Description
A comforting and creamy slow cooker chicken thighs recipe featuring tender bone-in chicken simmered in a rich sauce with sundried tomatoes, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Perfectly paired with pasta or roasted vegetables, this dish combines ease and deliciousness for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
Sauce and Flavorings
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Optional: 1 cup fresh spinach
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken thighs evenly with salt and pepper, ensuring they are well coated for flavor.
- Sear Chicken: Heat butter and oil together in a skillet over medium 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. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add Chicken to Slow Cooker: Place the seared chicken thighs into the slow cooker in a single layer.
- 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 chicken stock into the skillet to deglaze, scraping up the caramelized browned bits from the bottom to incorporate flavor.
- Add Mixture to Slow Cooker: Transfer the onion, garlic, and chicken stock mixture to the slow cooker. Add chopped sundried tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Stir gently to combine.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7 hours until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Optional Broil for Crispy Skin: Remove chicken thighs from the slow cooker. Keep warm covered, or for crispy skin, broil in an oven preheated to 200 degrees Celsius for 3 minutes.
- Prepare Sauce: Add heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and optional spinach to the remaining liquid in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 20-30 minutes to thicken the sauce and meld flavors.
- Combine and Serve: Return the chicken to the slow cooker and spoon the creamy sauce over the top. Serve the creamy chicken thighs on pasta, or alongside roasted potatoes or vegetables.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, broil the chicken skin under a hot grill for 2-3 minutes after slow cooking.
- Sundried tomatoes can be replaced with sun-dried tomato paste or omitted for a milder flavor.
- Add fresh spinach just before finishing to keep it vibrant and tender.
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs if preferred, but reduce slow cooking time by 1-2 hours on low.
- Serve with your favorite pasta or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
- To reduce fat content, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a lighter cream alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
