Easy Slow Cooker Chicken & Potatoes
Founders
5
15 minutes
Slow Cooker
5–6 hours on Low
Sometimes the best slow-cooker recipe is the one you can make without a trip to the grocery store.
Chicken, potatoes, carrots and onion are ingredients many of us already have on hand. Add a little garlic, broth and a few basic seasonings, and the slow cooker turns them into a comforting dinner with very little hands-on work.
This isn't meant to be a complicated recipe. There are no specialty spices to track down and no long list of ingredients. It's an everyday meal designed for the nights when you want something homemade without making dinner into a project.
Don't have everything on the ingredient list? No problem. See the notes below for simple swaps, substitutions and ingredients you can leave out altogether.
Ingredients
- 6–8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil, for optional browning
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ lb (680 g) baby potatoes, halved, or 3–4 medium potatoes, cut into large chunks
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices
- 1½ cups (375 mL) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp (14 g) butter, optional
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional
Directions
Season the Chicken
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season them with the salt, pepper, thyme and paprika.
If you have a few extra minutes, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken for 2–3 minutes per side. You don't need to cook it through. You're simply developing some colour and flavour.
If you're truly short on time, skip the browning and put the seasoned chicken directly into the slow cooker.
Build the Slow Cooker
Place the onion, garlic, potatoes and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Arrange the chicken thighs over the vegetables.
Whisk the chicken broth and Dijon mustard together and pour it around the chicken.
Cook
Cover and cook on Low for 5–6 hours, or until the chicken reaches at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part and the potatoes and carrots are tender.
Try not to overcook the chicken once it is done. Thighs are forgiving, but they can eventually become dry even in a slow cooker.
Finish
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter or individual plates.
Taste the cooking liquid and adjust the seasoning.
If you'd like a slightly richer sauce, stir the butter into the hot cooking liquid.
Spoon the vegetables and some of the cooking juices around the chicken and finish with fresh parsley if you have it.