Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Chicken (Printable)
Tender lemon-and-herb chicken braised with rice and vegetables in a slow cooker for bright, hands-off weeknight comfort.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.2 lbs)
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Vegetables & Rice
04 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
05 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced into rounds
08 - 1 cup frozen green peas
→ Liquids
09 - 2¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
→ Herbs & Seasonings
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
14 - ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
→ Finishing
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
16 - Lemon wedges for serving
# Directions:
01 - Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside briefly.
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 evenly throughout the rice mixture.
03 - Pour the chicken broth over the rice mixture, then add the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir gently to combine, ensuring the rice is fully submerged in the liquid.
04 - Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs on top of the rice and liquid mixture in a single layer, skin-side up. This allows the chicken to braise gently while its juices flavor the rice below.
05 - Secure the lid and cook on the HIGH setting for 4 hours or on the LOW setting for 7 hours, until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the rice has absorbed the liquid and is fully cooked through.
06 - About 15 minutes before the cooking time is complete, scatter the frozen peas over the top of the chicken and rice. Replace the lid and allow the residual heat to warm the peas through without overcooking them.
07 - Remove the lid and check the seasoning, adjusting with additional salt or a squeeze of lemon juice as needed. Transfer to serving plates, garnish generously with chopped fresh parsley, and accompany with lemon wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The rice soaks up every drop of lemony broth and tastes like it was cooked by someone who cared far more than you actually had to.
- It is genuinely a dump and go situation that still tastes like you stood over a stove for an hour.
02 -
- Do not lift the lid to check on progress during cooking because each peek adds roughly 15 to 20 minutes of extra time as the steam escapes.
- If you substitute chicken breasts, start checking at the 3 hour mark on high since they cook faster and will turn chalky if left too long.
03 -
- Always use a 6 quart or larger slow cooker because anything smaller risks overflow once the rice expands and the chicken releases its juices.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning right before serving since slow cookers mute salt and acid, and you will almost always need a final squeeze of lemon.