5 Easy Slow Cooker Ideas for Dinner With Chicken

Although there are numerous ways to fix a delicious meal with chicken, few beat using a slow cooker. After all, it is the ultimate solution for a hands-off means of cooking tender, juicy poultry. And what can be better than having a healthy, nutritious meal ready exactly when you want it? Today, Cook It would like to share with you five slow cooker ideas for dinner with chicken to add to your easy weeknight dinner repertoire.

Whether you’re starting with chicken breasts, whole chicken, or chicken thighs, your slow cooker will transform them into a delightful, family-friendly dinner. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Ideas for Dinner

Salsa Pulled Chicken

Who doesn’t love the iconic pairing of salsa and chicken? Combine the two in a slow cooker and cook until tender. The result is a deliriously delicious pulled chicken you can use as a filling for tortillas or wraps.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz (450 g) fresh tomato salsa
• 4 chicken breasts
• fresh oregano leaves to taste

Instructions:

1. To begin with, pour half of the fresh tomato salsa inside your slow cooker. Next, arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer. Finally, pour the remaining salsa over the chicken.
2. Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook on Low for 2–3 hours, or High for 1–2 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer it to a cutting board. Shred the chicken the old-fashioned way with two forks, or your fingers. Send the chicken back to the slow cooker and toss to coat with the salsa. Sprinkle with fresh oregano leaves before serving.

Chicken in Milk

This deliciously seasoned, tender chicken in milk is about to become your fall menu go-to. Best of all, the slow cooker is going to do most of the work for you.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• ½ tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup apple juice
• 10 cloves garlic
• ¼ cup sage leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• zest from two lemons
• 2 ¼ cups (540 ml) whole milk

Instructions:

1. Start by removing the giblets from the chicken and patting it dry using paper towels.
2. Combine salt and pepper and rub the mixture into the chicken.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sear the chicken on all sides until golden brown.
4. Place the seared chicken inside your slow cooker breast-side-down.
5. Discard any grease left in the skillet and return it to heat. Add apple juice and simmer until it has reduced by half before pouring it over the chicken.
6. Arrange unpeeled garlic cloves, sage leaves, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest on top of and around the chicken, then cover it with milk.
7. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours.

Chicken Piccata

This comforting chicken piccata will win you over with the first bite! Not only does it have a fine, full flavor, but it is also super simple to throw together.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 chicken breasts
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning the chicken breasts
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning the chicken breasts
• 2 lb (900 g) red potatoes
• 1 ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup capers
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• chopped parsley to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Generously season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Sear the chicken on one side until golden brown (approximately 5 minutes).
2. Halve or quarter potatoes and place them inside your slow cooker; sprinkle with the ½ teaspoon of salt. Next, add the chicken breasts seared-side up. Pour in the broth, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, and capers.
3. Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook on Low for 3 ½–4 hours. In the meantime, rub together flour and butter and set aside.
4. Transfer the chicken breasts and potatoes to a serving dish. Pour the liquid and capers into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
5. Add the butter mixture, continuously whisking, until incorporated. Cook, frequently stirring, until the sauce is thickened (approximately 3 minutes).
6. Garnish the chicken and potatoes with parsley and serve with the sauce.

Creamy French Mustard Chicken

Two kinds of mustard are better than one! Whole-grain mustard helps flavor the chicken while it’s cooking, whereas creamy Dijon thickens the sauce and adds a bit of an oomph. You’ll want to savor this tender, flavor-rich chicken immediately, and we don’t blame you.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 lb (1800 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• kosher salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 4 shallots
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup whole-grain Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• parsley to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet.
2. In the meantime, pat the chicken dry using paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper. Add half of the chicken skin-side down to the skillet and cook until golden brown (approximately 7 minutes). Place the chicken skin-side up inside your slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Reserve two tablespoons of fat from the skillet.
3. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add diced shallots and cook until softened (approximately 3 minutes). Add wine and cook until nearly evaporated (roughly 6 minutes). Mix in broth and whole-grain mustard before bringing the mixture to a simmer. Pour it over the chicken in the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours.
5. Transfer the chicken to a dish and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
6. Turn the slow cooker to High. Combine Dijon mustard, heavy cream, and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk together. Swirl it into the sauce in the slow cooker, cover, and cook until thickened, about half an hour.
7. Serve the chicken with parsley and serve with the sauce.

Italian Chicken and Broccoli

At the end of a long day, all you want is a comforting, all-in-one meal, and this Italian chicken and broccoli dish is it!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 ½ cup long-grain brown rice
• 1 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 15 oz (425 g) cannellini beans
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• 1 broccoli head

Instructions:

1. Combine broth, rice, water, minced garlic, diced onion, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt in a slow cooker.
2. Season the chicken thighs with salt and place them in an even layer over the rice.
3. Cover and cook on Low for 3 hours.
4. Stir in drained and rinsed cannellini beans and Parmesan.
5. Cut broccoli into florets and place them over the rice in an even layer. Cover and cook on Low for 1–1 ½ hour.
6. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.

We hope this selection of slow cooker ideas for dinner with chicken has inspired you to fix some delicious dishes. What do you think of these recipes? Which of them are you most excited to try? Tell us in the comments section below, as we would love to know!

Valerie

I am an English major with a love of languages and fiction, and with an incurable travel bug. In my free time, I read fantasy, drink copious amounts of coffee, and like to go see movies. Culinary art means everything to me. My main hypostasis is the taster, though. The music school has taught me to appreciate the symphony of airy meringues, to create harmonious overtures of light snacks, hard rock of meat, fish, and vegetables on the grill. Choir classes have accustomed me to hear and feel the people nearby and create perfect harmonies of sounds.