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Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken

Chicken thighs braised with 10 cloves of garlic in a silky parmesan cream sauce. Rich, comforting, and endlessly mop-able.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (1.1kg)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (30ml)
  • 10 cloves garlic, half minced and half smashed
  • 1 cup chicken broth (240ml)
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened (225g)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (120ml)
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan (50g)
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or rice for serving

Method
 

  1. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear 2 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to the slow cooker.
  2. In the same skillet, cook the minced garlic 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the broth, scraping up the browned bits, and pour around the chicken.
  3. Tuck the smashed garlic cloves around the chicken and sprinkle with thyme. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours, until tender.
  4. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover. Whisk the cream cheese into the hot cooking liquid until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes, until slightly thickened.
  5. Return the chicken to the sauce, add the lemon juice, and spoon the sauce over. Serve with plenty of bread for mopping.

Notes

Tips: Smash half the garlic instead of mincing it all; smashed cloves turn sweet over a long cook while minced garlic can turn bitter. If the sauce ever looks grainy, whisk in a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with cold water and simmer 10 minutes. Dairy always goes in late.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days; reheat low and slow. Freeze up to 2 months; stir well when reheating.
Estimated nutrition: about 560 calories per serving (estimated).