Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Chicken (Printable Version)
Tender lemon-scented chicken with herbs and fluffy rice, slow-cooked for an effortless, comforting one-pot dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.2 lbs), seasoned with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ Vegetables and Rice
02 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced into rounds
06 - 1 cup frozen peas
→ Liquids
07 - 2¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
→ Herbs and Seasonings
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
11 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
12 - ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
→ Finishing
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Lemon wedges for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
02 - Add the rinsed rice, diced onion, minced garlic, sliced carrots, dried thyme, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes to the slow cooker insert. Stir to distribute the seasonings throughout.
03 - Pour the chicken broth over the rice mixture, then add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir gently until everything is evenly combined.
04 - Place the seasoned chicken thighs on top of the rice and broth mixture in a single layer, pressing them down slightly so the bottoms are submerged.
05 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7 hours, until the chicken is fork-tender and the rice has absorbed the liquid and is fully cooked.
06 - About 15 minutes before the cooking time is complete, scatter the frozen peas evenly over the top. Re-cover and let the residual heat warm them through.
07 - Remove the lid and taste the rice for seasoning, adjusting with additional salt or lemon juice as needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve alongside lemon wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It genuinely tastes like you stood over a stove for hours, but the slow cooker did every bit of the heavy lifting.
- The rice cooks in the lemon herb broth and absorbs so much flavor that you will never want plain rice again.
02 -
- Opening the slow cooker lid even once during cooking releases enough trapped heat to add roughly 15 to 30 minutes to your total cook time, so trust the process and keep it closed.
- If you substitute boneless chicken breasts, start checking at the 3 hour mark on high because lean meat dries out much faster than thighs.
03 -
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel before seasoning so the salt and pepper actually stick instead of sliding off on a wet surface.
- The dish tastes even better the next day because the lemon and herbs continue to meld in the refrigerator overnight.