Sluggish Cooker Lemon Garlic Hen

This Crockpot Lemon Garlic Hen is a brilliant straightforward, shockingly good meal. We often make this for an enormous Sunday dinner with Easy Roasted Potatoes and Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower . Then I throw the leftovers into wraps, salads, pasta, and even tacos all week lengthy. It is the proper straightforward slow cooker chicken recipe. 

The lemon garlic taste is mild and contemporary, which works with virtually something. In the event you want a easy, scrumptious, and excellent meal for busy days, this one’s it.

 

What’s on this sluggish cooker hen recipe?

Right here’s a fundamental record of what you’ll must make this recipe:

• Hen breasts: Boneless, skinless hen breasts are good right here. They keep tremendous juicy when cooked low and sluggish. Be happy to swap in boneless skinless hen thighs. 
• Garlic cloves and onion: Contemporary garlic brings that daring, savory taste, whereas the onion brings a barely candy taste.
• Hen broth: This provides moisture and helps create that flavorful sauce on the backside of the sluggish cooker. Low-sodium is an effective selection if you need extra management over the saltiness.
• Lemon juice: Contemporary lemon juice is greatest for that brilliant, contemporary taste. Bottled juice can work in a pinch, however it might style barely uninteresting or overly acidic. In the event you should use bottled, go for a high-quality, preservative-free choice.
• Oregano and cumin: Oregano provides a basic herbaceous word, whereas cumin brings a heat, earthy depth. Collectively, they provide the hen that impossible to resist Mediterranean-inspired taste. Swap in poultry season for an multi functional choice.

Would this work with hen thighs?

Completely! Hen thighs are a fantastic choice for the sluggish cooker since they keep tremendous tender when they’re cooked. You should use boneless skinless hen thighs instead of the hen breasts.

You can even use bone-in hen thighs, however I like to recommend eradicating the pores and skin earlier than cooking. In the event you determine to depart the pores and skin on, place it below the broiler earlier than serving to brown and crisp up the pores and skin.

Can I add further greens?

If you wish to make issues simpler and cook dinner some veggies proper within the sluggish cooker for a extra full meal, there are a number of choices. In the event you select hearty greens like carrots, butternut squash, kale, or potatoes, you may add them proper with the hen.

For faster cooking, greens like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, spinach, or inexperienced beans – add them within the final 20-Half-hour of cooking in order that they do not get mushy and overcooked.

Can I cook dinner this with rice?

Some individuals wish to make a model of this recipe with rice proper within the sluggish cooker. Personally, I’m not an enormous fan of the feel of rice cooked within the sluggish cooker, and I discover it mushy.

Nevertheless, you may add rice to this. Add 1 cup of long-grain brown or white rice (not immediate) and an additional 1.25 cups of hen broth to make it with rice.

Can I add herbs?

Positively! Contemporary or dried herbs are a fantastic addition to this recipe. You should use rosemary, thyme, oregano, or different herbs you’re keen on.

The way to Make Lemon Garlic Hen within the Sluggish Cooker

Making this sluggish cooker lemon garlic hen is a breeze! Here is a fast rundown of the right way to make it:

Add the hen, sliced garlic, onions, lemon juice, hen broth, and seasonings to your sluggish cooker, then let it simmer till the hen is fall-apart tender and filled with taste. You may shred or slice it and serve it together with your favourite sides!

Can I prep this recipe forward of time?

Sure! You may assemble all of the substances within the sluggish cooker, insert them the evening earlier than, cowl them, and refrigerate them. Within the morning, simply pop the insert into the sluggish cooker and set it to cook dinner. Alternatively, you may freeze the cooked hen for as much as 3 months—simply be certain to retailer it with a few of the sauce to maintain it moist when reheating.

How can I get the hen breasts browned?

If you wish to brown the hen breasts, you may sear them on the skin earlier than including them to the sluggish cooker. Simply add some olive oil to a scorching skillet and brown the hen for 1-2 minutes on both sides earlier than including it to the sluggish cooker. This can add some extra taste, nevertheless it does add an additional step.

After I take the time to sear off the hen earlier than including it to the sluggish cooker, I often serve the hen breasts sliced or entire as an alternative of shredded. This can be a good presentation for a fancier dinner or social gathering.

Prompt Pot Lemon Garlic Hen

This sluggish cooker garlic lemon hen can simply be made within the Prompt Pot as an alternative. If the hen is contemporary, merely set the Prompt Pot to six minutes after which let it manually launch.

If the hen breasts are frozen, set the Prompt Pot to 10 minutes and let it manually launch.

Can I make a creamy model? What a few Parmesan Lemon Garlic Hen?

Many individuals wish to make a creamy model of this crockpot garlic lemon hen. There are two methods so as to add a creaminess issue. The primary is to easily stir in 1/2 cup of reduced-fat cream cheese and about 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Take away the hen to cut or shred. Then add the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese to the sluggish cooker and whisk till a creamy sauce varieties.

In the event you want a cream-based sauce, you may add about 1/4-1/3 cup of half and half to the hen. In case you are consuming a low carb, keto, Paleo, or Whole30 eating regimen, you may add some butter for richness. Stir it into the nice and cozy liquid.

Some Methods to Serve this Sluggish Cooker Lemon Garlic Hen

Because the flavors of lemon and garlic are so versatile, there are virtually infinite methods to serve this dish. As I discussed, it makes actually wonderful leftovers and works nice for meal prep, so I like to recommend making a double or triple batch and getting a couple of meal out of the crockpot dish.

• Lemon Garlic Hen Pasta: I virtually at all times use this leftover hen in a fast and simple pasta dish. Merely cook dinner your favourite pasta (we use entire wheat or excessive fiber). Whereas cooking the pasta, saute some broccoli with sliced cherry tomatoes (or drained canned diced tomatoes) in a contact of olive oil. Add the leftover lemon garlic hen and cooked pasta to the dish. Add in 1/2 cup decreased fats cream cheese, about 1/4 cup of pasta cooking liquid (or hen broth), and stir till a sauce varieties. High with Parmesan cheese and further lemon.
• Grain bowls: We eat a ton of grain bowls for lunches since they’re straightforward to prep forward of time. This one is very scrumptious for the reason that sauce from the hen will taste the grains. Begin by selecting your favourite cooked grain (brown rice, quinoa, white rice, farro, couscous) or cauliflower rice. Then add the lemon garlic hen and a few steamed or roasted veggies. High with a sprinkling of Parmesan or feta cheese and a few further contemporary lemon juice.
• Wraps: Wraps are a straightforward, fast choice for lunches. Simply seize a low-carb wrap or entire wheat wrap, and add the hen, greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a few feta cheese. Then, I wish to drizzle every little thing with some balsamic vinegar.

Facet Dish Concepts for Crockpot Lemon Garlic Hen

Lemon garlic hen pairs nicely with all types of facet dishes, from roasted potatoes to mashed cauliflower to creamy polenta and noodles. Listed here are some favorites in our home:

• The Best Mashed Cauliflower: Something that soaks up the sauce is a good choice for this straightforward hen dish. This mild and wholesome mashed cauliflower is a low carb and wholesome choice.
• Creamy Spinach Polenta: An alternative choice nice for absorbing the lemon garlic sauce is polenta. This lightened-up choice with spinach works nice with the lemon and garlic within the sauce.
• Parmesan Roasted Broccoli: My entire household gobbles this recipe up each time we make it, and Parmesan and lemon garlic hen are pure pairs.
• Roasted Acorn Squash: Because the hen is brilliant and contemporary, I wish to pair it with one thing sweeter like roasted acorn squash!
• Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash: This cozy facet dish pairs completely with the lemon taste on this dish.
• Easy Mediterranean Salad: The contemporary lemon juice on this facet dish enhances the lemon within the hen for a Mediterranean-inspired meal!
• Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl: The contemporary, vibrant flavors of quinoa, hummus, and Mediterranean spices completely stability the wealthy, savory style of lemon, garlic, and tender hen.