Description
A rich and creamy slow cooker chicken thigh recipe with a flavorful sauce made from sundried tomatoes, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Perfect for an easy comforting weeknight dinner served over pasta or roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Cooking Base
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
Sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Optional: 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken thighs evenly with salt and pepper on all sides to enhance the flavor.
- Sear Chicken: Heat the oil and butter together in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin side down and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy. Flip and cook for another 1 minute. This searing locks in juices and builds flavor.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Remove the seared chicken thighs from the skillet and place them in the slow cooker.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet with remaining oil and butter, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Deglaze Skillet: Pour the chicken stock into the skillet and scrape the bottom with a spoon to lift all the caramelized bits. This adds depth to the sauce.
- Add to Slow Cooker: Transfer the onion, garlic, and deglazed chicken stock mixture to the slow cooker along with chopped sundried tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Stir gently to combine.
- Cook Chicken: Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours until the chicken is tender and fully cooked through.
- Optional Broil for Crispy Skin: Remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker at the end of cooking. Keep covered to retain warmth or broil in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 2-3 minutes to crisp the skin.
- Prepare Sauce: To the remaining liquid in the slow cooker, add heavy cream and shredded parmesan cheese. Optionally, add fresh spinach leaves. Cover and cook another 20-30 minutes on low to thicken the sauce and combine flavors.
- Serve: Return the crispy chicken thighs to the slow cooker, pouring the creamy sauce over them. Serve the creamy chicken thighs hot on top of pasta, or alongside roasted potatoes or vegetables.
Notes
- For extra greens, stir in fresh spinach when adding cream and parmesan in the final sauce step.
- Broiling the chicken after slow cooking crisps the skin nicely but is optional.
- Use bone-in chicken thighs for juicier meat and richer flavor.
- Make sure to scrape the skillet well when deglazing to capture all flavor.
- This recipe pairs well with pasta, mashed potatoes, or steamed vegetables.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
