Description
A rich and creamy slow cooker chicken thigh recipe featuring tender bone-in chicken simmered in a flavorful sauce of sundried tomatoes, garlic, onion, and Parmesan cheese. Perfectly cooked in a slow cooker and optionally finished under the broiler for crispy skin. Serve with pasta, roasted potatoes, or vegetables for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
Liquids & Seasonings
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken thighs evenly with salt and pepper on all sides to enhance flavor.
- Sear Chicken: In a skillet, heat together the butter and oil over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs skin side down and cook for 4 minutes to render fat and crisp the skin. Flip and cook for an additional 1 minute on the other side.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Remove the seared chicken thighs from the skillet and place them into the slow cooker.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the remaining oil and butter. Sauté for 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Deglaze Skillet: Pour in the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom for extra flavor.
- Add Mixture to Slow Cooker: Pour the onion, garlic, and chicken stock mixture into the slow cooker. Add the chopped sundried tomatoes and Italian seasoning.
- Cook Chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours. Alternatively, cook on low for 7 hours for more tender results.
- Optional Crispy Skin: When cooking time is complete, carefully remove the chicken thighs and keep warm covered. For crispy skin, broil them in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 3 minutes.
- Make Cream Sauce: Add the heavy cream and shredded Parmesan cheese to the liquid remaining in the slow cooker. Optionally, add spinach now. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes to thicken and combine flavors.
- Combine and Serve: Return the chicken thighs to the slow cooker and spoon the creamy sauce over them. Serve hot over pasta or alongside roasted potatoes and vegetables.
Notes
- For juicy chicken, avoid overcooking in the slow cooker; check tenderness after 4 hours on high.
- Broiling the chicken skin at the end adds a nice crispy texture if preferred.
- Adding spinach to the sauce during the final cooking step is optional and adds extra nutrition and color.
- Bone-in thighs produce more flavorful and moist results compared to boneless.
- Use full-fat heavy cream and Parmesan for best sauce richness; lower-fat options may affect texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
