Feeling hassled and harried and just want an easy, hands-off dinner that everyone at your table will eat in glorious, satisfied silence? Here for your sanity, your healthy dinner needs, and your picky eaters’ approval: Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes.
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Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Chicken Recipe
- Comfort Food at its Best—and Easiest. First cousin to Crock Pot Chicken and Rice, this is one of those unabashedly unfancy, take-me-home basic crock pot recipes that is ultra useful to have in your arsenal. This recipe offers every food group in a single pan (er, crock pot), is reasonably healthy, and you can even repurpose the leftovers.
- Family-Friendly. The ingredients here are approachable and picky-eater-approved. When you are attempting to serve a household of different tastes, manage your day-to-day responsibilities, plan for tomorrow, and survive today—all while maintaining a scrap of personal dignity—well, sometimes you need to fall back on those go-to meat-and-potatoes kinds of meals that everyone will love.
- Dump and Go. I have dozens of healthy slow cooker recipes and healthy crock pot chicken recipes on my site, but it’s the “dump and go”/“set it and forget it” ones like this Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken and this Crockpot White Chicken Chili that are most prized for their ease. I’m happy to share that this crockpot chicken with potatoes and carrots fits that category too!
- Versatile. You can make this crock pot recipe with chicken breasts or thighs, add extra seasonings if you’re feeling adventurous, or keep it just as it is when you need a simple slam dunk.
- Light, Not Heavy! This recipe is hearty and satisfying, but one thing it isn’t is heavy or creamy. While some crockpot chicken and potatoes recipes call for cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup, I wanted this recipe to be healthy and use minimally processed ingredients.
5 Star Review
“Super easy recipe! The chicken came out so tender and juicy!”
— Dee —
How to Make Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes
The Ingredients
- Potatoes. For quick prep, I use baby potatoes, which can be quartered in a flash. Yukon gold potatoes are nice and buttery, and red potatoes are another creamy option. You can also use regular-sized Yukon gold potatoes; dice them into rough 1-inch pieces first.
- Carrots. Carrots are the perfect complement to the tender potatoes. They add a nice crunch to the dish and a load of nutrients. (For another recipe combining potatoes and carrots, check out these Roasted Potatoes and Carrots.)
- Chicken. The universal protein! I opted to use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but it would be equally scrumptious with chicken thighs.
- Unsalted Butter. Using unsalted gives you more control of the flavor (and sodium level) of this dish.
- Garlic. Five whole cloves for big garlic flavor!
- Italian Seasoning. This blend of herbs is a staple in many of my recipes (Italian Sheet Pan Chicken, anyone?), because it provides a myriad of flavors per teaspoon, without having to separately measure individual spices. During the slow cooking process, the Italian seasoning sneaks flavor into each ingredient and makes the sauce extra yummy.
- Onion Powder. Onion powder is an easy way to amp up the savory flavor of a recipe.
- Cayenne Pepper or Red Pepper Flakes. Give it a kick! Or leave it out if you prefer your crockpot chicken and potatoes mild.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper. The essential seasonings!
- Lemon. Lemon brings a bright, fresh, and citrusy flavor to the recipe. Once you taste the lemon butter Parmesan herb sauce, you’ll want to pour it over everything!
- Honey. It might be a little unexpected, but it brings balance to the tart lemon.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese. Or try feta or grand Pardana.
- Parsley. The finishing touch to add an herbaceous note.
The Directions
- Add the Veggies. Quarter large potatoes and halve smaller ones, then place them in the bottom of the slow cooker and stir in the carrots.
- Add the Chicken. Arrange the chicken on top of the veggies.
- Make the Sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan, then add all of the ingredients through the pepper.
- Cook. Pour half of the butter sauce over the chicken and vegetables, then cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or low for 4 to 5 hours.
- Remove the Chicken. When the chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, transfer it to a plate and cover it with foil.
- Test the Veggies. If the vegetables are tender, you’re good to go. If not, cover the slow cooker and keep cooking them until they’re easily pierced with a fork.
- Finish. Reheat the remaining butter and stir in the honey. Pour over the crockpot chicken and potatoes, season to taste, and serve garnished with Parmesan and parsley. ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes and Green Beans. Swap the carrots for trimmed and halved fresh green beans, or try a mix of vegetables. Celery works well too!
- Extra Lemony Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes. Double the lemon zest, using two lemons instead of one. Once the chicken and potatoes have finished cooking, squeeze the juice of the additional lemon over the top.
- Crockpot Chicken and Sweet Potatoes. Swap the diced white potatoes for 3/4-inch diced sweet potatoes.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Place cooked leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze. While I do not recommend freezing the potatoes (they can become mealy when frozen), you can freeze the chicken and carrots. Store cooked chicken and carrots in an airtight freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- To Reheat. Gently rewarm the chicken and vegetables on a plate in the microwave until warmed through.
Leftover Ideas
I enjoy shredding the leftover chicken and tossing it (either chilled or at room temperature) with a green salad—like this Green Goddess Salad. You can also serve leftovers over Instant Pot Brown Rice for another hearty dinner.
What to Serve with Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes
- Vegetables. To serve even more vegetables with your dinner, try pairing crockpot chicken and potatoes with Sautéed Cabbage, Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Garlic, or Roasted Zucchini.
- Applesauce. Applesauce makes a simple and healthy side dish that’s both tasty and kid-friendly. I love making this Crockpot Applesauce, but Instant Pot Applesauce is fantastic when you want something faster.
- Salad. A big green salad is a great complement to the chicken and potatoes in this recipe. Try it with this Anytime Arugula Salad, which has a simple olive oil dressing.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Programmable Slow Cooker. I love that this one switches to “keep warm” once the cooking time ends, so food runs less of a risk of overcooking. Still KEEP AN EYE on your chicken and check early! Every slow cooker is different.
- Instant Read Thermometer. The best, surest way to know when your slow cooker chicken is done and not overcook it.
- Melting Pot. It’s a nice-to-have, not a must-have, but I like this little pot for melting butter and making sauces because it has a spout for easy pouring.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Cut the Potatoes in Uniform Sizes. This ensures that they’ll all be done cooking at exactly the same time—and that you won’t have some potatoes that are falling apart, while others are unpleasantly hard.
- Know When Slow Cooker Chicken Is Done. It is easy to overcook chicken in the slow cooker, especially if you are using boneless skinless chicken breasts, which dry out easily. The best option is to use an instant read thermometer! I typically pull my chicken out when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, then place it on a plate and cover it to keep warm. This carryover cooking takes the chicken to the safe, FDA recommended temp of 165 degrees F.
- Or Use a Knife. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can use a knife to check if the chicken is done. Make a small incision in the middle of your piece of chicken. Use a fork to peek inside the incision and check the color. If the meat still has pink hues, then it needs to cook longer. If the chicken is white, then it is done.
- Check Early and Often. I recommend checking your chicken early to make sure it doesn’t overcook. Each slow cooker is different (some run hot; mine does!), and this can alter how long your chicken will take to cook.
Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes or baby red potatoes
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts* or boneless skinless thighs
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic minced (about 5 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence or Greek seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus additional as needed
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional as needed
- 1 ½ lemons juice of both, zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons honey**
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese or feta, grana Pardana
- Chopped fresh parsley optional for serving
Instructions
- Cut any potatoes that are larger than a ping pong ball into quarters; if smaller than a ping pong ball, cut in half. You want the pieces to be a roughly 1-inch dice. Lay them in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
- Stir the carrots into the slow cooker with the potatoes, then spread them into an even layer. Arrange the chicken in the center on top of the vegetables.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic, lemon juice, and zest, Italian seasoning, onion powder, cayenne/red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Pour half of the mixture over the chicken and vegetables. Reserve the rest in the saucepan.
- Cover the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or low for 4 to 5 hours. (The total amount of time you need will vary based on your slow cooker model and the size of your chicken breasts. If your slow cooker runs hot—mine often does—check early to avoid drying out the meat). The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F in the center with an instant-read thermometer. When the chicken is done cooking, remove it to a plate, and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Test the vegetables to see if they are tender. If they are not yet tender, give them a stir, re-cover the slow cooker, then continue cooking until they are tender and pierce easily with a fork, up to 1 additional hour on high or 2 hours on low. When ready to serve, return the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Reheat the remaining butter over low heat. Add the honey and stir until dissolved. Pour the honey butter over the chicken and vegetables and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Parmesan and parsley over the top. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- *For the juiciest chicken, use chicken thighs which do not get nearly as dry as breasts.
- **For extra spice, use hot honey.
- STORAGE TIPS: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. I don’t love freezing potatoes because they become mealy, but if the texture doesn’t bother you, you can freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
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Sign Me UpFrequently Asked Questions
This is a question I receive often, and the short answer is no, you cannot put frozen chicken in the crockpot. While you can place raw chicken in the slow cooker, the chicken MUST be thawed first. If you use frozen chicken, during the cooking process, the chicken will spend too long at room temperature, and this may cause the meat to become unsafe to eat.
No, there’s no need to brown or sear chicken before you put it in the slow cooker for this crockpot chicken and potatoes recipe.
When you’re working with boneless skinless chicken breasts, there’s a certain point where the chicken starts getting tougher and dry. That’s why it’s important to keep a close watch on the temperature and remove it as soon as it’s done cooking!
Yes, it’s absolutely fine to put raw chicken in the slow cooker! As long as it reaches a safe temperature, it’s fine to eat.
Related Recipes
Chicken is always a great choice for weeknights, especially when you cook it in a crockpot! Here are some more slow cooker chicken recipes to try:
Easy and delicious. Recipe was plenty moist as-is, but throw in a splash of stock if you think you need more.
The chicken cooked much faster than the carrots and potatoes, so heed Erin’s warning about over-cooking it and adjusting times for your particular slow cooker, the size of the chicken, etc. I make my own Italian seasoning which has salt, pepper and garlic (powder), so I skipped those and adjusted to taste when served.
Next time I’ll go a little easy on the lemon rind. I also threw in a couple of hands-full of sliced cabbage in the last couple of hours to add some more veggies.
Thank you, Erin…this will be a regular in my kitchen – and, nice site; very easy to use!
Hi Tom! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Made this for dinner tonite and my husband asked me to make it again! Thought it was delicious. Great recipe.
Hi Debbie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Cooking this right now. Just reading the reviews….there are some very rude people out there, no way this will be “tasteless” butter and garlic will see to that. I did add 1/2 an onion with about 2 tblsp more butter on the veggies and added celery as well. If it’s not completely done in the allotted time, I can fix it in a covered electric skillet or an Instant pot very quickly. Take her advice and get an instant read probe thermometer and your cooking will get a lot easier.
Hi Graham! Thank you so much for your kind comment! I really appreciate it! So glad you enjoy the recipe!
Hi Erin,
I have made many of your recipes and enjoy them very much. My Crockpot is made by Crockpot it is 6 quart and Programmable and Manual. I love having the choice and its new. I am at 2 hours on High and my Crock pot runs hot usually, so I was excepting to have to pull chicken early, unfortunatly at 2 hours on High my vegetables are completely raw and my chicken is raw underneath so I am bumping it up to 3 more hours on high.
I am using two skinless , boneless chicken breasts at 1.22 wt. I really think either some liquid like broth or water needs to be added and cooking time needs to be adjusted. The Chicken was completely defrosted . I’m hoping as long as I keep it on high for a total so far of 5 hours nobody will get sick- is this correct? Thank you! Its smells delicious , just not cooking so as long as I add extra time on high will chicken and veggies be safe?
Update I moved vegetables to side putting chicken to center bottom closer to butter sauce and tossed veggies around side on top of cooked and underside is cooking up! Yay! Still cooking times may have to be longer.
Hi Maria! When in doubt always, always temp your chicken to make sure it has reached the right internal temperature before serving. Hope you enjoy it!
We loved this recipe. It was simple and ready to eat when we were. I didn’t have a lemon so substituted jarred lemon juice. Next time I’ll plan and use fresh lemon thank you
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Karen! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Super easy recipe! The chicken came out so tender and juicy! I did a dry rub on my chicken first with some cayenne, smoked paprika, a chicken spice blend and some other random spices/herbs. I am definitely making this again. Thank you!!
Hi Dee! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Delicious!!! I forgot to add the yogurt and cheese but it was delicious without! This recipe is a winner!
Hi Kayla! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I followed this recipe as closely as possible but was minus a few ingredients, so I had to improvise. For example, I didn’t have baby carrots (we grow our own food), so I cut up whole carrots. I didn’t have Parmesan cheese or any cheese, so that was eliminated. My other half is on a low-fat diet; by virtue of that circumstance, the butter was also eliminated. I had to substitute russets for the Yukon or red potatoes. I followed the rest of the ingredients and slow cooked on low.
This is a no fuss-no-muss-quick-to-go-together recipe which I truly appreciate with all the other work that goes into homesteading. The last thing I want to do is spend two hours putting a meal together. In 1987, I gave my Crock Pot away and just purchased another. This easy recipe was a great way to dust off my crockery cooking skills.
Thank you for a great meal and hardly any kitchen time!
My family cleaned my slow cooker and hollered for more! That was just five nights ago. Wanna guess what’s in the slow cooker for tonight?! :)
Glad it worked out for you Annie!
Made this several times now. Twice with chicken thighs and tonight with thin chicken breasts. We really liked it with thighs but loved with the chicken breasts. I followed the recipe exact. Delicious!
Hi Melanie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I would make this recipe again. We absolutely loved it. Made for an evening when coming off the boat during camping.
Thank you Betty!
5 tablespoons of butter was nowhere near enough or I missed something, but nothing was submerged in liquid. Added Chicken broth
Hi Jimmy, thank you for your feedback. Nothing is supposed to be submerge. The butter cooks over the chicken, the chicken should release some moisture. Hope this helps!