Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken: 1 Easy Meal

By anna Boncoeur On August 27, 2025

If you are tired of weeknight dinners that feel like a chore, then get ready for the slow cooker lemon garlic chicken! This bright, zesty, one-pot meal is about to become the star of your rotation. I’m Anna, and I’m a passionate food lover who believes cooking should be simple and joyful, not stressful.

My goal is always to give you recipes that just *work*, especially when life gets busy. I’ve spent years perfecting my slow cooker timing—I know exactly how long things need to sit so that the chicken comes out fall-apart tender and those potatoes are perfectly cooked through without turning to mush. That’s the expertise you get when you trust a recipe tested dozens of times!

This lemon garlic chicken recipe is bright, packed with fresh flavor, and requires almost zero active cooking time once you get everything assembled in the morning. Seriously, setting this up takes barely fifteen minutes, and you come home to a full, delicious dinner waiting for you. It’s the easiest way to get a healthy, flavorful meal on the table without sacrificing your evening!

Table Of content

Gathering Everything for Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

Before we start layering for this amazing slow cooker lemon garlic chicken, let’s make sure your counter is ready! Having everything measured and prepped ahead of time is the secret to keeping that prep time under fifteen minutes, just like I promised. It’s all about setting yourself up for success when you’re assembling this one-pot wonder.

Equipment Needed for This Recipe

You won’t need much, which is part of the beauty here. Grab your 5 or 6 quart slow cooker—that’s the magic vessel for this recipe. You’ll also need a small bowl for mixing the sauce, a cutting board, and of course, measuring spoons and cups. A good sharp knife makes chopping the veggies so much faster, trust me on that!

Ingredient Breakdown for Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

Here is what you need to gather for this fantastic slow cooker lemon garlic chicken dinner. Remember, we’re using four chicken breasts, about six ounces each. For the base, you need 1.5 pounds of baby red potatoes, which should be halved, and three medium carrots cut into one-inch chunks. Don’t forget one yellow onion cut into wedges, and one pound of fresh green beans, trimmed. For that incredible flavor, you need six cloves of garlic minced, four tablespoons of unsalted butter cut into small pieces, and three tablespoons of olive oil.

For the sauce, whisk together half a cup of low-sodium chicken broth, one-third cup of fresh lemon juice, one tablespoon of zest, one teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and half a teaspoon of honey. Finally, have two tablespoons of fresh parsley chopped and some extra lemon wedges ready for serving!

Preparing Your Ingredients for Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

Now that everything is measured out, we need to get these components ready for their cozy nap in the slow cooker. This prep stage is quick, but it’s crucial for ensuring maximum flavor penetration in our slow cooker lemon garlic chicken. We want those spices to cling perfectly to the chicken, and we want those vegetables tender when the timer dings!

It really helps if you have all your chopping done before you even touch the chicken. Once the chicken is seasoned, you want to get it into the cooker right away, so make sure your cutting board is clear and your hands are free!

Seasoning the Chicken Breasts

First things first: the chicken needs to be dry! Take your four boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pat them down really well with a paper towel. This step is non-negotiable because moisture prevents the spices from sticking. In a small bowl, mix up your seasonings: 1.5 teaspoons of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon each of pepper, dried thyme, dried oregano, and paprika. Sprinkle this mix generously over both sides of the chicken breasts. Don’t be shy; we want flavor everywhere!

Prepping Vegetables and Aromatics

For the vegetables, the baby red potatoes need to be halved. If you have some really big ones, cut them into quarters, but generally halves work best for even cooking. Carrots should be chunky—about one-inch pieces. The yellow onion just needs to be cut into rough wedges. For the garlic, remember we need six cloves total. Mince all six now, but remember we’re only using half of it in this prep stage. Keep the other half ready for the layering step later on!

Assembling the Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

This is where the magic really starts to happen! The layering structure in the slow cooker is super important for ensuring everything cooks evenly, especially since we want that tender chicken and those soft vegetables in our slow cooker lemon garlic chicken. We’re building flavor from the bottom up, so follow this order exactly, and you won’t have any dry spots or undercooked veggies.

Layering Vegetables and Oil

Take your slow cooker insert and place all the prepared vegetables—the halved potatoes, the chunky carrots, and the onion wedges—right at the bottom. They need that direct heat contact to start softening up nicely. Drizzle the three tablespoons of olive oil evenly over them. Then, take half of that minced garlic you set aside and scatter it right over the veggies. Give it a quick toss with your hands—just enough to coat everything lightly in the oil and garlic.

Adding Chicken and Final Toppings

Now, place those beautifully seasoned chicken breasts right on top of the vegetable layer. They should sit in a single layer if you can manage it; don’t let them overlap too much! Take the remaining minced garlic and sprinkle it over the chicken. Next, toss in your trimmed green beans, letting them fall around the chicken. Finally, cut your four tablespoons of cold butter into tiny little pieces and dot them all over the top of the chicken and beans. These little pockets of fat melt down and help keep everything moist!

Creating and Adding the Zesty Liquid

Time for the bright flavors! Grab that small bowl you used earlier for measuring. Whisk together the half cup of low-sodium chicken broth, the fresh lemon juice, the tablespoon of lemon zest, the teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and the half teaspoon of honey until it’s all combined. This mixture is what gives our slow cooker lemon garlic chicken that zesty punch. Gently pour this entire liquid mixture evenly over everything in the pot. Try to pour it around the edges rather than directly onto the chicken breasts.

Cooking Times and Testing for Perfect Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

Setting the lid on the slow cooker is the hardest part because the waiting game begins! Cover your pot and set it to cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours. That’s the sweet spot for this recipe. Don’t be tempted to peek too often; every time you lift that lid, you lose precious heat, and it adds time to the overall cooking process.

The most important thing here is food safety, especially with chicken. You absolutely must confirm that the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F using a meat thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the breast. If it hits that magic number, the chicken is safe to eat and should be incredibly tender. Once the temperature is right, check the vegetables—they should be fork-tender. If the potatoes are still hard, give it another 30 minutes. That’s how you guarantee a perfect slow cooker lemon garlic chicken dinner every time!

Finishing Touches and Serving Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

When the timer goes off and everything smells heavenly, it’s time for the final flavor check on your slow cooker lemon garlic chicken. Before you serve anything, dip a small spoon into the cooking liquid and give it a taste. Does it need a little more salt? Maybe a tiny squeeze more fresh lemon juice if you like it extra bright? Adjust it now while it’s hot!

Carefully transfer the chicken breasts and all those tender vegetables onto serving plates. Spoon some of that luscious, garlicky lemon sauce right over the top of the chicken—don’t leave any of that liquid behind! Finally, take your two tablespoons of fresh parsley, give it a rough chop if needed, and sprinkle it liberally over everything for a pop of color. Serve immediately with those extra lemon wedges right on the side. A quick squeeze of fresh lemon right before eating takes this slow cooker lemon garlic chicken over the top!

Tips for Success with Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

I’ve made this slow cooker lemon garlic chicken so many times that I’ve learned a few tricks to guarantee success, even if you’re just setting it up for the first time. My biggest piece of advice revolves around placement. Remember how I told you to put the potatoes and carrots on the very bottom? That’s vital! They need that direct, slightly wetter heat from the bottom to soften properly before the chicken starts releasing its juices.

Next up: don’t overstuff your pot! We need some air space for the liquid to circulate and turn into that wonderful sauce. If you try to cram in extra vegetables or use more than four chicken breasts in a standard 6-quart cooker, the heat won’t distribute evenly, and you’ll end up with some dry spots. Stick to the recipe quantities for the best results with this slow cooker lemon garlic chicken.

Also, using fresh herbs when you serve it, like that parsley, makes a huge difference in brightness, even though we use dried thyme and oregano in the cooking process. That little bit of fresh flavor added right at the end elevates the whole dish from good to fantastic. Trust me, this method of layering ensures we get perfectly cooked chicken and tender potatoes every single time! If you want more ideas for easy chicken meals, check out my collection of chicken recipes.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

This slow cooker lemon garlic chicken is fantastic as leftovers, but we have to handle them carefully! You need to get any uneaten portions—the chicken, potatoes, and sauce—into the refrigerator within two hours of finishing cooking. Don’t let it sit out on the counter tempting fate!

When you are ready to eat the leftovers, make sure you reheat them thoroughly until they are steaming hot all the way through. This ensures safety and brings back that lovely lemon flavor. Here’s a quick rundown of how long things usually take:

Refrigeration Time: Up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Freezing: Works well for up to 2 months if sealed tightly.
Reheating Method: Microwave until steaming hot or gently warm on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if it seems dry.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Easy Chicken Dinner

I get so many questions about this recipe because it’s such a lifesaver on busy nights! Here are a few things I hear often about making the best slow cooker lemon garlic chicken.

Can I substitute the vegetables in this slow cooker lemon garlic chicken?

You absolutely can swap things out, but remember the structure of this recipe relies on having denser vegetables like potatoes and carrots on the bottom to protect the chicken. Feel free to swap the green beans for broccoli or asparagus, but add those delicate veggies in the last 30 minutes of cooking so they don’t turn to mush! It’s still a fantastic, easy weeknight dinner even with small changes. For more ideas on cooking chicken breasts perfectly, see my tips on juicy baked chicken breasts.

What internal temperature should the chicken reach?

This is the most important question! For safe eating, your chicken breasts must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). I always use my instant-read thermometer stuck deep into the thickest part of the breast to check. If it’s shy of that number, just let it cook longer on low—it’s much harder to overcook chicken in the slow cooker than you think!

Q3. Why do I need to use fresh lemon juice in my slow cooker lemon garlic chicken?
Honestly, bottled juice just doesn’t have the same bright, zesty punch that fresh lemon brings to the table. Since lemon is a star flavor here, using fresh juice and zest makes all the difference between a good dish and a truly great one. It really brightens up the rich garlic and butter flavor!

Q4. Can I skip the Dijon mustard in the sauce?
You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it! The mustard doesn’t make the sauce taste like mustard; instead, it acts as a fantastic emulsifier—it helps bind the fat (butter/oil) and the liquid (broth/lemon) together so you get a slightly thicker, glossy sauce instead of watery juices. It really helps elevate this simple chicken and potatoes dish. You can find more inspiration for simple recipes like this on my Pinterest page.

Sharing Your Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken Experience

I truly hope this recipe makes your weeknights easier and certainly more delicious! I always love hearing from you when you try out one of my favorite simple meals. Did this slow cooker lemon garlic chicken become a staple at your house, too? Let me know what you thought in the comments below, or share a picture of your dinner! If you are looking for another great slow cooker option, try my recipe for crock pot lemon chicken and rice.