5 Star Reader Comment
I saved this recipe awhile ago and decided to make it. It is fantastic. I made it exactly as the recipe stated. I have a large cast iron skillet and browned the chicken as you stated. My wife loved it. Definitely going to make this again, and it is so easy.
Scott
My Slow Cooker Secret for Juicy Chicken Thighs
These slow cooker chicken thighs are the kind of weeknight dinner I love because the crock pot does the work while the sauce keeps every bite tender.
Over the years, I’ve tested this recipe for Crock Pot Chicken Thighs more times than I can count, tweaking the seasonings and adjusting the heat so the chicken comes out tender, juicy, and ready for anything from meal prep bowls to a comforting Sunday supper.
This is one of the most-visited recipes on A Southern Soul, and for good reason: it’s reliable. No guessing. No complicated steps. Crock Pot chicken thighs are one of my favorite easy slow cooker dinners because they turn out tender, juicy, and full of flavor with very little prep. My recipe uses bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and a sweet-savory honey soy sauce that cooks down into a rich glaze for serving over rice, mashed potatoes, or vegetables.
Enjoy!
Donya’s Tips and Things To Know
- Layer wisely. Place the thighs evenly in the slow cooker so they cook consistently.
- Avoid overcooking. Even though thighs are forgiving, 4–6 hours on LOW is the sweet spot.
- Don’t throw out the juices. The broth at the bottom is liquid gold — spoon it over rice, save it for soups, or whisk in a little butter for a quick pan sauce.
- Bone-in or boneless? Both work! Bone-in offers more flavor, while boneless are great for shredding.
Quick Reference: Cook Times by Cut
| Cut | Sear First? | Cook on HIGH | Cook on LOW | Best Finish |
| Bone-in, skin-on | Yes — recommended | 3 hours | 4 to 6 hours | Spoon glaze over top |
| Boneless, skinless | Optional | 2 to 2.5 hours | 2.5 to 3.5 hours | Shred back into the sauce |
| Chicken breasts (boneless) | Optional | 2 to 2.5 hours | 2 to 3 hours | Check at 165°F early |
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken Thighs – I use bone-in, skin-on for the best flavor and texture.. You can use boneless, skinless chicken if you prefer.
- For The Sauce – Ketchup, Soy Sauce, Honey
- Seasonings – Onion Powder, Dried Mustard, Dried Thyme, Dried Parsley, Salt and Pepper
Variations and Substitutions
- Swap the seasoning: Use taco seasoning, Greek seasoning, Cajun spice, BBQ rub, or a smoky paprika blend.
- Add veggies: Toss in sliced onions, carrots, potatoes, or mushrooms for a full one-pot meal.
- Make it creamy: Stir in a splash of heavy cream or a spoonful of sour cream at the end.
- Turn it into shredded chicken: Perfect for tacos, bowls, sandwiches, and meal prep.
Do I Need To Sear The Chicken First?
For this recipe, getting a good sear on the chicken is best. It helps impart extra flavor. I use a cast-iron skillet (get it screaming hot) to brown the chicken. Work in 2 batches so the chicken does not touch while searing the skin.
That said, I want to be real with you. If you are short on time or simply do not feel like getting out a skillet, this recipe will still work without the sear. The sauce is rich enough to carry the dish. You just will not get that gorgeous golden crust or the deeper caramelized flavor. I always sear. But you do not have to.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
- Sear the seasoned chicken thighs in a hot skillet until the skin turns golden and crisp. Transfer the thighs to your crock pot, placing them skin-side up.
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients — a mix of ketchup, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and dried herbs. Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover, and cook on HIGH or LOW until tender and the sauce thickens.
- Move the chicken to a serving dish and spoon the warm sauce from the bottom of the crock pot over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy.
How Do I Thicken The Sauce After Cooking?
Pour the cooking juices into a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water until smooth. Whisk the slurry into the juices and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
More From My Kitchen, Made for Your Table
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ: Quick Answers for Stress-Free Cooking
Bone-in, skin-on thighs are my first choice every time. The bone keeps the meat juicy during the long cook and adds richness to the sauce that boneless thighs cannot match. Boneless thighs work beautifully too — they cook faster and are easier to shred for tacos, bowls, and sandwiches. Start checking boneless thighs at 2.5 hours on LOW.
No. I do not recommend it and neither does the USDA. Frozen chicken spends too long in the temperature danger zone before the slow cooker heats it through. Always thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.
Yes! They keep beautifully. Store in an airtight container with the cooking juices to keep them tender.
Warm them in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or the cooking juices.
Absolutely. Freeze them with their liquid for up to 3 months.
Pop the cooked thighs under the broiler for 3–4 minutes.
This recipe is even easier with the right equipment! Discover my top slow cooker recommendations and make your cooking effortless.
What To Serve With Crock Pot Chicken Thighs
I love serving these chicken thighs over rice so they can soak up that delicious sauce, but sweet potatoes or pasta work just as well. Add something fresh on the side like a simple green salad or roasted veggies, and you’ve got a complete meal. If you’re in the mood for something heartier, roasted potatoes, sautéed green beans, and cornbread make an easy yet delicious family meal.
If you tried this Crock Pot Chicken Thighs Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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This recipe was delicious! I like dark meat so, it was perfect and I will make again. Thank you!
Hey there Cheryl!
Thank you so much for this sweet comment, I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know if you ever have any questions, thank you for your support!
~Donya
This recipe was great. I used chicken thighs with attached legs.
I added in the red pepper flakes and a little extra garlic as suggested to add in the little spice. About halfway through cooking, I added to a little BBQ sauce.
Hey there!
Wow! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, I bet adding that BBQ sauce added a great smoky flavor! I really appreciate your phenomenal rating, thank you so much for sharing. Have a great rest of your day!
~Donya
Super yummy! I added Sesame seed oil and red pepper flakes to this recipe, this chicken was fall off the bone and the flavor was great!
Hey there Abbi!
Thank you so much for this terrific rating, and your sweet comment! Thrilled to hear you liked this recipe, I bet adding that extra sprinkle of red pepper flakes did the trick, sounds delicious! Thank you for your support, I hope you have a great rest of your day!
~Donya
Do you need to add any water to the crock pot or just let it bake in the sauce?
Hey there Amy!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe! You don’t need to add water, just let it cook in the sauce and it will come out perfect! Thank you so much for your support, let me know what you think if you end up making it!
~Donya
Great recipe! The chicken was fall off the bone tender with just the right amount of sweetness from the glaze.
Hey there!
Wow! Thank you so much for your phenomenal rating and your kind words! I am absolutely thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe, it’s definitely a favorite in my house as well. If you liked this recipe, you should check out my Crockpot Lemon Chicken recipe, it’s a similar recipe just with different flavors. Thank you so much for your support, I hope you have a great rest of your day!
~Donya
Kids gobbled this up. Thank you for a reliable meal that’s easy for the rough days of toddler parenting.
Hey there Mallory!
Thank you so much for your sweet words, and for your fantastic rating! Reading this made me think back to when my boys were young, my youngest was a picky eater and it can be a real task to find a meal the whole family can enjoy. So, I am thrilled to hear this recipe was a hit with your kids. If they liked this recipe, you should try my Homemade Meatballs, I know my sons always loved those! Thank you so much for your support, I hope you have a great rest of your day!
I have a dilemma. My SO only likes boneless skinless chicken breast. And (I should have my southern girl card revoked) I don’t own a cast iron skillet. Any ideas?
Hey there!
Not a dilemma in the slightest, I write my recipes based on how I like to make these dishes, but everyone has different preferences. You can absolutely use skinless chicken breasts, and honestly that solves the cast iron problem because you won’t need to sear them skin side down. If you’re doing this recipe with boneless and skinless chicken, I would just skip step 1 in the instructions and go straight to step 2. I hope this helps, let me know how it turns out! Thanks for your support!
~Donya
What do I do if I don’t like ketchup?!
Hey there Kate!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, that’s a great question! If it’s the texture of ketchup you don’t like, then honestly I would still use the 3/4 cups of ketchup because the texture will completely change once it’s in the Crockpot. If you don’t like the flavor of ketchup, then I’m going to recommend something kind of out there but bear with me. I was making this recipe a few months ago, but had run out of ketchup, so I actually used 3/4 of a cup of peach jam/preserves and then only used 1/4 cup of honey, and I added the juice of 1/2 lemon. I know it sounds odd, but my goodness it was so delicious. Now, I will let you know this obviously changes the flavor quite a bit from the original, but I would highly recommend using 3/4 cup of peach preserves as a substitute for the ketchup. Let me know how it turns out, thank you so much for your support!
~Donya
Made this last night it’s absolutely delicious! Didn’t even know I had chicken thighs until I did an inventory of the freezer, and then it was what in the world? How do I cook these, do I even want to? Long way to say thanks but it is really good even though I didn’t sear it first.
Hey there Joan!
I am so pleased to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Crockpot meals are the perfect way to clean out your freezer. If you like this one you should try my Slow cooker Mexican Beef recipe, it’s another one of those “throw it in the pot and forget about it” meals. Thank you so much for your kind words of support!
~Donya
I made this for supper and WOW it is DELISH and my hubby asked for more sauce!! It was a hit and so easy. We had red mashed potatoes and carrots with it YUMMO!!!
Hey there Lisa!
My goodness! I am thrilled to hear y’all enjoyed this so much! It sounds like you made it into quite the meal, I usually serve this with potatoes too and it’s always a hit. If you like this recipe you should try my Mexican Shredded Beef recipe, it’s another easy weeknight Crockpot meal. Thank you so much for your support, I hope you have a great rest of your day!
~Donya
This was delicious and so easy. My family loved it. Thank you!
Hey Julie!
I am so happy to hear everyone liked it, it’s nice and easy so it’s perfect for weeknight family dinners. Thank you so much for your rating and your support, I appreciate it!
~Donya
Do you know the calories in this recipe
Hey there Kathy!
That’s a great question! I don’t personally include the nutritional information in my recipes, but if you copy and paste the recipe into the link below, that website will calculate it for you. I hope this helps!
~Donya