Family-Pleasing Chicken Thighs From Crock-Pot Convenience
Even if your family prefers dark-meat over light-meat chicken, the hour-long cook time required probably means you've been leaving the thighs at the store. An hour delay on dinner can lead to hunger-induced meltdowns that add unnecessary stress to what may already have been a long day at work. Instead of heating up your kitchen, and your temper, cook your chicken thighs in the Crock-Pot. Then, dinner will be ready to go as soon as you get home, which will make everyone happy.
This chicken thigh recipe is a take on roasted chicken thighs with potatoes and uses simple herbs and spices for flavor.
Total Time: 6 to 7 hours | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 6 small red potatoes, halved
- 4 carrots, cut in chunks
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
- In a 6- to 8-quart Crock-Pot, cover the bottom with the onions, potatoes and carrots.
- Add broth, garlic, rosemary, oregano and sage to the vegetables and stir to combine.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place on top of the vegetables.
- Cover the Crock-Pot and cook on low heat for 6 hours.
Tip
Browning the chicken in 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil over a medium-hot skillet for 2 to 3 minutes per side before putting it in the Crock-Pot adds an extra dimension of flavor to this dish.
If you prefer sweet and spicy chicken thighs, try an Asian-inspired Crock-Pot dish. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Place your chicken, preferably browned, in the Crock-Pot, cover with the sauce and cook on low-heat for 6 hours. Serve this dish with rice.
You may be cooking your chicken thighs in the Crock-Pot, but that doesn't mean you have to forget about crispy skin. Venting the lid and cooking the chicken low and slow can help you get an oven-cooked taste from your Crock-Pot-cooked chicken thighs. First, in a small bowl, mix the dry ingredients from the recipe: 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon sage, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Season your chicken thighs evenly on both sides. Place the chicken skin-side-up in the Crock-Pot. Be sure not to limit steaming by overcrowding the chicken. Cover the pot, but place the lid so it's askew to allow for venting of steam, and cook on low heat for 6 to 7 hours.
