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 was the first time making it. I am usually not a Crockpot lover but his recipe was amazing. It was full of flavor. I love the recipe. I used chicken thighs. The family all loved it.
OK. Kosher salt is just ordinary cooking salt, and Italian seasoning is just mixed herbs.
But one cup of mild ale mixed with bitter? OK for beef, but not with chicken, surely.
Ah! Half and half turns out to be milk and cream.
OK, I’ll give it a try.
please can you tell me what half and half is ? I believe it is half milk and half cream is this right?
Yes 🙂
What Amazing flavors!! This was my first time making this dish and I was so excited to serve it tonight to my family. After the sauce had thickened, I moved the chicken breasts to a plate, and then mixed cooked fettuccini into the sauce right in the slow cooker (saved a dish….we are not fancy around here on week nights LOL). There was just the prefect amount of sauce, too. I served this with sauteed spinach. OMG!! This was a perfect meal. I will make this again and again. Thanks for another awesome recipe. You rock!!
How does this cook in the crock pot with no real liquid, and not burn or cook unevenly? You’re just doing the chicken and lemon juice in there at first? Could I add in maybe a cup or half cup of chicken broth?
The chicken will cook down and release liquid.
I made this for my family of three. I used the optional chicken base and served with brown rice and steamed fresh broccoli. My 7 yo son ate the broccoli and a few bites of chicken. He rated the chicken 4 out of 10. My husband ate two servings but said it was just okay. I thought it was a bit bland.
My family owned Italian restaurants for years, and this reminds me of a creamier version of my Mom’s Chicken Limone. So delicious… this is one of my new favorite slow cooker meals!
I just made this according to recipe. Unbelievably delicious!! Family loved it over seasoned brown rice. Definitely going into the rotation. ??
Can I substitute whole milk for 1/2 & 1/2?
Yes 🙂
The flavor was good but it as just swimming in too much liquid with a lot of butter. Might be better with Half the butter and half-and-half. Why bother buying skinless boneless breasts?
This is delicious! I served it with rice the first time and bow tie pasta the next time. There is plenty of sauce for pasta. Such a light, fresh taste and restaurant-quality.
Can you use milk instead of half n half?
Sure 🙂
Is it possible to do this in the crockpot with just two chicken breasts and if so do you know the cook time ? Thanks !
Sure though you might want to use a smaller slow cooker so it doesn’t dry out.
Can this be made in an Insta Pot? If so any changes in temp and cook time?
Sorry but I haven’t tested it using an instant pot yet. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out.
I substituted canned coconut milk for the half and half and reduced the butter by half. It was delicious and my husband, 12 year old and 10 year old all liked it. It is now officially in my meal rotation. I frozen it in individual portions and had no issues with consistency or texture when reheated. I will try it over spaghetti squash this week.
I want to make this today. Can I use a small whole chicken? I have done that in the crockpot before. I just would not be able to brown first. I usually place on foil and cook from there. Will this mess up the sauce?
That won’t work with this recipe, sorry.
Is chicken base the same as Chicken stock Powder or liquid chicken stock?
I like to add in a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon chicken base to deepen the flavor.
Don’t have can I just use tbl of Bullion?
You’ll want to use the bouillon base for this recipe.
Can I freeze this recipe in portions or will the cream split when thawing?
The cream will split but you could try whisking it vigorously while reheating and it should go back to it’s normal consistency.
I use almond meal. It works well.
Can this be made in an instant pot? If so, any changes?
I just put everything in the crockpot. Didn’t realize to put the half and half and corn starch later. Do you think it’s still ok?
Any substitution for corn starch?
Sub flour. The difference is sometimes you can taste the flour, but in this case I think you’ll be ok.
My husband is my biggest food critic and he loved this dish! He said it was restaurant quality! My 3 children loved it as well!
I doubled the sauce ingredients and poured some of the extra sauce over penne. Since some of my household is lactose intolerant, I used Lactose free milk instead of half and half and the chicken was still amazing! I Saved this recipe and I will definitely be making it again!
Yay!!
I’m going to use Zymil cream which is lactose Free
If I substitute chicken bouillon for the chicken base, to I add water to the bouillon/power or am I just missing the powder with the half and half
No need to add additional water. The scoop of the base gives it a deeper flavor. Enjoy!
Do I drain the liquid in the slow cooker before adding the creamy sauce?
No
I’m confused with the steps for adding the liquid. Do I first add the lemon juice than cook for on high for 2 hours then add the half&half and cook an additional hour? Or do I add all the liquid athe same time and cover and let cook for the full cooking time?
Thanks for your work you have some really delicious recipes on here!
The half and half mixture (step 7) gets added after the other ingredients cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 (step 5 & 6). Hope this helps clear up any confusion. Enjoy!
I’ve made this for my family 3 times now and it is sooo delicious! I do double the sauce as we like to use it on the rice we eat with the meal.
I loved the flavor! However the chicken came out dry and the sauce wasn’t smooth. I’d be willing to make this again if I could get it right because it tasted so good. Could you please give me some tips to correct my issues? I used three very large chicken breasts. Instead of chicken base I used 1/2 tbsp bullion. I cooked it on low for 4 hours then on high for 30 min. Please help!
It sounds like your slow cooker might run hot. I would recommend cutting down on the cook time.
Interested in making this for a large group – 10 adult Couples with Chicken tenderloins. How would you advise adjusting the recipe cook time so tenderloins wouldn’t dry out. I would probably plan on 2-3 tenderloins per person.
I have a 8 or 10qt crockpot. Could it also be made in a covered dish in the oven?
If you’re making it for a larger group, I would suggest using 2 slow cookers or making it in the oven.
Hi! Making this tonight and can’t wait to try it! I love pulled chicken so wondering if that could be done here too and then serve over noodles/rice or mashed potatoes? Thank you!
Sounds delicious!
I made this recipe in a dutch oven and substituted the half n half with heavy cream. I also used a large chicken bullion instead of stock.
This came out super tender and delicious. I increased liquid quantities slightly to better submerge the chicken and also leave me with additional sauce to go with my sides (I did mashed potatoes and green beans).
Highly recommend this recipe because it is good for families or weekly meal prep.
I meant to give this 5 stars and forgot in my original post.
Thanks, Chris.
This dish was amazing! I rarely leave reviews (not sure why honestly) but I came across your site last night and decide to try this recipe in the crock pot today. Served it over egg noodles and had green beans as side. I may try over rice next time, or even spiraled zucchini. Will definitely be cooking more items from your site. So easy, few ingredients, and hearty meals for dinner.
If I wanted to make this for a bigger crowd, would it be ok to just add a couple more chicken breast? Would you add any more ingredients?
You can easily increase the ingredient list by using the slider tool over the serving size. Just make sure not to overcrowd your slow cooker too much. Enjoy!
Hello is there reason why we shouldn’t add lemon slices to the crock pot? Will it ruin the dish?
I just used the lemon zest for this recipe so they aren’t needed in the crockpot.
I think the white parts of the lemons may add bitterness to the recipe
Are these the regular thick chicken breasts or thin cut? And when you say 5- you mean 5 pieces? Not 5 big ones cut in half, correct? Thanks!
I used 5 chicken breasts, not thin cut, for this recipe. You can see the thickness and size of them in the photos to help. They’re not cut in half. Hope this helps.
Hello, would I need to adjust the cooking time if I were to use frozen breasts?
You don’t want to put frozen breasts into a slow cooker with this recipe. It releases too much liquid and makes it soupy.
Hi!
Love your recipes. I want to try this with a skin on thigh, cooking time will be longer right?
Have two large thighs, close to 2 lbs.
You might need to add an extra hour of cook time. Enjoy!
I am new to using a slow cooker so this may be a really stupid question, but do I have to cook the chicken in a skillet first? Is there a way to make the entire thing in the slow cooker?
With chicken breasts, I’ve found that cooking them in the skillet first allows them not to dry out in the slow cooker and adds so much flavor. I hope you enjoy it.
My very picky boyfriend and 4 year old
Loved this! We had it over white rice with extra sauce in our bowls. That was last week. Making it again already tonight ! ?
Love it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know, Emilie.
Hello can you replace half and half with regular milk ?
Yes 🙂
I tried this recipe last night and it was absolutely delicious! My entire family was raving about how good it was. I’m convinced it will be a recipe I will be making for years to come. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
This makes me so happy, Evy! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Can you add in orzo to the crockpot, or would it be best to cook that separately?
I would cook it separately.
Is it about 8oz of chicken each serving ?
About 6 ounces.
If I only have chicken tenders how do I adjust cook time. I want to cook on low not high.
Sorry I didn’t see this sooner. You would reduce the time by about an hour or so. Use a thermometer to test the temp to ensure it they are cooked through.
great recipe are you married or taken ?
Yup married, but thanks. Glad you liked the recipe!
When do I add the shaved Parmesan cheese???
Add in with the 1/2 and 1/2 mixture for the last hour of cooking?
Absolutely loved your slow cooker creamy lemon chicken, it’s 5 ?? Without a doubt. Thank you for sharing your recipes ?
So, I just put this in the crockpot and accidentally added the cream (no cornstarch) with the lemon and garlic?????. Will it be ruined?!
This is also my 4th time making this so I’m feeling really silly! Haha
It won’t be ruined – and no need to feel silly, if you could see the goofs I’ve made over the years haha! It won’t look as pretty and it will be less thick but I would add at least a 1/2 cup of the half and half still at the end to make the cornstarch mix. let me know how it turns out.
I’ve been dying to try this recipe since I came across it and the day has finally come! Just a question: my slow cooker runs a little hot, so it’s hard to follow instructions; is there a way to tell when it’s time to add the cornstarch, and then when it’s ready?
Once the chicken is fully cooked you can add the cornstarch. If yours runs hot, lesses the cook time by 30 minutes and start checking the chicken for doneness then. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve made it several times now, and my family loves it. It’s easy and tasty, so that’s a huge win!
Happy to hear it’s become a dinner staple for you! Thanks for the review!
I think I added too much lemon zest, so I added a little nutmeg to cut temper the bitterness of too much zest! It smells delicious and can’t wait to try it!
Hi,
If I use boneless chicken thighs, should I increase the cooking time? Also, I would separate the fat out of the liquid if it looks to greasy. Love your recipes.
Thanks
No need to increase the time for thighs. Enjoy!
It’s in my big oval crockpot now, but I’m worried.
The liquid isn’t that much. doesn’t cover the chicken – won’t it get dried out? The chicken breasts were a little on the large side (aren’t they all nowadays?), so I added an extra lemon and more butter – but still not enough to cover.
If this is a brazing recipe, shouldn’t the chicken be submerged?
I’m thinking about throwing a little chicken stock in there! Help!
No need to add anything else. The chicken will cook down and release liquid while in the slow cooker. I hope you enjoyed it.
Can you use a Insta pot For this recipe?
I haven’t tested it using one so I don’t have a recommendation. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
Love this recipe! I want to make more of the sauce for my leftovers – any recommendations on how to make a faster proper version of the creamy lemon garlic sauce? Thanks in advance!!
So sorry I missed this! I don’t recommend making extra sauce separate (it gets a lot of flavor from the chicken) BUT you can double the sauce ingredients when cooking and it will leave you with plenty for leftovers. 🙂 Hope this helps.