This slow cooker chicken thighs recipe cooks all day while you do your own thing. Do whatever you want and come home to this delicious family dinner.
This easy recipe for crock pot chicken thighs is one of our favorite low-cost family meals. It also happens to be one of our favorite ways to make chicken.
Read on and I'll show you exactly how to make it!
Make this easy dinner for less than two dollars per serving.
About this meal
We put this latest crockpot chicken recipe together at our little weekend oasis located on a small lake in the middle of Nowhere, Wisconsin. It's a tranquil place to get off the grid, hit the nearby farmer's market, and make a lot of family recipes.
These slow cooker chicken thighs use just a few ordinary ingredients that you probably already have.
Some of our favorite recipes are made at our lake cottage and often with the kids helping out. We've made such great recipes as our Sweet and Savory Grilled Eggplant, our Cottage Cake, our Crustless Vegetable Quiche, and many, many more.
In town or in the country, this easy family dinner is perfect for wherever this may find you.
This one pot meal means less kitchen clean-up!
What's in it?
- Chicken leg quarters (bone-in and skin on)
- Honey
- Garlic
- Barbecue Sauce
- Soy Sauce
- Ketchup
- Oregano
- Salt and Pepper
How to make it
Place the chicken quarters in a single layer, skin side up.
Start by placing the pieces in a single layer, in your slow cooker. Although you can use chicken breast, dark meat will add more flavor.
There isn't a lot of liquid in this recipe and so leaving the skin on helps prevent it from drying out.
You only need a small number of ingredients for this easy dinner idea.
Water is cooked out during the process, so cutting back on the quantity of barbecue sauce and honey will help reduce the amount of liquid when the meat is finished cooking.
After you put all the ingredients in your slow cooker, you can just set it to low and come home to a delicious family dinner.
Once the meat is finished cooking, you're going to place it on a baking sheet and brown it under your oven broiler for just a couple of minutes. Doing this will give it a nice caramelized finish and taste.
While the chicken is browning up a bit, you're going to make good use of the leftover liquid.
How to make crock pot gravy
Make a flavorful gravy with the juices.
I grew up loving gravy, and that is one thing that hasn't changed. I will actively seek the chance to make gravy anytime when I'm in the kitchen.
If you've ever wondered how to make gravy, there are many methods. With this recipe, we are going to keep it very short and very simple.
Turn the crockpot to a high setting which will help reduce the liquid. Then, place a tablespoon or two of flour and put it in a small fine-mesh strainer.
Then, use your finger to tap-tap-tap a little flour into the liquid, a little at a time, while continuously stirring with a fork. This will give you a nice gravy with no lumps!
If you want to learn more about how to make gravy, check out our gravy recipes that include our Southern Giblet Gravy and our post on How to Make a Roux.
We serve these slow cooker chicken thighs with green beans and oven-roasted red potatoes.
Common Questions
If you want to assemble and freeze the ingredients for this slow cooker meal it's easy to do. Simply put them in a freezer bag and be sure to freeze them flat which will allow for even defrosting.
Allow them to thaw and defrost for 24 hours before cooking and just follow the recipe card below.
You can use this recipe to make either slow cooker chicken thighs recipe bone-in, or make it using boneless breasts.
Absolutely. Just be sure that you are using keto-friendly barbecue sauce and keto-friendly ketchup.
Some of our favorite things to serve with these crock pot chicken thighs are potato croquettes, homemade crusty bread, and shoofly pie for dessert!
Similar recipes
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📖 Recipe
Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken leg quarters Bone-in, skin on.
- 2 tbsp Barbecue Sauce Spicey flavored.
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 5 cloves Garlic Minced
- 2 tbsp Ketchup
- 2 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- Salt and Pepper To taste.
Instructions
- Place chicken quarters, skin side up, in a single layer of your crock pot. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
Madi
Slow cooker meals are the best! I need to make these for dinner soon!
Jennifer A Stewart
I use my crockpot all the time! Especially in the winter. This looks amazing and I love that you made a gravy to go with it from the yummy drippings!
Lori Vachon
Definitely an oldie but a goodie from our site! You did a great job with this easy to prepare meal!
Michelle
Wow this looks so flavorful! I can't wait to bust out my slow cooker and try this recipe
swathi
This slow cooker chicken thighs looks delicious I like that you made gravy also with the sauce left in the slow cooker. Yummy meal for busy nights.
Tammy
One thing I love about fall are the crock pot dinners...I don't know but I tend to use it when the weather cools down quite a bit. It's just so comforting to have dinner ready in the pot when I get home. This dish looks fantastic and mouthwatering! Perfect meal for the busy weeknights 🙂
Tameramartinez
I meant how many calories for 3oz of meat
Dan from Platter Talk
There are about 150 calories in 3 oz. of chicken thigh.
Jenni LeBaron
I love honey and garlic together but the soy sauce sounds like it elevated everything. This looks like a great chicken thigh recipe my whole house would love!
Marisa Franca
Can there be a better combination for chicken then honey and garlic with a touch of soy. Love that salty sweet taste. And I'm so glad you're making it in the slow cooker. It's a time saver for us busy people.
Catalina
These chicken thighs are so crispy. The way I love them! I can't believe you made then in the slow cooker!
Valerie
I love how simple this chicken is to make. Honey garlic is a great flavor combination and he chicken looks terrific.