Crockpot Lemon Chicken Recipe

4.40 from 94 votes

Bright and zesty Crockpot lemon chicken never disappoints at dinnertime! Chicken breasts with lemons, garlic, herbs, and a simple sauce, made in a slow cooker.

Prep Time10

Cook Time3 10

Total Time3 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 416kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

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

*Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead, but may need to cook a little longer.

**Use fresh lemon juice instead of pre-bottled juice for the best taste.

***I used Better Than Bouillon chicken base, but a regular bouillon cube would also work.

****Swap in rosemary or any fresh herbs you have on hand.

Tips:

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.

Storage: Store lemon chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition