Description
This easy Crockpot Lemon Garlic Chicken brings bright citrus and savory garlic together in a quick and simple slow cooker meal. It is one of the best healthy dinner ideas for busy families because the chicken turns tender while the sauce becomes rich with almost no effort. Serve it for a weeknight dinner or meal prep and keep it in mind for a holiday potluck brunch or casual party when you need dependable comfort food. Lemon and herbs keep each serving fresh.
Ingredients
- 4 medium breasts Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest
- 6 cloves minced Garlic
- 4 tablespoons melted Unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup Low sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Cold water
- 2 tablespoons chopped Fresh parsley
- 1 small lemon sliced Lemon
Instructions
- Pat the four chicken breasts dry and place them with uneven spacing in the slow cooker insert. Scatter the paprika and Italian seasoning and onion powder and salt and black pepper over both sides until the pale chicken shows an irregular reddish herb coating.
- Combine the lemon juice and lemon zest and minced garlic and melted butter and chicken broth until streaks of butter and garlic remain visible. Pour the mixture over the four seasoned breasts so liquid pools around the edges while garlic and zest settle unevenly across the tops.
- Cook the chicken on low until the four breasts become opaque and tender and release savory juices into the sauce. The seasoned surfaces should deepen to warm gold while the garlic softens and the pieces shift slightly into the bubbling cooking liquid.
- Transfer the four cooked chicken breasts to one side of the slow cooker insert and stir together the cornstarch and cold water. Fold the slurry into the cooking juices until the thin liquid becomes glossy and lightly thickened around the shifted chicken.
- Place one cooked chicken breast on a white plate and spoon the glossy lemon garlic sauce over the center while leaving browned edges visible. Finish with chopped parsley and two irregular lemon slices so the serving looks fresh and homemade rather than perfectly arranged.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Choose chicken breasts with similar thickness so all four pieces finish cooking at nearly the same time without drying.
- Fresh lemon juice gives the sauce a cleaner flavor than bottled juice and keeps the buttery garlic mixture bright.
- Avoid lifting the slow cooker lid during cooking because released heat can lengthen the cooking time and reduce tenderness.
- Let the thickened sauce rest for several minutes before serving so it clings more evenly to each chicken breast.
Storage: Allow the Crockpot Lemon Garlic Chicken to cool before transferring it to a covered food storage container. Spoon enough sauce over every breast to help the meat remain moist during refrigeration. Store the chicken in the refrigerator for up to four days. Keep the parsley and fresh lemon slices separate because they lose their best color and texture during storage. Reheat individual portions gently until hot throughout. Add a spoonful of chicken broth if the sauce becomes too thick and turn the chicken once so it warms evenly. Freeze the cooked chicken with its sauce for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and add fresh parsley and lemon only after the chicken is hot.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American