Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Chicken (Print)

Slow-cooked chicken with lemon, herbs and fluffy rice for an effortless, comforting gluten-free weeknight meal.

# 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 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 (optional)

→ Finishing

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How To Make:

01 - Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
02 - In the insert of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, combine the rinsed rice, diced onion, minced garlic, sliced carrots, dried thyme, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Toss until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
03 - Pour the chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest over the rice mixture. Stir gently to ensure the liquid fully saturates the rice and aromatics.
04 - Place the seasoned chicken thighs on top of the rice and liquid mixture in a single layer, skin side up, so they partially braise during cooking.
05 - Cover the slow cooker 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 fully absorbed the liquid.
06 - About 15 minutes before the cooking time is complete, scatter the frozen peas evenly over the top. Re-cover and let the residual heat thaw and warm them through.
07 - Remove the lid and check the seasoning, adjusting with additional salt or lemon juice as needed. Garnish generously with chopped fresh parsley and serve alongside lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Throw everything in the slow cooker in under fifteen minutes and walk away, no babysitting required.
  • The lemon and herb combination makes it taste like you spent hours layering flavors when you barely lifted a spoon.
  • One pot means almost zero cleanup, which is the real prize on busy weeknights.
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the rice or you will end up with a gummy, sticky mess that no amount of lemon can save.
  • If using chicken breasts instead of thighs, start checking at the 3 hour mark on high because lean meat dries out fast in a slow cooker.
03 -
  • Use a 6 quart slow cooker at minimum because anything smaller will overflow once the rice expands and the chicken releases its juices.
  • Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking because every peek adds about 15 minutes to the cook time and lets precious steam escape.

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