Transform your crockpot chicken experience with this delightful lemon chicken recipe. Bursting with vibrant flavors, the tangy lemon gravy will tantalize your taste buds and brighten up your meal.
Unlike the usual texture of crockpot chicken, which can often be overly soft, this method involves browning the chicken first. This essential step adds a beautiful golden crust and enriches the dish, ensuring the chicken remains incredibly tender while still retaining its shape and integrity. It's a simple yet effective technique that elevates this dish to new culinary heights!
Chicken Recipes:
- Caesar Dressing Chicken
- Spinach Artichoke Chicken
- Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken and Cauliflower
RECIPE FAQs-
- How can I intensify the lemon flavor even more in this dish?
- If you would like to intensify the lemon flavor in your dish even more, then you could zest one of the lemons into the broth when you add the juice.
- Can I add extra vegetables to the crockpot with the lemon chicken while it is cooking?
- Yes, you can most definitely add extra vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, or onions to the crockpot while the chicken cooks for added flavor.
- Can I use frozen chicken?
- You can use frozen chicken; just ensure that it is completely thawed before you begin the cooking process.
- How will I know for sure if my chicken is done cooking?
- To be sure that your chicken is done cooking, you will want the internal temperature to be 165°F.
- Should I marinate the chicken before cooking it?
- For this recipe, it is not necessary to marinate the chicken before cooking it since it will be cooked in the crockpot for several hours. If you were to marinate it, it could become mushy from being exposed to the acid of the lemon for too long. So, it is best not to marinate this dish and cook it as it reads.
What do I serve with this?
- Mashed potatoes
- Oven-roasted potatoes with garlic butter sauce.
- Pasta
- Rice
- Roasted cabbage or brussels.
- Bourbon Smash
What are substitutions that I can make?
Boneless skinless chicken breast – Another option would be boneless skinless chicken thighs. If you want to use bone-in you can, but you may have to add additional cooking time of up to an additional 30 minutes.
Olive oil - Grapeseed oil or avocado oil are also great alternatives.
Chicken broth – Chicken stock is also a good choice. If need be, you can also use chicken bouillon and water to create the broth.
How should I store my leftovers?
Crockpot Lemon Chicken should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If completely cooled and placed in an airtight freezer-safe container, it can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating. To reheat, put your leftovers in an oven-safe dish, cover, and heat at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add a splash of chicken broth to the bottom of the pan to keep it from drying out.
Crockpot Lemon Chicken Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breast
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Onion powder
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Chicken broth
- Lemons – 2
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh parsley
- Water
- Cornstarch
How to make Crockpot Lemon Chicken?
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for one minute until golden brown. Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic, and fresh parsley. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture into the bottom of your crockpot.
- Add the chicken to your crockpot and cover it.
- Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 4 to 6 hours. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir together the water and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. Stir the slurry into the crockpot and cover.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice, and enjoy.
Crockpot Lemon Chicken
Equipment
- Crockpot
- Large skillet
- Plate
- Wooden spoon
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 lemons juiced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Season both sides of your chicken breast with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and brown both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for one minute until golden brown. Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic, and fresh parsley. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture into the bottom of your crockpot.
- Add the chicken into your crockpot and cover.
- Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 4 to 6 hours. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir together the water and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. Stir the slurry into the crockpot and cover.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice, and enjoy.
Notes
Was this a win at your dinner table?
Leave a quick rating or review below! It helps other busy families find the recipes that actually get eaten.
Always love a crock pot meal! Thanks so much for a great recipe!
The Lemon Chicken sounds absolutely delicious , can I make this recipe in an oven? Sorry I dont own a crockpot and I wanted to try this recipe badly!
I have not made it in the oven personally, but I definitely feel this would translate well to the oven. After you brown the chicken, I would put it in a 350° oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. This should take around 15-20 minutes.
This was fantastic! I love how easy it was and so delicious! I will be making this again.
Yay! I’m so glad it was a hit for you guys.
I needed a fire and forget dinner last week, but didn’t want to skimp on flavor. Browning the breast beforehand was brilliant. It gave a moist texture, and the flavor infusion of the lemon and garlic sauce was perfect from the slow cooker.
This chicken was so tender and juicy! I served with mashed potatoes just like your photos and those mashed potatoes tasted so good with the lemon gravy. Will be making this easy one on repeat!