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Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

4.60 from 15 votes

This Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken is full of flavour and fall off the bone tender. Made with fresh lemon zest, fresh rosemary sprigs and a few herbs and spices. A great mid week family dinner the whole family will love.

lemon and rosemary chicken on a plate with arugula
Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

It’s officially spring friends! And I’m ready to dive in head first. The flowers are starting to bloom, the days are getting a little longer and the cravings for lighter food is in overdrive. And with my quest to head into spring but keeping a hold on a little bit of comfort, I’m bringing you this Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken. With all the flavours of spring but the comfort of a slow cooker meal.

Oh and before I forget, you NEED to check out my Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs. Perfect for spring and summer as well! And if you’re thinking of something quick, check out the Roasted Spatchcock Chicken.

Why YOu’ll Love This Lemon Rosemary Chicken

  • Flavour -It’s full of flavour
  • EasyThis is a super easy recipe and put together in just minutes
  • Budget friendly – Chicken is budget friendly, which is great for families
  • You can have it in the slow cooker all day while you are away at work and come home to a hot dinner
lemon and rosemary chicken in a crockpot
Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

Star Ingredients to Make The Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

  • Chicken – I used bone in chicken thighs
  • Fresh ingredients – lemon zest, garlic and rosemary sprigs
  • Seasonings – thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and olive oil

REMEMBER, the full recipe and ingredient list is always found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Ingredients to make the slow cooker lemon rosemary chicken
Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

Instructions for This Lemon Rosemary Chicken

  1. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  2. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and coat with the spice rub.
  3. Sprinkle over lemon zest. Tuck the garlic cloves and the rosemary springs between the chicken thighs.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours. Check chicken at the half way point and baste with pan juices.
  5. Serve with pan juices with your favourite sides.

Recipe Tips and Notes

Like all slow cookers, they are slightly different. I cooked this recipe three times on different temperatures each time and here are my results. Your crock pot cooking time may vary a little from mine.

  • Low 6 – 8 hours
  • Medium 4 – 6 hours
  • High 3 – 4 hours

chicken thighs in a crockpot
Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

Can I use Chicken Breast in This Recipe instead of Thighs

The great thing about using a crock pot, is that it makes everything tender. So, yes you can chicken breasts if you prefer them. The only change I would recommend is to add about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of chicken stock to the crock pot as the breast doesn’t release as much juice.

slow cooker lemon chicken in a crockpot
Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

Can I make This In Advance and Reheat Later

If your slow cooker switches to warm mode after cooking, that’s great. We ate this several hours after it was cooked and there were still plenty of juices. But what I noticed was that over time keeping it warm, the juices evaporate. The chicken will still be really tender, just not as much liquor to pour over the chicken.

Slow cooker lemon and rosemary chicken on a plate with arugula
Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

What are Some Great Side Dishes To Serve With This Slow Cooker Dish

The sky really is the limit. But I would probably recommend these fantastic Mashed Potatoes, some Crispy Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes , the Sherry Sauteed Asparagus and Carrots, the Potato & Spinach Gratin or the Potato and Leek Cakes. All really great options. Or you can come up with your own great side dishes.

And do you know what? I think this slow cooker chicken would make a super easy lunch for Easter Sunday! It’s delicious enough and even fancy enough. Why not!

 lemon and rosemary chicken in a blue serving dish
Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use dried rosemary?

While you can use dried rosemary for this recipe, fresh rosemary will deliver more flavour.

Are there other cooking methods for this Lemon Rosemary Chicken

This chicken dish can also be cooked in the oven. Just preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken on a baking tray and cook for 45 minutes to one hour or until cooked through.

Should I brown chicken before putting it into the slow cooker?

You don’t need to brown the chicken before, but you can sear it if you feel like it. Just sear it in a hot frying pan for about 2 minutes each side.

table setting of  lemon and rosemary chicken
Slow Cooker Lemon Rosemary Chicken

Here’s a Few More Recipes You Might Enjoy

Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

This Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken is full of flavour and fall off the bone tender. Made with fresh lemon zest, fresh rosemary sprigs and a few herbs and spices. A great mid week family dinner the whole family will love.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: North American
Keyword: chicken, lemons, slow cooker recipes, spring recipes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 502kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken thighs bone in and skin removed
  • zest of one lemon
  • 6 sprigs rosemary
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 8 cloves garlic peeled and left whole
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  • Place the chicken in the slow cooker and coat with the spice rub.
  • Sprinkle over lemon zest. Tuck the garlic cloves and the rosemary springs between the chicken thighs.
  • Cover and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours. Check chicken at the half way point and baste with pan juices.
  • Serve with pan juices with your favourite sides.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Notes

  • Cook on low 6 – 8 hours
  • Cook on medium 4 – 6 hours
  • Cook on high 3 – 4 hours
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 502 Calories from Fat 342
% Daily Value*
Fat 38g58%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 222mg74%
Sodium 757mg33%
Potassium 485mg14%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 37g74%
Vitamin A 192IU4%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 25mg3%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
By on March 23rd, 2021
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About Julia Pinney

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20 Comments on “Slow Cooker Lemon and Rosemary Chicken”

  1. 5 stars
    Rosemary and lemon go so well together! This recipe is one that I could make over and over again, because I love ‘fix and forget’ dinners made in the slow cooker.

    Reply
    • We really enjoyed it. I’ve got to be honest, I only started using a crockpot back last year….lol. I never had one before and love it. Thanks Bernice!

      Reply
  2. Can I put this together the night before and let it sit in the fridge? Will it be ok? I have no time in the morning to put it together unfortunately

    Reply
    • Hi Jackie, yes no problem at all. Just make sure it’s completely covered in the fridge. Then it will be ready to go in the morning. Hope this helps.

      Reply
  3. 5 stars
    Had some chicken legs I wanted to make with rosemary and found your recipe and it was fantastic. Set it before I went to work and was welcomed home by the aromas of lemon, rosemary, and garlic(I added lots of these). Was a big hit in my house, definitely will make it again.

    Reply
    • That’s wonderful to hear Carlos. I’m really happy you all enjoyed the recipe and thanks for the kind words.

      Reply

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