Cody Casey
Slow cooker chicken thighs are a simple, tasty, and convenient meal for any night of the week. With minimal preparation and just a few ingredients, you can create juicy, tender, and flavorful chicken that falls right off the bone. This recipe is versatile and can be adapted to your preference, whether you choose to use boneless or bone-in chicken thighs, and your favorite sauce, such as BBQ or teriyaki. By using a crock pot, you can enjoy a hands-off cooking experience, making it perfect for busy individuals and families who want a delicious and hassle-free dinner.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Ingredients | Boneless chicken thighs, sauce (BBQ, teriyaki, honey BBQ, or mustard), salt, pepper, butter |
| Cook time | 3-8 hours |
| Cook temperature | Low heat, minimum 165°F |
| Cook method | Place frozen chicken in a crock pot, cover with sauce, cook, shred chicken, mix with sauce |
| Serving suggestions | Rice, salad, mashed potatoes, cornbread, asparagus, potatoes, prosciutto |
| Leftovers | Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, reheat in the oven at 325°F for 5-10 minutes |
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Prep the chicken
Preparing boneless chicken thighs for crock pot cooking is a simple process. To start, take out your slow cooker and lay the frozen chicken thighs on the bottom of the pot. If your chicken thighs are stuck together, place them in a single layer, ensuring they do not overlap. This is important because overlapping chicken thighs may cook unevenly. If they are already separated, you can distribute them around the pot as you see fit.
Next, you'll want to decide on a sauce or seasoning for your chicken. A simple option is to use barbecue sauce, which pairs well with chicken and lends a juicy, tender texture to the meat. Pour your chosen sauce over the chicken thighs, ensuring they are fully coated. You can also opt for a dry rub, coating the chicken with a mixture of spices and herbs like paprika, garlic, and parsley. If you choose to use a dry rub, you may want to sear the chicken in a skillet for about 2 minutes before transferring it to the crock pot. This step is optional but can enhance the flavor of your dish.
Additionally, you can add other ingredients to your crock pot to create a more complex dish. Some suggestions include chicken broth, butter, lemon juice, and zest. You can also include vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and asparagus. These additions will complement the chicken and make your meal more nutritious and flavorful.
By following these steps, you'll have delicious, tender boneless chicken thighs that can be served as-is or used in other recipes like salads, sandwiches, or rice bowls.
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Add sauce and cook
Once you've prepped your chicken, it's time to add your sauce and start cooking. If your chicken thighs are frozen together, you'll need to separate them after a few hours of cooking so the meat can break down more easily. For boneless chicken thighs, lay them in your slow cooker and pour over your sauce of choice. You'll need enough sauce to fully coat the chicken.
Close the lid and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. The exact cooking time will depend on your crock pot, but the meat is done when it's super tender and has reached an internal temperature of 165-175°F. If you're in a hurry, you can cook the chicken on high heat for a shorter time, but this may dry out the meat.
About 20 minutes before serving, shred the meat using two forks. Then, pour in another 1/2 cup of sauce, stir to coat the meat, and let it continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes.
You can serve the chicken shredded or as whole thighs, with extra sauce on the side. Don't forget to garnish with fresh parsley for a pop of color and flavor. Enjoy!
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Serve
Once the chicken is cooked, you can serve it in a variety of ways. If you want to shred the chicken, use two forks to do so directly in the crock pot, then mix the shredded chicken with the sauce before serving. If you prefer to serve the full chicken thighs, you can add extra barbecue sauce and fresh parsley for garnish.
You can also make a gravy using the liquid drippings left in the slow cooker. To do this, whisk together one tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of water or chicken stock to form a slurry. Turn the crockpot to high and stir the slurry into the remaining liquid, whisking until the gravy thickens.
Some serving suggestions include pairing the chicken with rice and a salad, or with mashed potatoes and cornbread. You can also add vegetables to the crockpot, such as carrots and potatoes, or serve the chicken with garlic smashed potatoes and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to four days in an airtight container or sealed bag. To reheat, place the chicken in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil and warm at 325°F for 5-10 minutes or until it reaches the desired temperature.
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Reheat leftovers
Reheating leftovers is an important part of food safety and ensuring your meal is still tasty! Here are some tips for reheating leftover boneless chicken thighs cooked in a crock pot:
Firstly, it is important to note that cooked chicken should be stored in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking. Place any leftovers in an airtight container or sealed bag and store them in the fridge. Consume the leftovers within three to four days. Do not freeze any leftovers since the chicken was cooked from frozen.
When you are ready to reheat your chicken, there are a few different methods you can use. One option is to use a microwave. Simply place the chicken in a microwave-safe dish and heat it until it reaches your desired temperature. You can also add a little water to the dish to help keep the chicken moist.
Another option is to use a conventional oven. Place the chicken in a baking dish and cover it lightly with aluminum foil. Warm the chicken in the oven at 325°F for 5-10 minutes, or a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until it reaches your desired temperature.
It is important to ensure that your chicken is thoroughly reheated to prevent any foodborne illnesses. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F.
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Cook with other ingredients
Boneless chicken thighs are a great option for a quick and easy meal as they can be cooked from frozen in a crock pot. You can cook them with just barbecue sauce, but there are plenty of other ingredients you can use to create a delicious meal.
One option is to use a jar of curry simmer sauce instead of barbecue sauce. This will give your chicken thighs an Indian-inspired flavour. You can also add vegetables to this dish, such as carrots, peas, corn, broccoli, and sweet pepper strips, during the last hour of cooking.
Another option is to coat the chicken thighs in a dry rub before placing them in the crock pot. You can then add other ingredients such as chicken broth, butter, and garlic. Cook this on low for around 3-4 hours. You can also add vegetables to this dish, such as carrots and potatoes.
If you're looking for a more creamy dish, you can try adding cream cheese mashed potatoes and cornbread to your chicken thighs. Or, for a healthier option, serve the chicken with a house salad.
Remember, it's important to ensure that your chicken is cooked to a safe temperature. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of your chicken reaches at least 165°F.
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Frequently asked questions
Place the frozen chicken thighs in the crock pot and cover with your sauce of choice. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks and stir it into the sauce before serving.
You can use any sauce you like! BBQ sauce is a popular choice, but you could also try teriyaki sauce, honey barbecue sauce, or a mix of BBQ sauce and Dijon mustard.
Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your chicken thighs, but most recipes recommend cooking on low heat for 6-8 hours. If you're short on time, you can cook the chicken on high heat for 4 hours or until the chicken shreds easily with a fork.
Yes, you can add other ingredients to the crock pot to create a complete meal. Some suggestions include rice, salad, mashed potatoes, and cornbread, as well as carrots and potatoes.
