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.
Cindy
Absolutely delicious! Fall off the bone & sauce is very good! My new favorite way to make chicken. Thank you!
Cindy
This is a lovely recipe, I’ll make it again, it’s a keeper,
Can you tell me what portion size was used based on the nutritional information you have provided.
I am a label reader and knowing the portion sizes used in your calculations would definitely help.
Thank you!
Dan from Platter Talk
These bone-in chicken quarters are approximately 8 oz per portion.
Dean
Made this on Sunday. So easy and flavorful! Was so moist and the meat just fell from the bones. Absolutely fantastic. Even my 2 kids loved it.
Natalia
I followed this recipe exactly and the chicken leg quarters came out so delicious. What I loved most about it is that the chicken skin wasn't rubbery as you get with most crockpot meals with skin on chicken. Also, the chicken was moist almost falling off the bones yet didn't have a lot of excess liquids which is usually what makes the chicken rubbery. Lastly finishing them off under the broiler gave it a nice crisp. Just perfect!
Ashleyb
I don’t have garlic, substitute or just leave it out?
Dan from Platter Talk
Hi Ashley, Maybe use some onion, onion powder, or garlic powder if you have any of those.
Tina
Can you cook on high?
Dan from Platter Talk
Sure. Just keep an eye on the chicken, so it is not overcooked.
Diana
I have a slow cooker but it has the knobs that turn to 350 and up which one should I cook it on 350 or 450 I also have a regular slow cooker that’s digital but it’s smaller and I have about a 8 chicken thighs to make
Dan from Platter Talk
Hi Diana, 350 should be fine for your slow cooker setting. For safety reasons, be sure the chicken is done before eating. The internal temperature should be at least 165° F.
Priscilla McKinney
Do you know if this recipe works if it’s cooked on high? I am late to getting dinner started, And only have 3 to 4 hours.
Dan from Platter Talk
You should be able to make this in that timeframe.
Maggie
From the picture, it looks like you drizzle each ingredient over the chicken separately. Can you mix the ingredients all together and then put over chicken so more of the chicken gets covered with ingredients. If I put 5 drumsticks/thighs in, can I keep ingredient amts the same or add additional teaspoon of each ingredient. Thanks for your help.
Dan from Platter Talk
Hi Maggie. You can add the ingredients all together as you described. Also, adjust the volumes to taste and make it your own!
Deanna
WOW!!! This sounds perfect! I love to make this chicken for the next work potluck! I know it would be a hit!
Michaela Kenkel
What a gorgeous meal!! I love using my crock pot -- it makes lief so much simpler!!