Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
5 Comments Feb 17, 2024
Updated Jun 29, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs are flavored with a variety of seasonings and cooked to tender perfection. Pair this with any side dishes of your choice. It’s a quick and easy main course you and your family are sure to enjoy!
If you like slow cooker recipes like this, then you’ll also enjoy my Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken and Red Potatoes, Slow Cooker Autumn Chicken Dinner, and Slow Cooker French Onion Chicken.
Table of Contents
Why You Should Cook Chicken Thighs in the Slow Cooker
Chicken thighs cooked in the crock pot helps to take the guesswork out of cooking tender, juicy, and chicken packed full of flavor. Crockpot chicken thighs are super versatile and can be created with just about any flavor your taste buds are craving.
I especially enjoy delicious, low-maintenance recipes that taste like they were purchased from a restaurant. Cooking chicken doesn’t have to be complicated and this recipe shows you just how easy it is to do! We also love to make Mississippi Chicken when we aren’t making this!
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: This recipe calls for skin on, bone in chicken thighs; however, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs. We also use chicken thighs in our slow cooker ranch chicken and potatoes.
- Olive Oil: This is used to coat the chicken thighs and when searing them prior to placing them into the slow cooker.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, fresh garlic cloves, and red pepper flakes create a rub for this delicious recipe.
- Chicken Broth: Helps create even more flavor during the slow cooking process.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – In a small mixing bowl combine the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine the spices.
Step Two – Add olive oil coated chicken thighs to the mixing bowl of seasonings and toss to evenly coat the chicken.
Step Three: Add the olive oil to a hot skillet and brown the chicken thighs, no need to cook through.
Step Four: To the slow cooker, add the chicken broth and chopped garlic before adding the chicken. Add the browned chicken skin side up.
Step Five: Cook on low for 5 hours or until the chicken is tender.
How to Serve Crock Pot Chicken Thighs
- One of the simplest ways is to serve slow cooker chicken thighs over a bed of cooked rice or pasta. The juices and flavors from the slow-cooked chicken will add richness to the grains. This chicken goes great with my slow cooker tomato feta pasta.
- Creamy mashed potatoes sprinkled with Italian seasoning make a great side dish for slow cooked chicken thighs. Pour juices from the chicken over the potatoes as a flavorful gravy. Try my Crockpot Mashed Potatoes.
- Serve the chicken thighs on a bed of roasted or steamed vegetables. This can include a mix of colorful veggies like carrots, bell peppers, green beans, and zucchini. If have an additional slow cooker, try my slow cooker green beans and bacon.
- Create a fresh side salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, and a light vinaigrette. The refreshing salad complements the flavorful chicken.
- This is a great recipe to serve with a side of crusty bread or dinner rolls. Use the bread to soak up the flavorful juices.
- Sprinkle herbs like fresh parsley, cilantro, or basil on top of the chicken thighs just before serving to add a burst of freshness and color.
Recipe FAQs
If you do not have smoked paprika you can sub regular paprika plus 1 or 2 drops of liquid smoke or a tbsp of BBQ sauce then omit the brown sugar.
Yes! Browning the chicken thighs skin side down helps lock in those juices and flavors. This extra step will have your chicken thighs come out tender.
Yes! You can put raw chicken in the slow cooker. The cooking time may vary.
Store the leftover chicken after they have cooled, then place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat the chicken on the stovetop, oven, or microwave. Place the chicken in a pan, oven-safe container, or microwave-safe container (depending on how you’re reheating them) and cook until the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees F (or 85 degrees C).
Yes, you can use boneless skinless thighs instead of bone-in, and you do not need to brown them!
More Crockpot Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken and Rice
- Slow Cooker Chicken with Bacon Gravy
- Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo
- Slow Cooker Autumn Chicken Dinner
Want to make more magic in your crockpot? Stay up to date and subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tik Tok, and YouTube.
Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of bone-in skin on chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs down making sure they’re dry. Place them in a large bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl combine the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine the spices.
- Add the olive oil to the chicken thighs and stir it around to evenly coat the chicken.
- Sprinkle the spice rub mixture over the chicken thighs in the bowl. Toss to coat the chicken. Make sure the seasoning is over all of the chicken.
- Place a skillet (I used a cast iron one here) over medium heat. Once the skillet is warm, place the chicken thighs skin side down in the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes giving them a beautiful crust on the skin.
- In the bowl of your slow cooker, add the chicken broth and the chopped garlic. Stir to make sure the garlic isn’t clumped in one spot and even distributed.
- Place the chicken thighs skin side up in the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 hours or until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs is 185 degrees F (or 85 degrees C).
- Serve with desired sides and enjoy.
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- If you do not have smoked paprika you can sub regular paprika plus 1 or 2 drops of liquid smoke or a tbsp of BBQ sauce then omit the brown sugar.Using a non-stick skillet or a well-seasoned cast iron skillet works best here so the chicken doesn’t stick to the pan.
- Browning the chicken thighs skin side down helps lock in those juices and flavors. This extra step will have your chicken thighs come out tender.
- To store the leftover chicken, you’ll want to allow the chicken thighs to cool and place them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can reheat the chicken on the stovetop, oven, or microwave. Place the chicken in a pan, oven-safe container, or microwave-safe container (depending on how you’re reheating them) and cook until the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees F (or 85 degrees C).
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
very nice spice combination ! is it better ?? or not matter if you marinate in oil mixture for hour or more ??
It will marinate while it cooks (with the slow cooking time), but it doesn’t hurt to marinate if you want!
So easy and so yummy. I made two changes…. After rubbing the chicken with the oil and spices I threw it in a zip lock bag and tossed it in the fridge overnight. The other change is that I added juice from half a squeezed lemon to the slow cooker with the broth and garlic. It was delicious. I decided to boil and thicken the drippings left in the slow cooker to serve with the chicken. Someone at my table claimed this to be “thebomb.com”.
What do you serve with? And can u sub with chicken breasts?
Bone in chicken breasts would work best. But yes.