Crock Pot Lemon Chicken

This is the slow cooker dinner my family requests most when they want something that feels special without any extra effort. The creamy lemon parmesan sauce is rich and indulgent and my whole family scrapes every last drop from the pan. After 20 years of making family dinners I know that the best weeknight meals are the ones that taste like you spent all day cooking when the slow cooker did all the work.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

• Budget Friendly — $19.66 total for a fresh restaurant-quality dinner at home
• High in protein and lighter than most slow cooker dinners
• The creamy lemon parmesan sauce is rich buttery and incredibly indulgent
• Works over anything — pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or a pile of roasted green beans if you’re skipping carbs
• Mild enough for picky eaters — the cream rounds off the lemon, so it reads as buttery rather than sour

If you love easy slow cooker chicken dinners like this one you will also love our Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken, Greek Chicken Marinade Recipe, and Tuscan Chicken Recipe. They are all budget-friendly, made with simple fresh ingredients, and the kind of bright flavorful dinners your family will request all week long.

Ingredients

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts — six breasts cooked low and slow until perfectly tender. Chicken thighs work as a substitute and stay slightly juicier through the long cook
• Butter, divided — used in two stages. Some goes in at the start to build the sauce base and the rest is added at the end for a rich silky finish
• Salt and pepper — essential seasoning. Season the chicken directly before adding to the slow cooker
• Italian seasoning — adds a classic herb blend that pairs beautifully with the lemon and parmesan. Use store-bought or our Italian Seasoning Recipe
• Lemons, juiced — always use freshly squeezed. Two lemons give you the right amount of brightness to balance the richness of the cream and parmesan. Never use bottled lemon juice in this recipe
• Minced garlic — adds savory depth throughout the sauce. Fresh minced gives the best flavor
• Half and half — this is the creamy base of the sauce. It’s equal parts whole milk and cream, sold next to the milk in the dairy case. Heavy cream works too and makes a richer, more stable sauce. Whole milk works in a pinch but the sauce will be thinner and more likely to separate. Don’t use sour cream or cream cheese — they’ll curdle against the lemon.
• Cornstarch — whisked directly into the cold half and half until completely smooth, then stirred into the slow cooker. Whisking it into the cold cream first is what keeps it from clumping. Don’t add it dry.
• Shredded parmesan cheese — stirred in at the end for a rich savory depth that makes the sauce taste restaurant-quality. Always use freshly shredded — pre-shredded parmesan has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly

Carrie’s Tip: Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice — never bottled. The bright clean flavor of fresh lemon is what balances the richness of the cream and parmesan and keeps the sauce from feeling too heavy. Two fresh lemons give you exactly the right amount of brightness for this recipe.

How to Make Crock Pot Lemon Chicken

Step 1 – Brown Chicken – In a large skillet, brown the chicken in butter. Brown the chicken until it is golden brown.

Step 2 – Add chicken and good seasonings – Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Top with the all of the seasonings. Add the pieces of butter on top of the chicken.

Step 3 – Add lemon juice – Squeeze the lemon juice over the top of the chicken. This makes it really amazing. We love using fresh lemon for this crockpot chicken recipes. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.

Step 4 – Mix Corn starch – Get a small bowl and whisk together the cornstarch in the half and half. Add to the crock pot during the last hour. Stir everything together. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over angel hair pasta with parmesan cheese and more fresh lemons.

What to Serve with Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken

• Pasta – This slow cooker creamy lemon chicken is amazing with any type of pasta. We normally serve it over angel hair pasta but you can use anything you prefer. Try this Lemon Spaghetti for a delicious addition to this lemon chicken.
• Roasted Vegetables – Add an easy vegetable side dish and dinner is all ready to enjoy. We love these delicious roasted green beans with the lemon  chicken.  They only take a minute to prepare and they are so yummy.
• Asparagus – This recipe is also good with  oven roasted asparagus.  Just keep it simple.
• Garlic Bread – Make a side of homemade garlic bread to soak up all the lemon flavored sauce.
• Rice – Serve this lemon chicken over white rice or cauliflower rice for a low carb options.
• Zucchini Noodles – This would be delicious over zucchini noodles with a side of roasted potatoes.

Storage and Reheating Tips

• Fridge – If you have leftovers of crockpot lemon chicken, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The leftovers will stay fresh for up to 4 days. We actually think they taste better the next day.
• Reheating – When you are ready to serve, you can reheating in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Serve over pasta or shred and serve over your salads.
• Freezing – You can freeze this, but the cream sauce will separate when it thaws — that’s normal for any half and half sauce. Freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat while whisking. It comes back together. Don’t try to reheat a frozen cream sauce in the microwave; that’s where it goes grainy for good. If you’re freezing on purpose, freeze the chicken in the lemon butter cooking liquid before the cream goes in, and add fresh half and half and cornstarch when you reheat.