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Chicken Thighs cooked in the crock pot make a mouthwatering recipe that’s perfect for a busy weeknight or lazy weekends! Juicy chicken coated in a thick rich sauce flavored with garlic, honey, and soy sauce is a slow cooker hit.
Are you ready for one of the easiest and most delicious chicken recipes you’ll ever make in the slow cooker? Well, here it is!
Crock Pot Chicken Thighs is a recipe creation that’s been on repeat in my kitchen for the past several weeks. It’s uncomplicated yet has a combination of flavors that go perfectly together. As the chicken cooks low and slow, the simple 8-ingredient sauce infuses the perfect amount of sweet and savory flavors making this a recipe you will love.
Ingredients For This Recipe:
- Bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
- Ketchup
- Soy Sauce
- Honey
- Onion Powder
- Dried Mustard
- Dried Thyme
- Dried Parsley
- Salt and Pepper
Do You Need To Sear The Chicken First?
For this recipe, it’s really best to get a good sear on the chicken. It helps impart extra flavor. I use a cast iron skillet (get it screaming hot) to brown the chicken. Work in 2 batches so that the chicken does not touch while you’re searing the skin.
Substitutions For This Recipe
- If you can’t find bone-in, skin-on thighs at the store, you can use boneless, skinless thighs. I recommend still searing to impart extra flavor before adding the chicken to the crock pot.
- Change up the flavors if you want. Add-in some extra spice with red pepper flakes or chopped jalapeñpos. Mix in grated fresh ginger and sprinkle on sesame seeds for an Asian flair.
- Replace the ketchup with your favorite BBQ sauce and add in smoked paprika.
How To Store Leftovers
The cooked chicken and any leftover sauce store well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Store in a resealable container then reheat before serving.
These chicken thighs coated with all that yummy rich sauce go really well with any side dish that can soak up all the juicy goodness in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add in a fresh veggie or salad and dinner is served!
What To Serve With Crock Pot Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot Herb Rice
- Smoked Gouda Cheese Grits Casserole
- Instant Pot Parmesan Noodles
- Skillet Green Beans
- Tomato Cucumber Salad
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love!
- Skillet Chicken Spaghetti
- Balsamic Chicken Thighs
- Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Creamy White Chicken Chili
- Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken Sliders
Want To Know More About Slow Cooking?
If you are new to cooking with a Crock Pot or just don’t know where to start, I’ve got something to help. I’ve put together a helpful guide with tips and recipes to get you using a slow cooker like a pro!
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- ¾ cup ketchup
- â…“ cup soy sauce
- â…“ cup honey
- 3 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley – optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or heavy bottom pan. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and sear, skin side down until golden. Remove the chicken from the pan and place skin side up in the crock pot.
- To a medium-size bowl, add ketchup, soy sauce, honey, garlic, onion powder dried thyme, dried parsley, and dried mustard. Whisk together and pour over the chicken. Place lid on the crock pot and cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 5 hours until chicken is done and the sauce has thickened.
- Remove chicken and place on a serving dish. Spoon over the sauce from the bottom of the crock pot, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.
Everyone complimented this. I am not a chicken thigh eater but they were delicious and I might convert. Having the leftovers tonight with rice. I love a recipe that makes extras.
I agree, Leo! And, thanks for the outstanding rating.
~Donya
Omg this was amazing!!!!! I will def be cooking this again. I like that it’s a crock pot recipe and 8 thighs at once. Trying to cook less during the week. Husband and I loved it AND even my daughter liked it too!! Paired it wit broccoli and brown rice!
So good! So easy! Fall off the bone!
Is the minced garlic dried or fresh?
How long did you leave this in the oven?
This recipe is made in the crock pot.
~Donya
My husband does not like chicken thighs. Would boneless chicken breast work
I’ve not tested with chicken breasts, but I think it will turn out great. Let me know how it turns out!
~Donya
This was excellent!! I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I added half of a chopped onion to the sauce. I didn’t have dried or fresh parsley. This is now my go to recipe for Asian style chicken thighs. Served it with white rice and stir fry veggies! Make this!!
This was delicious! I made it in my Ninja Foodi. First I slow cooked it and then air crisped! Delicious!
Super easy and super yummy! I used boneless skinless chicken thighs and they came out great! Served over rice with broccoli or brussel sprouts 😋 This recipe is definitely saved in my book!
Does the cooking time change if you use bonlesss skinless thighs?
I’ve not tested this recipe with boneless thighs. Let me know how it turns out.
~Donya
😋 Delicious! I just made this chicken and it was so good. The only thing I did differently was I kept it in the cast iron pan, covered it with foil, and placed it in an a 300 degree oven and let it cook though. I then removed the foil and broiled it for a minutes to get that char on the top. IT WAS SO GOOD!
I made this recipe yesterday for a crowd. It was loved by everyone. I used boneless, and skinless thighs. I served it with Baked Beans and Potato Salad. This really was good, and I will tell my friends
Yum yum yum, yum yum yum yum yum.
I’m going to make this with boneless chicken thighs. Do you think it’s ok to omit the searing and just throw it into crockpot?
Give it a try.
Had anyone ever tried potatoes in this? If so how did it come out?
I did today with baked potatoes, It was delicious! Next time I want to try with rice. The recipe is amazing! Thank you!
Can I use boneless chicken thighs? I have some frozen ones I want to defrost.
I made it just as the recipe states and it was great!! I thought the sauce would be thicker, maybe I will try a cornstarch slurry at the end next time. The ingredients worked well together.
Thanks so much for the great comment and terrific rating!
So glad you are here,
~Donya
My goodness!!! Googled “best crock pot chicken recipe” and this one was near the top! This Chicken Recipe was AMAZING!!! I switched ground mustard for Jalapeno Mustard and added Sesame Seeds. To anyone wondering….just make it already! Top supper in this house tonight! My sides for this was broccoli, chicken broccoli flavored rice, deviled eggs and French bread with butter. My oh my! Thank you!!
WOW! You’ve made my day. Thanks for sharing.
I appreciate your terrific rating!
~Donya