Description
This Juicy Slow Cooker Honey Lemon Chicken Thighs recipe features tender, flavorful chicken cooked low and slow in a tangy honey lemon sauce with garlic and fresh thyme. With just 10 minutes of prep and slow cooking perfection, it’s an easy and delicious weeknight meal that’s both juicy and satisfying, finished under the broiler for crispy golden skin.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 or 5 pieces)
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Spread the roughly chopped yellow onion evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker insert to create a flavorful bed for the chicken.
- Arrange the chicken: Place the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs on top of the onions, skin side up, ensuring they are evenly spaced for even cooking.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl or jar, combine honey, lemon zest and juice, crushed garlic, chicken stock, salt, and black pepper. Stir or shake well to fully blend the ingredients.
- Pour and add thyme: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Nestle the fresh thyme sprigs among the chicken pieces for herbaceous aroma.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours for tender, juicy chicken, or on high for 3-4 hours if short on time.
- Broil for crispiness: Carefully remove the cooked chicken thighs and place them skin side up on a baking dish or sheet pan. Broil in the oven for 3-4 minutes until the skin crisps up to a golden brown.
- Finish and serve: Remove the thyme sprigs from the slow cooker. Skim any excess fat from the sauce using a spoon or gravy separator. Serve the chicken thighs with the onions and flavorful honey lemon sauce spooned on top.
Notes
- This slow cooker honey lemon chicken is juicy, tangy, and a perfect, easy weeknight meal.
- Broiling at the end crisps the skin for a lovely texture contrast.
- Use bone-in, skin-on thighs for best flavor and moisture retention.
- You can adjust the cooking time based on your slow cooker’s heat settings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce and onions
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
