This Slow-Cooker Greek Chicken is easy to make and absolutely full of flavor. Serve with orzo or rice for the perfect meal.
This Greek chicken recipe has been a longtime favorite in our household, something that I make regularly. This recipe is simple but yields flavorful results. The chicken thighs just fall apart when cut into with a fork.
In addition to the tender, delicious chicken, the cooked lemon slices look impressive and add a fragrant flavor to the overall dish. And yes, you can eat the lemon slices too! If you're looking for the perfect Sunday meal, look no further than my slow-cooker Greek chicken.
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Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
This slow-cooker Greek chicken recipe has carefully selected ingredients that pack on the flavor. This is partially due to the lemon slices that slowly cook atop the chicken thighs. The lemon slices become tender as they slowly cook and cut like butter alongside the cooked chicken.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs - I much prefer chicken thighs for this recipe, however, chicken breasts work too.
- Garlic - Minced.
- Seasonings - Dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Lemon - Sliced thinly and seeds removed.
- Kalamata Olives - Pits removed.
- Olive Oil - Use high-quality olive oil here, to instill the most flavor. Two of my favorites are Cuac and California Olive Ranch.
- Orzo and Feta - For service, see below for other serving suggestions.*
Instructions
This Greek chicken is cooked low and slow, which results in tender chicken, and edible lemon slices. There are roughly ten minutes of prep work before you let the slow-cooker do its thing. Here is what you need to do:
- The first thing you will do is place the chicken thighs at the base of the slow-cooker pan. Sprinkle the chicken with garlic and seasonings.
- Next, you will sporadically place the olives in the pan. Finally, place the lemon slices over the chicken, making sure that all of the chicken is covered. Drizzle with olive oil, cover, and let the chicken cook low and slow.
- When the chicken is almost done, cook the orzo.
What to Serve with This Recipe
The recipe specifies the use of orzo, which is my favorite starch to serve this chicken with. There are a number of ways, however, that you can enjoy this dish.
- Serve the chicken in warm pitas with Greek Yogurt or Tzatziki sauce, greens, and red onion.
- Similar to the orzo, the Greek chicken is lovely scooped atop rice.
- Another side pairing to this chicken is roasted potatoes, a classic in many Greek restaurants.
- Additional Toppings: My recipe suggests olive oil and feta as toppings, but there are a number of items that would be great here. Tzatziki sauce, fresh parsley, and whipped feta, just to name a few.
Tips
- As you can see by the pictures, there are chicken and lemon juices at the bottom of the pan after cooking. The liquid is delicious but does not have to be used. When serving with orzo or rice, the starch acts as a great absorbent source if you would like to spoon the juices over, but that is up to you!
- Make sure to remove the seeds from the lemon slices before cooking. This is easy to do after the lemons have been sliced. On a similar note, make sure that you use pitted olives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once the chicken has cooled completely, transfer the chicken (not including all of the liquid), alongside the olives and lemon slices, to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can freeze this chicken. Once the chicken has cooled completely, transfer the chicken (not including the liquid/juices), alongside the olives and lemon slices, to an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this Greek chicken will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
Other Recipes You'll Love
You are going to love this slow-cooker Greek chicken. It is full of flavor and so easy to make. While the recipe suggests cooking this dish on the low setting of the slow-cooker, (which yields the best results) you can set the cooker to high as well. If cooking on high, check the chicken after 3 hours. Here is my favorite slow-cooker.
📖 Recipe
Slow-Cooker Greek Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon sliced thin, seeds removed from each slice
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper pinch of each
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for garnish
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives pits removed
- 1½ cups uncooked orzo
- crumbled feta for garnish
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs at the base of the slow-cooker pan. Sprinkle the chicken with the minced garlic and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, a pinch of each.
- Sporadically place the kalamata olives throughout the slow-cooker pan. Lay the lemon slices over the chicken, making sure each thigh has been covered with the lemon slices. Finally, drizzle the tablespoon of olive oil over the chicken and lemon slices.
- Set the slow-cooker to low, and allow the chicken to cook for about 6 hours. Cooking times may vary depending on the slow-cooker. The chicken is done when it has reached 165°F.
- When the chicken is almost done, cook the orzo according to package instructions.
- Serve a portion of chicken (olives and lemon slices included) over each serving of orzo. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with crumbled feta.
Notes
- While the recipe suggests cooking this dish on the low setting of the slow-cooker, (which yields the best results) you can set the cooker to high as well. If cooking on high, check the chicken after 3 hours.
Nutrition
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