Description
This Slow Cooker Greek Chicken recipe features tender, juicy chicken breasts or thighs slow-cooked with aromatic herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and onions. Perfectly seasoned with oregano and thyme, this easy-to-make dish absorbs flavorful juices during the slow cooking process, resulting in a delicious and hearty meal ideal for serving over rice, pasta, pita, or a Greek salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
Seasoning and Sauce
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Start by preparing all your ingredients. Thinly slice the onion, mince the garlic cloves, and juice the lemon. Ensure your chicken is boneless and skinless for even cooking.
- Layer in Slow Cooker: Place the chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker in a single layer. Spread the thinly sliced onions evenly over the chicken to add flavor and moisture as they cook.
- Mix the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, dried oregano, dried thyme, sea salt, and black pepper until well combined. This mixture will infuse the chicken with bright, herby flavors during cooking.
- Pour Sauce Over Chicken: Evenly pour the prepared sauce mixture over the chicken and onions in the slow cooker, ensuring the chicken is well coated.
- Cook: Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C). Slow cooking allows the chicken to absorb maximum flavor and stay moist.
- Shred Chicken: Using two forks, shred the cooked chicken directly in the slow cooker to mix it with the cooking juices. This step makes the chicken easier to serve and lets it soak up even more flavor.
- Serve: Serve the shredded Greek chicken warm. It pairs wonderfully with rice, pasta, pita bread, or atop a fresh Greek salad for a complete meal.
Notes
- You can use either chicken breasts or thighs depending on your preference; thighs tend to stay moister.
- Adjust seasonings to taste, especially the salt and lemon juice, for a brighter or milder flavor.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and freeze well for up to 2 months.
- For a low-sodium option, reduce the amount of salt or use low sodium chicken broth.
- If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can bake the chicken covered in a similar sauce at 350°F (175°C) for about 30-40 minutes until cooked through.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Greek
Keywords: Greek chicken, slow cooker chicken, Mediterranean chicken, lemon garlic chicken, oregano thyme chicken, easy slow cooker recipe
