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Slow cooker garlic butter chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet

Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs

Bone-in chicken thighs slow cooked in garlic butter with herbs, finished under the broiler for crackling crisp skin.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 8 (1.4kg)
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter (85g)
  • 10 cloves garlic, half minced and half smashed
  • 1 cup chicken broth (240ml)
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs

Method
 

  1. Pat the thighs dry. Season all over with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the thighs skin-side down for 4 to 5 minutes until golden. Transfer to the slow cooker, skin-side up.
  3. In the same skillet, melt the remaining butter with the minced garlic for 1 minute. Add the broth and lemon juice, scraping up the browned bits. Pour around (not over) the chicken.
  4. Tuck the smashed garlic cloves and herb sprigs around the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
  5. Transfer the thighs to a sheet pan, brush with the cooking juices, and broil 3 to 4 minutes until the skin crackles. Watch closely.
  6. Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the chicken and serve with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or rice.

Notes

Tips: Split the garlic: early garlic melts into the sauce, late garlic stays punchy. Skim excess fat from the sauce before serving if you like. Baby potatoes tucked around the chicken cook beautifully in the same pot.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
Estimated nutrition: about 480 calories per serving (estimated).