Slow Cooker Creamy Lemon Chicken with butter, garlic and lemon coating tender chicken breasts in a creamy sauce. Even great as a pasta topping!
Slow Cooker Creamy Lemon Chicken
Slow Cooker Creamy Lemon Chicken bucks the general rule of thumb I live by with slow cooker chicken recipes. I almost NEVER add chicken breast to a slow cooker. My Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken is one of the only exceptions on the site along with Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken.
This recipe uses chicken breast meat but it would be completely amazing and delicious with chicken thighs. The reason I avoided chicken thighs in this dish was I didn’t want all the extra fat to render because the sauce would’ve been too greasy.
I also wanted to note that even though you see the lemon wedges in the slow cooker before pic, you only use the zest and the juice in the recipe. I just loved how pretty it looked.
Don’t worry, I’ve lowered the cook time to account for the use of breast meat. And if you want to make this Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken instead, add in ½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese. Note: shaved Parmesan cheese is different than shredded or grated.
Some ways to use this Slow Cooker Creamy Lemon Chicken in other recipes:
- Cut it up and add cooked pasta to the slow cooker to make a creamy lemon pasta.
- Chop the chicken and add to the top of a baked potato with some of the sauce spooned over it.
- If you have leftovers you can use the chicken in salads, it is full of flavor.
Looking for more slow cooker chicken recipes?
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken
- Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
- Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken
Tools used in the making of this Slow Cooker Creamy Lemon Chicken recipe:
Cast Iron Skillet: If you don’t have a slow cooker with a stovetop friendly insert, this is my most used pan in my kitchen, heavy, keeps heat well and gives the BEST sear ever.
Slow Cooker: This recipe was made in this 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.
Pig Tail Flipper: I use this to flip the chicken breasts easily. I use this tool EVERY time I cook something that requires flipping, it is amazing.
Chicken Base: I almost never buy boxes of broth because I keep the beef, chicken and vegetable version of this Better Than Bouillon.
Ingredients
- 5 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 lemons juiced and zested
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon chicken base optional, but delicious!
Instructions
- In a large cast iron skillet add 1 tablespoon of butter to melt on medium high heat.
- Add the kosher salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning to the chicken and add it to the pan.
- Cook on each side for 4-6 minutes.
- Add the chicken to your slow cooker.
- Cover with lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic and the rest of the butter in pieces (I added the lemons in the before picture just for reference. Don't cook the lemons in the slow cooker).
- Cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours.
- In a large measuring cup add the half and half, cornstarch and chicken base and whisk well.
- Add the liquid, mix, and cook an additional hour on high.
Nutrition
This recipe was delicious!!! I did tweak it just a smidge by using heavy cream bc it’s what I had and I didn’t cook it for the full 5 hours bc my chicken was starting to dry out but it fell apart when you cut it. I also added some shredded Parmesan cheese at the very end and just let it melt. Tossed penne into the sauce and served it with a side if green beans. Amazing. Picky hubby approved too! ????
So glad you loved it and won over your picky husband too!
WOW! This was amazing. I followed the recipe exactly and used the high setting on my slow cooker. The chicken was perfect and the sauce was so delicious, we couldn’t stop eating it and I wanted that sauce on everything! If you’re a lemon lover, this is a must! And even if you aren’t you will probably love it too. Thanks for the great recipe! I’m making it for 12 women tonight, hope it turns out as well as the first time I made it!
Wonderful dish. I only made one teensy change in prep and ingredients. I used heavy cream instead of half and half because that’s what I had on hand. I whisked together the cream, butter, chicken base and cornstarch on the stovetop until it was nice and thick and then I removed the chicken and whisked the thickened sauce into the lemon liquid that remained in the slow cooker. Returned the chicken to the cream sauce and set on high while I prepared a butternut squash pasta. I served the chicken over the pasta with a generous glug of the cream sauce and my oh my! I had some roasted cauliflower on the side. Thanks for a great recipe.
You’re welcome, Marita!
I did almost the exact same thing and it was amazing! I servers mine with penne and a side of green beans ?
If I don’t have a cast iron skillet could I brown the chicken in another type of pan or would you suggest just skipping that step altogether? Looking forward to trying this dish, looks delicious!
You can just use whatever pan you have available.
Very good! Had it with rice, but would be great on pasta as suggested. Put leftovers in salad and I’ve eaten just as is. Very flavorful, definitely a keeper.
Hi! This looks fabulous! My crockpot broke. Can I slow cook it on the stove all day? What temp?
You can cook it in a dutch oven on the stove top at 325 for an hour. Enjoy 🙂
That was seriously delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it, Shubha!
Do you have carb/net carb information?
This recipe has 8 grams of carbs per serving.
I love the idea of lemon slices at what point would you put them in or do you think it would make it bitter?
You could just add them in at the end. Flavors are different for everyone so use how ever much you like. Enjoy!
This looks amazing! What could I use in place of half and half? We do not eat dairy but this recipe sounds so yummy! I have tried almond milk in other recipes but it never tastes right.
I’ve never tested anything else but if you’re not a fan of almond milk, what do you think about coconut milk? If you decide to try it, I’d love to know what you used and how it turned out. Thanks!
Omg…this recipe…yaass!! Ugh, first off I don’t typically like following any recipe. I only changed using limes cause I had no lemons. Now I’m about to go get more stuff to make a quick sauce on my @#$% skillet for the pasta cause we are going to drink it before I can use it. Shame on you!!! Lol. Thank you for a great dish and being spot on. If you all can’t half your measurements nor know how to figure it out, don’t blame the dish because this is an amazing recipe.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
How is this keto friendly?
I’m not really familiar with that diet but I’m sure there are resources online that could help determine if this fits or how to adjust it.
Is the only liquid that is added before cooking the 4hours is the lemon juice.?
Yep 🙂
Could I use heavy cream if I don’t have half n half ? Would the portion be the same ?
You can mix 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream to use as a substitute for half and half. Hope this helps!
Made this dish, it was easy to prepare and turned out delicious. I was a bit worried because I used limes instead of lemons, but it worked really well.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thawing my chicken breasts as I type this. ?? Can’t wait to make this tomorrow! I love cooking with lemon’s, and I’m sure the hubby will gobble it up too.
Hi. I don’t have chicken base. Can I substitute with stock or bullion cube? Also, can I throw veggies in with this? Or Cook them separately? Thanks!
Yes, you can substitute with stock or cubes if you don’t have chicken base. 🙂 I recommend making your vegetables separately so you don’t over crowd the slow cooker. Enjoy!
Hi! I had the same question but how much stock or bouillon is best to use?
I used a tablespoon of chicken base for this recipe.
Using chicken base for the first time. Will it mix with the half and half or should I prepare as directed on the container. Its telling me to mix base with boiling water first.
You can mix it with the half-and-half. The boiling water helps it dissolve faster, but you can dissolve it in any liquid with a little bit of effort!
Perfect. I have this cooking right now! Looking forward to trying this. Thank you.
What is the approximate weight of five chicken breasts?
Also, I much prefer thighs to breasts but am concerned about your comment that thighs would be amazing and delicious but you avoided using them because the sauce would be too greasy. Since the sauce is what is so appealing about this recipe, is it best to avoid using thighs altogether?
Thank you.
Five chicken breasts will weigh around 3-3 1/2 lbs. I would recommend using breasts for this recipe but if you don’t mind the sauce being a bit greasier, you might enjoy the thighs as well.
Coukd the cream curdle while cooking
No, it won’t curdle.
Can coconut milk be used instead of half and half?
My gut says yes but I’ve never tested so I’m nervous about it breaking the sauce. If you decide to try, I’d love to know what you think.
this is in my slow cooker now… Looks and smells amazing. Can’t wait for dinner!
Hi,
Excited for this recipe. Did you mean Kosher salt or seasoned salt on the chicken? the ingredient list says seasoned but the instructions say Kosher. If both, what are the portions for each?
Thanks,
So sorry about that…it should be kosher salt. I’ve updated the recipe card so hopefully it sticks. Thanks for letting me know!
This was so delicious! I found your blog and have been making slow cooker recipes from it ever since and…game changer. They’ve all been delicious. I used to make chicken in the crockpot and my husband wouldn’t eat it – NOW he requests it. Thank you, thank you!
I love it!! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and letting me know.
Amazing, truly. The only change I’ll make next time is cutting the butter back a couple of tablespoons. I pulled out what was on top after cooking the chicken. Served over yellow rice and along side red roasted potatoes.
Thanks for the 5 stars! So glad you enjoyed it!
hello! can this be made without browning the chicken first?
Thanks!
Yes 🙂
Can you use whole milk instead of half and half? I can’t wait to make this!
Yes, it just won’t be as thick.
What is 1 cup Half and Half??
Half and half is found in your dairy case at the grocery store. It’s equal parts whole milk and light cream and has 12% fat content. Richer than whole milk but lighter than cream. You’ll want to use 1 cup of it for this recipe. Hope this helps!
Do you have the nutrition information on this other than calories? That would be helpful – thanks!
Sorry I don’t have the nutritional facts for recipes on the site but I know there are a lot of free resources on the internet from when I’ve cooked for clients with low calorie diets.
Do you have any recipes that calls for two people?
You could always halve the recipes and use a smaller slow cooker that way avoiding any leftovers. 🙂
This seems like it would also freeze very well (without the cream). Cook first part of the recipe as follows (chicken, butter, lemon juice), freeze half, thaw and when putting back in the crock pot just add the second half of the recipe when heating up again!
I haven’t tried it but it sounds like that would be the best way to go about it. Once you try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
I made this on Tuesday and it was delicious! I thought we would have leftovers but my family ate it all up. This is the second of your slow cooker recipes that I’ve tried this week and I am grateful. I’m trying your slow cooker chili tomorrow. Thank you!
It’s always a good sign when there aren’t any leftovers!! So glad they all loved it. I look forward to seeing you around the site!
I don’t have any lemons. Can I use “real lemon” juice? If so, how much would I use?
Usually a medium sized lemon yields about 2 tbsp of juice. I would recommend starting with adding 3 tbsp and then add an additional 1 tbsp to taste. Sometimes lemon juice has a different flavor so you may have to play around with the measurements until you get the flavor you’re desiring. Works in a pinch though. Good luck!
At what point do you add the shaved Parmesan cheese when using that option?
I would add it in at the very end. Enjoy!
Can
i use stick margarine in this ..Im out of butter
If you’re in a pinch, go for it! 🙂
This looks delicious! Is it possible to let this cook on low for longer than 4 hours while we are at work and then just add the liquid when we get home?
Most crockpots now have a “warm” setting to that it will automatically turn to once the cooking time is over. You’ll just want to make sure it’s not cooking too long so it doesn’t dry out in the process.
Hi Sabrina I was wondering if this could be maid with bonless chicken thighs and if so do you have an idea of what the cooking time may be? Thank you in advance!
Yes, boneless chicken thighs will work great for this recipe. I would suggest cooking it on low for 7 hours. Enjoy!
If I wanted to add sliced potatoes to the slow cooker to serve with the chicken and sauce (kind of like pot roast and potatoes), at point in the cooking process should I add them? I’m cooking for someone who cannot eat gluten and I don’t like gluten free pasta.
Thank you!!
Yes, you can add them to the slow cooker. I would recommend using Yukon potatoes and cutting them into big chunks. You can add them in at the beginning and allow them to cook the same time. Enjoy!!
I have a question about how much lemon juice and zest is used. I need to be a bit more specific because I live in CA and the lemon tree in my yard puts out HUGE lemons. I’ve found that if I follow a recipe that says “2 lemons” it is completely out of balance. Can you give me even a rough idea of how many cups or oz of lemon juice and how much zest? Thank you!
You’re so lucky! I’d say I used about a 1/4 cup of juice and 1 tablespoon of zest. Hope this helps!
Very good! Easy to make. Well liked by everyone from the kids to adults to the grandparents. Served with spinach fettuccini with some of the sauce on it. Definitely going into the permanent recipe folder.
First recipe I tried from the site. Look forward to trying others.
How awesome! So great to have a dish that everyone enjoys! I look forward to seeing you around the site!
After cooking the chicken on each side is it supposed to be fully cooked? Or will it finish cooking in the crock pot?
No, you’re just browning it before placing it in the slow cooker to complete the cooking process. Enjoy!
Can I substitute lime instead of lemon
Sure 🙂
Hi Sabrina! Greetings from the uk! Love your site. Do I add the liquid after the four hours for an additional hour or all together at the beginning? Thanks!
Hi Angie! After it’s cooked on low for 4 hours, add the liquid in step 7 then let it cook an additional hour on high. Hope this clears up any confusion.
My new favorite meal! Thank you!
I made this for dinner last night, and it was restaurant quality, which is why I come to your site in the first place 🙂
My partner doesn’t like eating whole chicken breasts, yet devoured this meal and requested leftovers for lunch tomorrow…I only wish there were global versions of this dish, with Latin flavors, Asian-inspired flavors, etc., as this is just the kind of low effort dinner I can see myself making again and again.
Thank you so much for that amazing compliment 🙂 More versions are coming in the new year with the first one being Indian inspired. I hope you enjoy them!
I’m curious if I can make this in an instant pot.
I haven’t tested it but I’m sure you could find an IP recipe with most of the same ingredients and make it work with this one. If you decide to try, I’l love for you to come back and let me know how it turned out.
Did you try in the instant pot? If so how did it turn out?
Slow cooker meals are my favorite! This looks so good!
Thanks, Krista!
This looks wonderful and so easy! I may be making this for dinner tonight (and for a friend after an upcoming surgery)! Love that lemon!
Thanks, Patricia! That’s such a sweet thing for you to do for a friend. I’m sure they’ll definitely appreciate it!
I am so making this creamy chicken for dinner tomorrow! I love how easy it is!
Thanks, Catalina! I hope you enjoy it!
Whoa, this is making me drool – looks delicious!
Thanks, Kimberly!
I love how you made this in the slow cooker! Looks delicious!
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it!!