Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Chicken (Printable)

Tender lemon herb chicken slow-cooked to perfection over fluffy white rice for a comforting meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 4 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
05 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
06 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
07 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
11 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1 tablespoon honey
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ For the Fluffy Rice

14 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
15 - 1 ¾ cups water or chicken broth
16 - ½ teaspoon salt
17 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

# Steps:

01 - Combine salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried basil. Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over all chicken thighs.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to slow cooker.
03 - Scatter minced garlic, chopped onion, lemon zest, and lemon juice over the browned chicken in the slow cooker.
04 - Pour chicken broth and honey over the chicken and aromatics.
05 - Cover and cook on high setting for 4 hours or on low setting for 7 hours, until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F and is tender.
06 - About 30 minutes before chicken finishes, combine rinsed rice, water or broth, salt, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.
07 - Place fluffy rice on plates. Top with chicken thighs. Spoon cooking juices from slow cooker over chicken. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The hands-off prep means you can walk away and return to something that tastes like you spent hours at the stove.
  • Leftovers, if they survive that long, taste even better the next day as the flavors deepen.
  • The balance of bright lemon and earthy herbs makes this feel fancy enough for company but easy enough for Tuesday.
02 -
  • Skip the browning step if you are rushed, but that quick sear adds a layer of flavor that makes people ask what your secret is.
  • The rice timing is flexible, just keep it covered and warm until the chicken is ready.
  • Lemon slices added to the slow cooker will become translucent and tender, almost like candied lemon, and look beautiful on the plate.
03 -
  • Pat the chicken thoroughly dry before seasoning for the best browning results.
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest to avoid the bitter white pith.
  • Let the rice rest off the heat, covered, for those perfectly separated grains.

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