Keep the sauce in a jar to spoon over rice later in the week.
Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Crockpot Recipe at a glance
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 5 hours 30 minutes
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by boneless skinless chicken thighs, lemon pepper seasoning, kosher salt, low-sodium chicken broth
Tips for Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Crockpot Recipe
Boneless breasts work, but cook them only 3 to 4 hours on LOW or they dry out. Swap the butter for olive oil for a lighter version. Leftover chicken is great sliced over salad or in wraps. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Serve over rice, orzo or mashed potatoes.
Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Crockpot Recipe FAQ
How long does Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Crockpot Recipe take?
Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Crockpot Recipe takes 5 hours 30 minutes of cooking after 10 minutes of prep.
How many people does Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Crockpot Recipe serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Crockpot Recipe?
12 ingredients, led by boneless skinless chicken thighs, lemon pepper seasoning, kosher salt, low-sodium chicken broth. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
