Slow Cooker Chicken Meal

This easy and comforting Slow Cooker Chicken Meal is complete with juicy fall-apart chicken, seasoned baby potatoes, and fresh green beans. A warm and cozy dish the whole family will love.

I make chicken and potatoes probably once a week. It’s a fast go-to for me because it’s easy and my family always loves it. There are countless ways to enjoy chicken and potatoes and this Slow Cooker Chicken Meal is one of our favs.

This recipe has everything you need for a complete and healthy supper. Chicken, potatoes, and beans! I use a combination of dark meat chicken for the best flavor, and keep it simple with no-peel baby red potatoes. Fresh green beans work great for this recipe and come out perfectly tender and flavorful.

My favorite way to serve this meal is in a deep bowl with a little extra cooking broth over everything. It’s cozy and so easy to dig right in. Whether you’re looking for something easy to prepare during the busy weeknight, or a lazy Sunday afternoon, this Slow Cooker Chicken Meal is perfect any day of the week!

Ingredients For Slow Cooker Chicken Meal:

• Olive oil
• Chicken (such as boneless skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks)
• Baby red potatoes
• Fresh green beans
• Butter
• Seasonings– season salt, garlic powder, Peruvian seasoning, dried thyme, salt, black pepper
• Fresh parsley (optional)
• Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Can I Use Chicken Breasts?

I would recommend using bone-in, skin-on so the chicken stays nice and juicy. Plus, it will lend the best flavor. If using boneless skinless chicken breast, reduce the cooking time down by 1-2 hours.

Will russet potatoes work for this recipe?

The short answer is, yes. However, I’ve found that potatoes with a lower starch content work best for this recipe. Baby reds, Yukon golds, or a variety of rainbow colored potatoes have less starch than russets. They stay nice and creamy on the inside, and still hold their shape, so no mushy taters here. And bonus! No need to peel baby red and yellow potatoes. Yeah for less work!

Fresh Green Beans vs Canned:

I like to use fresh green beans for this recipe because they hold up well during the long cooking time. This time also gives the beans a chance to soak up all the great flavors from the chicken and spices. They’ll be tender and perfectly soft. If using canned green beans, you’ll want to add them during the last hour of cooking.

Seasonings and spices:

This recipe doesn’t require a lot of seasonings but the ones I use are bold and flavorful. One of my favorite and most used spices right now is Peruvian seasoning. If you haven’t worked with this spice you will love it. It’s great with chicken, fish, pork, and so much more. Most grocery stores have it in stock but if you can’t find it, you can easily make it at home using a blend of cumin, chili pepper, paprika, garlic, and lime or lemon zest.

How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Meal:

Step 1. Season chicken pieces generously on all sides with seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.

Step 2. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat and add olive oil. Sear chicken until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per-side.

Step 3. While the chicken is searing add halved baby red potatoes and fresh green beans to a 6 qt or larger slow cooker. Toss with olive oil, Peruvian seasoning, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Dot the top with butter.

Step 4. Once the chicken is golden brown lay the pieces on top of the veggies. Place the lid on and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

Do I have to sear the chicken first?

This step is definitely recommended. Searing the chicken first adds great flavor to the entire dish. However, it will still be delicious if you’re short on time and need to skip this step.

Can I use frozen chicken pieces?

It is not recommended to use frozen chicken for this recipe as it can cause uneven cooking.

Broil For Extra Crispy Chicken and Potatoes:

When the Slow Cooker Chicken Meal is finish cooking, place chicken and potatoes on a large sheet pan lined with foil. Save the parsley and parmesan until after broiling. Broil in the oven on high a few inches from the top for 3-4 minutes. This will caramelize and crisp up some of the edges. This step makes it extra special.

Other Slow Cooker Meals You Might Enjoy:

• Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo
• Island Slow Cooker Chicken
• Slow Cooker Beef Stew
• Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken

Rate The Recipe⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I appreciate your comments and reviews! Be sure to leave a comment or rating below for suggestions, questions, or if you make the recipe. I’d love to know how it turned out for you!

Slow Cooker Chicken Meal

This easy and comforting Slow Cooker Chicken Meal is complete with juicy fall-apart chicken, seasoned baby potatoes, and fresh green beans. A warm and cozy dish the whole family will love.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours hours

Total Time: 5 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 5

Equipment

• 1 6 qt or larger slow cooker

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs and or drumsticks
• 1 lb baby red potatoes cut in half
• 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in 2-inch pieces
• 3 tbsp butter cut in small cubes
• grated parmesan cheese (for garnish) optional
• fresh chopped parsley (for garnish) optional

Seasoning for chicken:

• seasoned salt
• garlic powder
• black pepper

Seasoning for potatoes and green beans:

• 2 tsp Peruvian seasoning
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• Season chicken with seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper on all sides.
• Heat a large skillet to medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sear chicken on both sides until deep golden brown. About 4-5 minutes per-side.
• While chicken is searing add halved baby red potatoes and fresh green beans to a slow cooker. Toss veggies with remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, Peruvian seasoning, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper, until well coated. Dot the top with butter cubes.
• Once the chicken is golden lay pieces on top of veggies. Place the lid on and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8. Potatoes should be fork tender and chicken cooked through and easily fall-apart.
• Sprinkle with fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese if serving from the slow cooker.

Broil for extra crispy chicken and potatoes:

• When the Slow Cooker Chicken Meal is finish cooking, place chicken and potatoes on a large sheet pan lined with foil. Broil in the oven on high a few inches from the top for 3-4 minutes. This will caramelize and crisp up some of the edges and makes it extra special. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

Tips:

Homemade Peruvian seasoning-

• 1 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 lime or lemon zested
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Use canned green beans instead of fresh-

Fresh is recommended but if using canned green beans, add drained beans to the slow cooker the last hour of cooking time. This will maintain their texture and not become mushy.

Chicken breast-

Use bone-in, skin-on for the best flavor. If using boneless skinless chicken breast, reduce the cooking time by 1-2 hours to prevent the chicken from drying out. 

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