Cooking chicken thighs in a slow cooker is one of the easiest and most foolproof ways to prepare this tasty and inexpensive cut of chicken. With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you can have a hearty, delicious chicken dinner ready with minimal hands-on time.
Why Cook Chicken Thighs in a Slow Cooker?
There are several benefits to using a slow cooker for chicken thighs:
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Requires little preparation – simply mix everything in the slow cooker, set it, and let it cook all day.
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Chicken thighs become incredibly tender and juicy due to the slow moist cooking environment.
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You can cook a large batch easily. Slow cookers can fit multiple pounds of chicken thighs.
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Adds lots of flavor as the chicken simmers in sauce or spices all day.
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Frees up your oven or stovetop for cooking other dishes if making a larger meal.
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Keeps your kitchen cool, avoiding heating up the oven on hot days.
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Allows you to start dinner early so it’s ready when you are. Just prep in the morning and set the slow cooker before heading out.
Tips for Cooking Chicken Thighs in a Slow Cooker
Follow these tips to ensure your chicken thighs turn out perfectly cooked using a slow cooker:
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Choose bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. The bone and skin help keep the meat juicy and add flavor. Skinless boneless thighs can dry out.
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Brown the chicken thighs first for crispy skin and richer flavor. Quickly sear the thighs in a skillet before placing in the slow cooker.
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Use a sauce or braising liquid like chicken broth, salsa, barbecue sauce, etc. This prevents drying and creates a delicious finished sauce.
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Add veggies like potatoes, carrots, onions to cook alongside the chicken. They soak up all the flavor.
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Resist the urge to constantly open the lid. Opening lets heat escape and can lead to improperly cooked chicken.
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Allow leftovers to cool before refrigerating. Don’t place the piping hot crock straight into the fridge.
Simple Slow Cooker Chicken Thigh Recipes
These easy chicken thigh recipes result in fall-off-the-bone tender chicken with wonderful sauces using only a few ingredients:
Mediterranean Chicken Thighs – Chicken thighs cooked in a tangy sauce of olives, tomatoes, garlic, and white wine. Serve over pasta or rice.
Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs – Chicken thighs braised in a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce. Quick to prepare and so delicious!
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs – Chicken thighs infused with the classic spicy, aromatic flavors of Jamaica like allspice, thyme, habanero peppers.
BBQ Chicken Thighs – Chicken thighs smothered in bold and sticky homemade barbecue sauce. The sauce thickens into a finger-licking glaze.
Chicken Thighs in Red Wine Sauce – Chicken braised with onion, garlic, and red wine with hints of rosemary and thyme. Elegant yet easy!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
This basic method can be used as a template for most slow cooker chicken thigh recipes:
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Pat 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
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Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken thighs for 3-5 minutes per side until golden brown.
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Place browned chicken thighs in a 6-quart slow cooker. Top with aromatics like garlic, onion, herbs.
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Pour 1 1⁄2 cups braising liquid like broth, barbecue sauce, salsa over the chicken.
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Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours until chicken thighs are fork tender.
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Remove chicken thighs from the slow cooker. Thicken the sauce if desired using a cornstarch slurry.
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Serve chicken thighs garnished with parsley and spoon braising liquid over the top. Enjoy!
So simple and so tasty. With just a few ingredients and 10 minutes prep time in the morning, you can come home after a long day to a fabulous home-cooked chicken dinner ready and waiting for you. Slow cooker chicken thighs are sure to become a regular rotation in your dinner menu.
How To Make Slow-Cooker Chicken Thighs
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Use your favorite brand, or consult our list of the best (and worst!) olive oil brands.
- Chicken Thighs: You can use boneless or bone-in chicken thighs in this recipe—it’s completely up to you.
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce to prevent the sauce (and your chicken) from becoming overly salty.
- Ketchup: Ketchup may seem like a strange addition, but trust me—it’s an easy way to thicken the sauce, and add some concentrated sweetness.
- Honey: Honey adds some caramelized sweetness to our sauce that truly completes it.
- Garlic: Mince your garlic well so that it doesn’t stick out too much in the sauce. 3 cloves is the perfect amount for me, but you can adjust as needed.
- Ginger: Freshly minced ginger may seem like it’s another step, but it adds so much fresh flavor and zing to the sauce.
- Sriracha: I like a kick of heat, so I add in some Sriracha here. If you’re not a fan, you can decrease the amount, or omit it altogether.
- Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice adds a fresh citrus flavor, and brightens up the entire dish.
First, we’re going to sear our chicken thighs in a large skillet over medium heat. Heat the oil, season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook until golden. Searing the chicken thighs may seem like an annoying step, but trust me—its worth it. Once golden on both sides, transfer to the slow cooker.
Then, we’ll create our sauce by whisking together soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, ginger, Sriracha, and lime juice in a small bowl. Once combined, pour the sauce over the chicken directly in the slow cooker. Give the chicken a toss to fully combine in the sauce until coated.
Then, cover, and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours if you’ve got the time, or on high for 2 hours if you need dinner on the table faster. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink and cooked through.
Once done, serve the chicken however you please! I love to serve it over white rice with plenty of the sauce spooned over, but you do you.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
- Searing the chicken. Not only does this get the chicken skin nice and crispy (because it does lose some crispiness in the slow cooker), but it also caramelizes the fat, adding a ton more flavor. If you dont want to do it, thats totally fine. You can just throw the chicken in the slow cooker.
The Best Ever Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs You’ll Ever Make! – Sweet Caramelized Onion Chicken Recipe
FAQ
How long do you cook chicken thighs in a slow cooker?
Arrange chicken thighs in a single layer in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Whisk soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, and basil together in a bowl; pour over chicken thighs. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 3 to 4 hours.
Is chicken thigh better in a slow cooker?
Best suited to stews, curries, barbeques or bakes, chicken thighs benefit from slower cooking times that tenderise the meat while infusing plenty of flavour. If you’ve got a slow-cooker, then using it to cook chicken thighs is a great idea.