Who doesn’t love easy, flavorful crockpot chicken?! This slow cooker honey lemon chicken is juicy, tangy, and super low-effort.
It’s delicious served with roasted asparagus and crispy potatoes, but you can easily switch it up with your favorite sides – feel free to swap in different veggies, serve with rice instead of potatoes, etc!
You can’t go wrong with this tasty weeknight meal.
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken with Lemon
Say hello to your new go-to dinner! This slow cooker lemon chicken recipe is so easy and full of flavor, and happens to smell amazing while it’s roasting in your crockpot.
You can even prep everything the night before! Just store the chopped onion and raw chicken in the slow cooker insert and the sauce in a jar and put it all in the fridge overnight. Then in the morning, pour the honey lemon sauce over the chicken and turn the slow cooker on. So simple!
The slow cooker chicken comes out tender, with a great flavor balance of sweet, tangy, and savory, and the drippings make the most delicious sauce. The onions get caramelized and delicious.
I also love how the honey helps caramelize the chicken, so it can crisp up nicely under a broiler right before serving. It’s seared chicken thigh perfection, without any of the oil splatters or standing over the stove!
Related post: Crockpot Chicken Recipes for Easy Meal Prep
Recipe Ingredients
To make this honey lemon chicken, you’ll need:
- yellow onion
- chicken thighs (I recommend bone-in, skin-on thighs for juicier chicken, but skinless, boneless chicken thighs can easily be swapped.)
- honey
- lemon (Fresh lemon juice is much more flavorful than bottled lemon juice!)
- garlic
- chicken stock
- fresh thyme
- salt & pepper
And of course, any side you want – roasted vegetables, potatoes, salad, rice, etc. I’ve included some tasty side dish ideas for lemon glazed chicken later in this post.
For another delicious chicken recipe, try these crockpot honey mustard chicken drumsticks or this slow cooker chicken cacciatore!
How to Make Honey Lemon Chicken in the Crockpot
Start by chopping the onion and layering it on the bottom of the crockpot. Place chicken thighs on top.
Next, whisk together the sauce in a jar or bowl: honey, lemon zest & juice, chicken stock, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Pour the lemon garlic sauce over the chicken, then add the fresh thyme.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours, or high for 3-4 hours.
If using skin-on chicken thighs, remove them from the slow cooker, put in a baking dish, and broil for a few minutes, until the skin is crispy and golden.
This few minutes of extra work right before serving really takes this dish to next level delicious.
Lastly, take out the thyme sprigs and use a spoon to skim out the fat that will have risen to the top of the crockpot sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce and onions over the chicken to serve, and enjoy!
Can I use chicken breasts?
Yes, chicken breasts should also work here. Just keep in mind that chicken breasts are leaner than chicken thighs, so they may not be quite as juicy or flavorful.
Is this honey lemon chicken recipe gluten free?
Yes! These lemon chicken thighs should be naturally gluten free. Just be sure to check the packaging on your ingredients if needed, because some brands can differ.
Storage Tips
Store this chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you have extra lemon honey sauce, I recommend storing it in a separate container so it doesn’t make the chicken soggy.
Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Side Dish Ideas
Now, let’s talk about what would pair deliciously with this lemon honey chicken! Here are some ideas:
- any roasted vegetables, such as asparagus, brussels sprouts, broccoli, green beans, or cauliflower (Fresh or frozen vegetables both would work great! Or, try these garlic herb roasted veggies.)
- Instant Pot farro risotto with mushrooms
- shaved Brussels sprouts salad
- baked buttercup squash with goat cheese
- lemony quinoa salad with spinach
- crunchy broccoli cauliflower salad
And, you can find even more chicken side dish ideas here! The possibilities are endless. 🙂
You can also use the leftover chicken to make a completely new meal!
Try shredding the chicken and throwing it on a salad or stuffing it into a wrap, or try adding shredded leftover chicken to a pan with store-bought ravioli, butter, green beans, spinach, and some of the leftover sauce. Delicious!
However you enjoy it, I hope you love this easy honey lemon chicken!
We had it earlier this week and it was the perfect cozy meal for a snowy day, and I always love that with a slow cooker almost all the work for dinner is done early in the day! I feel so accomplished having dinner going by early afternoon – anyone else?
You’ll find the full crockpot lemon chicken recipe at the bottom of this post.
Check out these posts for more chicken recipe inspiration:
- Pan Seared Chicken Thighs with Pomegranate Glaze
- Crockpot Mexican Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Maple Mustard Sauce
- Crockpot Balsamic Chicken
- Garlic Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
- Watermelon Chicken with Balsamic Glaze
Crockpot Honey Lemon Chicken
This slow cooker honey lemon chicken is juicy, tangy, and the perfect weeknight meal.
Ingredients:
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 or 5 pieces)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions:
- Spread the chopped onion in an even layer in the bottom of a slow cooker insert. Arrange the chicken thighs on top of the onion.
- Combine the honey, lemon zest and juice, garlic, chicken stock, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar. Stir or shake to combine, then pour the sauce over the chicken. Nestle the thyme sprigs into the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Carefully remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker and place in a baking dish or on a sheet pan. Broil for 3-4 minutes, until the chicken skin is golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and use a spoon or gravy separator to skim fat from the top of the sauce. Serve the chicken thighs with the sauce and onions.
