Bright, citrusy, and full of flavor, my Crockpot lemon chicken recipe is the ultimate low-effort, high-reward dinner! I just toss some juicy chicken breasts in the slow cooker with fresh lemon, whole garlic heads, and fragrant herbs to create a light, zesty dish my whole family loves. These lemon garlic chicken breasts are so easy to prep in the morning so I can enjoy a simple but satisfying meal at dinnertime.
Top Reader Reviews
Full of flavor, super easy. Enough juice at end to make a sauce for side dish. Delish
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Made this for dinner last night and it was delicious. Definitely don’t skip seasoning and searing the chicken, mine was only partially thawed and it still worked. I also poured all the pan butter in the crockpot. I used peeled garlic cloves instead of heads, no bouillon but extra salt, and also added rosemary since I have bushes out front.
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Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Herb Chicken Breasts
My family adored my baked lemon rosemary chicken, so I was inspired to create a Crockpot recipe that amped up the garlic and herb flavor. First, I added whole heads of garlic instead of just a few cloves. Then I swapped the rosemary for fresh thyme since that’s what I had on hand (but either can be used). Finally, I tossed in chicken bouillon for an extra kick of concentrated umami taste.
The result is lemon garlic chicken breasts that come out of the slow cooker super juicy and tender, with plenty of herb-y flavor and a simple lemon sauce ready to drizzle. I love serving this Crockpot lemon chicken over mashed potatoes for an easy and comforting weeknight dinner!
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Sear the Chicken for Maximum Flavor
While searing the chicken breast first is technically optional, I highly recommend taking the few extra minutes to do it. That crisp browning on the outside of the seasoned chicken adds a lot of additional flavor to the dish and really takes the texture to the next level. Searing is one of my secret weapons for any Crockpot chicken recipe!
Crockpot Lemon Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 3 heads garlic
- 2 whole lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (*)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon**)
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste (***)
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme (****)
- fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cut the tops and bottoms off of the garlic heads and lemons. Cut the lemons in half. Place the garlic and lemons in the bottom of the crockpot insert.3 heads garlic, 2 whole lemon
- Combine the salt, pepper, and oregano in a small bowl. Season both sides of each chicken breast with the seasoned salt mixture.½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet to brown, 5 minutes per side.4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Transfer the browned chicken to the Crockpot and place on top of the garlic and lemons.
- In a pot, whisk the chicken broth, lemon juice, and bouillon together. Pour over the chicken in the Crockpot.1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste
- Place thyme sprigs on top of the chicken.5 sprigs fresh thyme
- Cover the Crockpot and cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 6 hours. Remove the thyme springs, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot.fresh parsley
Notes
- If you like, season the chicken with Italian seasoning or lemon pepper seasoning before searing.
- Simply cut the tops and bottoms off the heads of garlic and place them cut-side down in the bottom of the Crockpot. No peeling or mincing required! Because the heads of garlic aren’t stirred with the other ingredients, the papery skin won’t flake off into the rest of the dish.
- While the chicken will fully cook in the Crockpot, browning the chicken prior to slow cooking adds more flavor and better texture.
- Make a Sauce: After cooking the chicken, pour remaining liquid from the bottom of the Crockpot into a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until it cooks down to your desired consistency. Add a simple cornstarch slurry if desired. Then serve with the chicken breasts.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Chicken in a Crock Pot Step by Step
Cut the Lemons and Garlic: Cut the tops and bottoms off of the 3 garlic heads and 2 whole lemons. This will help them lay flat in the bottom of your slow cooker. Cut the lemons in half. Place the garlic and lemons in the bottom of the pot.
Season the Chicken: Next, combine ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano in a small bowl. You can add other dried herbs, Italian seasoning, or lemon pepper seasoning here if you prefer. Season both sides of 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with the seasoning mixture.
Sear the Chicken: Melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet to brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken breasts to the Crockpot and place on top of the garlic and lemons. Do not cook the chicken all the way through at this point. It will finish cooking in the slow cooker.
Cook the Chicken: In a pot, whisk 1 cup of chicken broth with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon chicken base. Pour liquid over the chicken in the pot. Then place 5 thyme sprigs on top of the chicken. Cover the Crockpot and cook lemon chicken on HIGH for 3 hours, or LOW for 6 hours; until the chicken registers 165°F internally.
Serve: When done cooking, remove the thyme springs. Garnish lemon garlic chicken breasts with fresh parsley, and serve hot, drizzled with remaining sauce/juices from the pot if desired.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover slow cooker lemon chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat chicken breasts on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. If frozen, thaw before reheating for best results.
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