This Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken is tender, buttery, garlicky, and incredibly easy to prepare. Juicy chicken cooks slowly in a flavorful mixture of butter, garlic, chicken broth, herbs, and seasonings until it becomes fork-tender and coated in a rich savory sauce.
It is a perfect busy-day dinner because the slow cooker handles most of the work. Serve the chicken over mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, or egg noodles, or pair it with roasted vegetables and crusty bread for a comforting family meal.
The garlic butter sauce is simple but full of flavor. Fresh garlic adds depth, butter creates richness, and a small amount of broth keeps the chicken moist while it cooks. The result is an easy slow cooker chicken recipe that works well for weeknights, meal prep, or Sunday dinner.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients and takes only a few minutes to assemble. There is no complicated sauce to make and no need to stand over the stove.
Chicken thighs are especially good in the slow cooker because they stay juicy, but chicken breasts also work when they are not overcooked.
The buttery garlic sauce can be spooned over potatoes, rice, noodles, or vegetables, making this a flexible dinner that pairs with many different sides.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
Ingredient Notes
Chicken: Boneless chicken thighs stay especially moist during slow cooking. Chicken breasts can also be used, but start checking them earlier so they do not dry out.
Butter: Unsalted butter gives you better control over seasoning. Salted butter can be used, but reduce the added salt until you taste the finished sauce.
Garlic: Fresh minced garlic provides the strongest flavor. Garlic powder adds an additional savory layer and distributes evenly throughout the sauce.
Chicken broth: Use low-sodium broth because butter and seasoning can already add plenty of saltiness.
How to Make Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken
- Lightly coat the inside of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Arrange the thawed chicken in a single layer in the slow cooker.
- Season both sides with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, minced garlic, and chicken broth.
- Pour the garlic butter mixture evenly over the chicken.
- Cover with the lid.
- Cook on low for four to six hours or on high for two to three hours.
- Begin checking near the earliest cooking time, especially when using chicken breasts.
- The chicken is ready when the thickest portion reaches 165°F.
- Stir in the optional lemon juice just before serving.
- Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the chicken.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and extra cracked black pepper.
How to Keep Slow Cooker Chicken Juicy
Avoid cooking the chicken much longer than necessary. Chicken breasts are lean and can become dry when left cooking after they reach a safe internal temperature.
Chicken thighs are more forgiving and are a good choice when you want extra tenderness.
Use an instant-read thermometer rather than relying only on time. Slow cookers vary, and the size and thickness of the chicken pieces will affect how quickly they cook.
Do not place raw frozen chicken directly into the slow cooker. Thaw it safely in the refrigerator first so it heats through at a predictable rate.
How to Make a Thicker Garlic Butter Sauce
The natural sauce in this recipe is thin and buttery, which makes it excellent for spooning over rice or potatoes. If you prefer a thicker sauce, use a simple cornstarch slurry.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of cold water until smooth.
Stir the slurry into the hot liquid in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
Return the chicken to the sauce before serving.
Easy Variations
For creamy garlic butter chicken, stir in four ounces of softened cream cheese during the final 15 minutes of cooking.
For Parmesan garlic chicken, add one-half cup freshly grated Parmesan after the chicken has finished cooking.
For garlic butter chicken and potatoes, add one pound of small baby potatoes to the slow cooker at the beginning. Cut larger potatoes in half so they become tender.
For extra vegetables, add carrots, green beans, mushrooms, or onions. More delicate vegetables such as spinach should be added near the end.
For a spicy version, add crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne, or a little hot sauce.
For lemon garlic butter chicken, increase the lemon juice and add fresh lemon zest shortly before serving.
What to Serve with Garlic Butter Chicken
Mashed potatoes are one of the best options because they soak up the buttery garlic sauce.
You can also serve the chicken with white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, buttered egg noodles, pasta, or creamy polenta.
For vegetables, try roasted broccoli, green beans, asparagus, carrots, Brussels sprouts, or zucchini.
Crusty bread, biscuits, or dinner rolls are also excellent for collecting the extra sauce from the plate.
Can You Shred the Chicken?
Yes. Once the chicken is fully cooked, shred it directly in the slow cooker with two forks and stir it into the garlic butter sauce.
Shredded garlic butter chicken works well in sandwiches, wraps, rice bowls, baked potatoes, pasta, or meal-prep containers.
If you want to shred chicken breasts, remove them as soon as they reach 165°F so the meat remains moist.
Make-Ahead and Meal Prep
You can measure the seasonings and prepare the garlic butter mixture ahead of time. Keep the mixture refrigerated until you are ready to cook.
For meal prep, divide the cooked chicken into containers with rice, potatoes, or vegetables and spoon some sauce over each portion.
The chicken also works well for next-day lunches because it can be sliced or shredded and reheated gently.
Storage and Reheating
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three to four days.
Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat or in the microwave in short intervals. Add a spoonful of chicken broth if the sauce becomes too concentrated.
The cooked chicken can also be frozen for up to two months. Freeze it with some of the sauce to help preserve moisture.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Printable Recipe Card
Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 to 6 hours on low
Total Time: Approximately 4 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Category: Dinner
Cooking Method: Slow cooker
Quick Instructions
- Arrange thawed chicken in the slow cooker.
- Season with herbs, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Mix melted butter, fresh garlic, and broth.
- Pour the mixture over the chicken.
- Cook on low for four to six hours or high for two to three hours.
- Cook until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Spoon garlic butter sauce over the chicken and serve.
Final Thoughts
This Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken is a simple, comforting slow cooker dinner with tender chicken and a rich garlic butter sauce. It requires only a few minutes of preparation and pairs easily with potatoes, rice, pasta, vegetables, or bread.
For the best results, use thawed chicken, avoid overcooking, and spoon plenty of the buttery garlic sauce over every serving.