Crisp and Juicy Slow Cooker Chicken recipe for slow cooking juicy chicken thighs with crispy skin in a crock pot with just salt and pepper!
Crispy and juicy, the fat in the skin completely melts away leaving crispy chicken skin that will remind you of your favorite rotisserie chicken. Looking at the picture it would be easy to assume there is some trick to chicken that is golden brown and crispy, but still so moist! The secret? A slow cooker.
So Dinner, then Dessert is officially a month old as of this week and I’ve used this method for cooking chicken in two recipes already. Both times, Tony Roma’s BBQ Chicken and Armenian Chicken Pita Tacos I mentioned my love for this method of cooking and both times the pictures were….well… not as enticing as they deserved to be and the focus was on the other ingredients in the dish rather than the chicken. This post is more a method than a recipe.
I love staying simple with Sunday posts, I get to share our staple food items, things that are in heavy rotation and usually always available no matter what. Just like oven baked brown rice this “recipe” is a constant in our fridge. It is one of the few things I can depend on my oldest eating without complaints.
Most people who use a slow cooker are well versed in the school of thought that says “ADD LIQUIDS!!” Well, welcome to the new world here. Two of my absolute favorite ways to use my slow cooker is this chicken and Hawaiia Luau Pork. Both recipes are 3 ingredients total and both have resulted in family members crowding around the slow cooker to pick pieces off before I can even put food on plates.
Please give this a chance, you are going to want to let your slow cooker take all the counter space it wants after you see how great these turn out.
Tools Used in the making of these Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken Thighs:
Slow Cooker: Love this slow cooker and how programmable it is, it has been a workhorse for me… until…
My New Slow Cooker: For larger roasts I also brown the meat in the insert and not lose a bunch of the flavor by transferring the meat and leaving the browned bits behind. If you’re thinking of a new slow cooker, consider it if your budget is open.


Ingredients
- 6-8 Chicken thighs , skin and bone on! (however many you can layer in a single layer)
- Kosher Salt , to taste
- Freshly crushed black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Liberally season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper
- Put bone in, skin on chicken thighs in the slow cooker in a single layer, skin side up.
- Note: Do not add liquids of any kind.
- Cook on low for 7 hours.
Nutrition
Don’t be afraid to put chicken in the slow cooker with no additional liquid! Here is a shot of the chicken while still in the slowcooker. This chicken releases fat and juices into the slow cooker. Make sure the skin side is up or it won’t get crispy!The chicken skin becomes translucent because all the fat has rendered off.
The chicken stays very moist and tender. It is perfect for using it in any other recipe that calls for spiced chicken as well. Just add the required spices to the bottom of the slow cooker, then on top as well. No need to toss it with the chicken.
Next time you want some chicken, please consider using your slow cooker. You’ll be so pleasantly surprised!
Can you use frozen thighs?
It isn’t recommended. Best to use fresh chicken thighs.
I will be making this for dinner tomorrow. Looks fantastic and we love thighs!
OMG!!! This chicken was PERFECT with a tomato, cucumber, feta cheese, bacon salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing!!! I was skeptical, but I now believe in you!!!!!!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the chicken. I hope you’ll head over to the Recipe Index and browse through our recipes. If you enjoy Slow Cooker recipes we have a TON of them!
Can you cook split chicken breasts bone in skin on the same way as the crispy thighs?
You can; however, keep an eye on your meat temp as chicken breasts cook faster and dry out faster. When your temp is at 165 degrees in the thickest part of your chicken breast the meat is done.
Great dish chicken was moist and delicious skin did crisp up pretty good but did put it under the broiler for a few minutes. The only problem was my wife was a little too liberal with the salt but it was still edible so we will cut back on that next time. Also I had asked if you could use a rack in the slow cooker but never heard back.
Hi Richie…sorry about the lack of response. Thanks for reminding me. Yes, you can use a rack. Glad you enjoyed the chicken! There are a BUNCH of Slow Cooker Chicken recipes on the site! Take a look and enjoy!
My crock pot won’t allow for laying enough chicken in a single layer. Can I do this with them on top of one another?
I’m going to be making this dish tomorrow I have a rack for my slow cooker would it make a difference if I use it or should I not.