If you are looking for healthy recipes that make not one, but two incredible meals, then this slow cooker lemon chicken is one you have to try. Delicious and moist chicken delicately flavored with lemon and herbs. You will love it!
The slow cooker is such a great kitchen tool to use at home. Perfect for families, couples, or even singles who have busy days.
Often cooking a full meal at night is not always on the agenda, and a bit of prep in the morning and using your slow cooker means you donβt have to worry about a healthy meal when the end of the day comes. It will be ready for you. This slow cooker lemon chicken recipe is a great one for you to try.Β
Don’t forget the sides! Head here for a complete list of the best side dishes for Lemon Chicken meals.
Slow cookers will cook things really well. It combines flavors, tenderizes meats, and just makes things super tasty. Plus it is the perfect tool to double up on quantities for batch cooking or making two meals from one main ingredient, much like what we are sharing today.
It is possible to enjoy healthy nutritious meals on a budget and this easy lemon chicken recipe will not only provide one but two healthy meals for you to enjoy. You can find the recipe for Creamy lemon chicken soup here.
Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken
Make two meals with one pot! Enjoy your slow cooker lemon chicken over rice tonight, and use the leftovers for Lemon chicken soup tomorrow.
- Each meal = 4 hearty servings
- Total cost of both meals = $8.00
- Total per serving = $1.00
We are all watching our spending right now and food is one of the biggest ways we have control over our disposable income. Making more out of batch cooking or using one pot and one main ingredient to create two meals is a great way to stretch that budget further. You can turn easy ingredients and make meals in different ways with little fuss that are healthy and nutritious.
Ingredients needed to make the Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken
A great tip is to gather all of the ingredients you need before you start cooking and preparing your dish. It makes things so much easier as you follow the recipe. Here is everything you need for this slow cooker wonder:
- 2 large chicken breasts, sliced into 6-8 pieces each $2.50
- 1 can of cream of chicken soup $1.00
- 4 cups chicken broth $1.25 (1 Cup for the slow cooker chicken, reserve 3 cups of chicken broth for creamy soup recipe)
- 2 tablespoons dry minced onion $.25
- Salt and black pepper to taste $.25
- 2 lemons, zested & juiced $.50
- 1 package instant mashed potatoes $1.00
For the second dish, creamy lemon chicken soup, you will need the following ingredients. You can find the recipe for that here.
- 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables $1.00
- ΒΌ cup instant rice $.25
- Parsley for garnish, optional
How to make the Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken
Now that you have all your ingredients on hand it is time to make the crockpot lemon chicken.
First of all, we need to make the lemon chicken and this is where your slow cooker takes center stage. Take your two chicken breasts and slice each one into 6-8 slices, depending on how big the chicken breasts are.
In a large bowl whisk together the cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of chicken broth, minced onion, salt and pepper, lemon zest, and juice until everything is well combined
Now get your chicken slices and stir them into the chicken soup mix, making sure everything is coated.
Pour the whole contents into the bottom of the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 hours.
Once the slow cooker has finished, using a fork, you can shred the chicken breasts. You can use half to serve with some mashed potatoes, and vegetables.
There are some serving suggestions below. We have another recipe for the other half which makes a delicious creamy soup.
One pot, two meals, and many minutes of relief knowing you have healthy easy meals ready to enjoy.
Recipe notes and tips
When it comes to any recipe, it is always a good idea to understand what notes and tips you can use to help you fully utilize the recipe and have success each and every time. If you want to make the most out of this delicious lemon chicken, here are some recipe notes and tips to help.
- Make sure you have the lemon zest and the lemon juice ready for this recipe. You can get a great kitchen tool to help zest the lemon. In this case, make sure you are using unwaxed lemons.
- What if I donβt have a slow cooker? You could cook the chicken in the oven using a covered casserole dish, or even try a pressure cooker Instant Pot which will have this ready in minutes.
- For this recipe it is best to use skinless chicken breasts. If you prefer you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs. This will reduce the overall cost a little as a thigh is a cheaper cut to buy.
- You can use chicken stock instead of broth if you wish. You could also make homemade stock from a chicken carcass.
- You can cook this on the high setting for 3-4 hours if you are short on time.
- Many people assume you need to brown the meat before cooking but you donβt need browned chicken for this recipe. The slow cooker will cook through the chicken even on a low setting.
- Can you use bone-in chicken thighs? Yes, sure, just remember this when shredding your chicken. However, for this recipe, we do think you get the best results from boneless skinless chicken breast.
Variations to try
Like with a lot of recipes, once you have tried them out a few times you can look to make some changes and vary the recipe to suit your tastes and preferences. So I wanted to share with you some of them that you might want to try.
- Add some vegetables to the slow cooker so that you have a side dish ready to go. You could add zucchini, green beans, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots. Most vegetables would work well and would be a great addition.
- We like to use fresh lemons for this recipe but if you canβt you could just use some lemon juice.
- Use green onions instead of dry minced onions if you wish.
- Add some Italian seasoning to enhance the flavors of this recipe. Fresh minced garlic or chopped garlic cloves will also be a great addition to this recipe if you like those sorts of flavors.
FAQs
Like with any recipe, there are often questions that need answering. I thought I would share some of the common questions here, but if you have any comments or questions please donβt hesitate to contact me directly.
How should I serve the Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken?
There are so many ways that you can enjoy this slow cooker chicken recipe. Use half of the chicken to enjoy with mashed potatoes. Prepare the instant mashed potatoes per package directions and plate 4 equal size servings or create your own. Add a sprinkle of parsley across the top of the chicken to serve. This chicken would also work well served with rice, homemade mashed potatoes, chips, and roasted vegetables. The lemon flavor works well with so many side dishes. Simple ingredients are often the best for a flavorsome dish like this.
How do I store the Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken?
It is best to store the shredded chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will last up to three days. You could also freeze any leftovers and use them within two months.
What can I do with leftovers?
We have an incredible creamy soup recipe that uses the other half of this slow cooker lemon chicken. But, you could also use it in a salad, on a sandwich, or even in a pasta dish with a creamy white wine sauce and some vegetables. This is the perfect meal to give you flexibility with your leftovers. Yummy!
I hope you enjoy making and eating your Slow Cooker Chicken.
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup
- French Dip Sandwiches
- Pulled Pork Tacos
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Lemon Chicken Soup
Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken
This easy slow cooker lemon chicken is perfect for busy weeknights!
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts, sliced into 6-8 pieces each $2.50
- 1 can of cream of chicken soup $1.00
- 4 cups chicken broth $1.25
- 2 tablespoons dry minced onion $.25
- Salt & pepper to taste $.25
- 2 lemons, zested & juiced $.50
- 1 package instant mashed potatoes $1.00
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts into 6-8 slices each
- In a large bowl whisk together the cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of chicken broth, minced onion, salt & pepper, lemon zest and juice until well combined
- Stir in the sliced chicken breast
- Pour into slow cooker and cook on low for 5 hours
- Use a fork the shred the chicken
- To serve over mashed potatoes:
- Prepare the instant mashed potatoes per package directions and plate 4 equal size servings
- Use half of the cooked, shredded chicken to top the mashed potatoes
- Garnish with parsley, if desired, serve & enjoy!
Notes
This lemon chicken recipe makes leftovers so you can make slow cooker lemon chicken soup the next day!
What do you do with the other 3 cups of broth? the ingredients call for 4 cups. The directions say to add 1 cup to the soup, lemon, lemon zest and seasonings. It doesn’t mention what to do with the other 3 cups.