These are the most delicious, juicy, fall apart chicken thighs cooked in the slow cooker. The BEST way to cook chicken thighs! Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs are a little bit crispy and coated in a garlic and paprika rub and then cooked in a simple but flavour packed stock.
About Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
If you are looking for the best way to cook chicken thighs then slow cooker chicken thighs recipe is it! Just a little bit of prep to brown the chicken and give it a little bit of crispiness and then it is all put in the slow cooker to cook low and slow.
Whilst we love cooking chicken in our air fryer, there is just something about the slow cooker that gives the most juicy chicken that just falls apart. And the flavour in this is amazing. SO good!
Serve it up with potatoes and veggies, or shred it up to add to sandwiches and salad. It's great for meal prep.
Looking for other slow cooker chicken recipes? Why not try our easy Slow Cooker Chicken Breasts, hearty Slow Cooker Chicken Chasseur or our delicious Slow Cooker Chicken Korma.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken thighs - We have used boneless and skinless chicken thighs to keep it lean. But, if you want to get a really crispy skin, then you can use bone in and skin on chicken thighs. This will change the cooking times though and there is more on that in the FAQs below.
- Oil - A good quality olive oil.
- Seasoning - We used a mixture of paprika, garlic and Italian seasoning, but we have given some options of other seasonings below.
- Garlic - You can never have too much garlic, right? Some fresh garlic (along with the granules) gives it an incredible garlic flavour. Feel free to leave it out if you don't love garlic.
- Stock - This is what the chicken is cooked in. You can use a stock cube or stock pot.
- Butter - This is added to the stock to give a really rich flavour. Again, it's optional, but really recommended for chicken thighs in slow cooker.
- Basil - This is sprinkled on just before serving.
Variations
Seasoning - The great thing about slow cooked chicken thighs is that the flavours are so easy to adapt. We kept it to smoky paprika and plenty of garlic, but you could use a Cajun Blend or paprika and cayenne for plenty of heat.
Vegetables - If you want to make the whole meal in the slow cooker, then you can cook potatoes and vegetables in with the chicken.
We wouldn't recommend using raw potatoes, as they would still be quite hard. But a canned of new/baby potatoes would work well. You can also cook green beans at the same time.
Flavour - For added flavour, you can add some white wine, soy sauce, or balsamic vinegar.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs - Step by Step
- Step one: In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic granules and Italian seasoning.
- Step two: Sprinkle the spice blend over the chicken and rub it all over, fully coating the thighs.
- Step three: Put the oil in a large pan and heat over a medium. Place the thighs topside down in the pan and fry for 4 minutes.
- Step four: Transfer the chicken to your slow cooker.
- Step five: Add the crushed garlic, stock and butter.
- Step six: Cook on high for 2.5 hours or low for 3-4 hours.
Serving Suggestions
The great thing about a slow cooker chicken thigh is that there are so many different ways to serve it. We served ours with Air Fryer Baby Potatoes and some tenderstem broccoli.
But it also goes really well with our Oven Cooked Rice or Air Fryer Chips.
Slice the cooked chicken thighs and stir-fry them with your favourite vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, and onions and our Healthy Teriyaki Sauce for a delicious stir-fry.
You can also shred the cooked chicken thighs and mix them with our Homemade Healthy BBQ Sauce. Serve on toasted buns with Coleslaw and pickles for a classic BBQ sandwich.
Storage
Store: Allow the chicken to cool down to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container or ziplock bag. This will prevent any condensation from forming and potentially causing bacterial growth. Store the chicken in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: You can store it the same way in the freezer and it will keep for up to 3 months.
Defrost: Defrost it in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: You can reheat it in the microwave or on the hob.
Extra Tips
- Make sure the chicken is in a single layer in your slow cooker, so that it is all sitting in the liquid.
- For the best flavour, spoon the liquid from the slow cooker over the chicken before serving.
- If you want to retain extra crispiness in these slow cooker chicken thighs, then put a tea towel between the lid and the pot and it will soak up the condensation.
- A little bit of lemon in the stock adds a lovely freshness.
- Sprinkle some red chilli flakes on top before serving for some added spice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use bone in and skin on chicken thighs in the slow cooker, but it will change the cooking time. This is because bones absorb heat. You will need to add an extra 30-45 minutes if using bone in.
We use a Crock Pot DuraCeramic Slow Cooker and we love it. What I love most about it is that you can put the bowl insert on the hob too. So, we thicken gravy on the hob, in the slow cooker bowl. You can also sear the meat in it first. I also love that it has a clear lid, as I am so impatient that I want to keep looking and seeing what it is doing. If you don't have a clear lid, then lifting it to see will release lots of the heat and add to the cooking time.
Yes, you can. Don't let any of it go to waste. Once the chicken is out, empty the juices into a saucepan and then whisk in 1.5 tablespoon of corn flour (cornstarch). Heat on low for a few minutes until it has thickened into a gravy.
The cooking time may vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken. The best way to check they are done is to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 75°C before serving. Make sure it goes into the thickest part, and not touching any bone.
More Chicken Recipes
If you’ve tried these slow cooked chicken thighs, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 680 g (1.5 lb) Chicken thighs - skinless and boneless
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 100 ml (0.5 cups) Chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 2 Garlic cloves - crushed
- Fresh basil - chopped; to serve
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon Paprika, 1 teaspoon Garlic granules and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
- Sprinkle the spice blend over 680 g Chicken thighs and rub it all over, fully coating the thighs.
- Put 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a large pan and heat over a medium. Place the thighs topside down in the pan and fry for 4 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to your slow cooker.
- Add 2 Garlic cloves, 100 ml Chicken stock and 2 tablespoon Butter.
- Cook on high for 2.5 hours or low for 3-4 hours.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure the chicken is in a single layer in your slow cooker, so that it is all sitting in the liquid.
- For the best flavour, spoon the liquid from the slow cooker over the chicken before serving.
- If you want to retain extra crispiness in these slow cooker chicken thighs, then put a tea towel between the lid and the pot and it will soak up the condensation.
- A little bit of lemon in the stock adds a lovely freshness.
- Sprinkle some red chilli flakes on top before serving for some added spice.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Kushigalu says
These chicken thighs look amazingly delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Nikki says
Simple ingredients and easy to make, this fantastic chicken thigh recipe are perfect for my family.
Ned says
This is perfect! It's started out to be a really busy 2024 and this really made it easy to get a delicious healthy meal on the table rather than getting take out. Thank you!
MacKenzie says
This recipe turned out perfect. Even my picky eaters came back for seconds.
Dina and Bruce says
This recipe was so fork tender and tasty! Served with rice!