Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Chicken (Printable)

Tender lemon-scented chicken and fluffy rice slow-cooked with herbs and peas for an easy, comforting weeknight meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 4 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 1 cup frozen peas

→ Grains

06 - 1½ cups long grain white rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

07 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

→ Herbs & Spices

09 - 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs (or a mix of thyme, oregano, rosemary)
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
12 - ½ teaspoon paprika

→ Other

13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until lightly golden. This step is optional but builds a deeper flavor foundation.
02 - Spread the rinsed rice evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker. Scatter the diced onion, minced garlic, and diced carrots over the rice in an even layer.
03 - Place the seared chicken thighs on top of the vegetable and rice layer, positioning them in a single even layer.
04 - Sprinkle the dried Italian herbs, salt, black pepper, and paprika evenly over the chicken thighs.
05 - Pour the chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest evenly over all the ingredients in the slow cooker.
06 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 7 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.
07 - Stir in the frozen peas during the last 20 minutes of cooking so they heat through without becoming mushy.
08 - Gently fluff the rice with a fork, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The rice absorbs every drop of lemon herb broth, turning creamy and golden without any stirring fuss.
  • Bone in chicken thighs stay juicy through hours of slow cooking, practically falling apart at the touch of a fork.
  • It is a true one pot meal with protein, grains, and vegetables all layered together, so cleanup is almost nothing.
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the rice because unrinsed rice turns gummy and sticks together in a slow cooker environment where there is no evaporation escape.
  • If you lift the lid during cooking, add fifteen extra minutes to your timer each time because the slow cooker loses a tremendous amount of trapped heat.
  • Chicken breasts can be substituted but reduce the cooking time by thirty minutes to prevent them from drying out completely.
03 -
  • Sear the chicken even if you are tempted to skip it because those browned bits on the surface dissolve into the broth and create a flavor you simply cannot replicate any other way.
  • Taste the broth before serving and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if it tastes flat, because a bright hit of acid at the end brings every flavor into focus.

Return