Chicken and potatoes

Slow cooker garlic-herb chicken

Name: Slow Cooker Garlic-Herb Chicken and Potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h 15 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs; 1 pound baby potatoes; 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 4 garlic cloves minced; 1 lemon; 1 teaspoon dried rosemary; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Tender chicken thighs and baby potatoes flavored with lemon, garlic, and rosemary.

Prep 15 minutesCook 4–6 hours on lowServes 4–6

Illustrative serving of garlic-herb chicken thighs with potatoes and lemon — Illustrative serving image created for this recipe; your finished dish will vary.

Chicken thighs are forgiving in the slow cooker and stay juicier than lean breast meat. Potatoes go on the bottom, where they receive the strongest heat and absorb the seasoned cooking liquid.

How to make it

Start with the potatoes. Place baby potatoes in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Halve any that are much larger than the others.
Season the chicken. Pat the thighs dry and season with salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic, and the finely grated zest of the lemon. Arrange them over the potatoes.
Add broth. Pour broth around the chicken rather than over it so the seasoning remains in place.
Cook. Cover and cook on low for 4–6 hours or high for 2–3 hours. Begin checking at the early end of the range because cookers and thigh sizes vary.
Finish. Verify the thickest thigh has reached at least 165°F and the potatoes are tender. Add fresh lemon juice before serving. If using skin-on thighs, broil them separately for a few minutes if crisp skin is desired.

Food-safety check: Thaw chicken before slow cooking and verify at least 165°F in the thickest part without touching bone. Do not use the warm setting to cook raw chicken.

What to expect

Slow-cooker chicken skin will remain soft unless it is finished under a broiler. The recipe uses only a modest amount of broth because chicken and vegetables release additional liquid while cooking.

Storage

Refrigerate within two hours and use within 3–4 days. Reheat the chicken and potatoes until steaming hot. Freeze chicken separately from the potatoes for the best texture.