cilantro-chutney-chicken-094-d113096.jpg   Credit: Lennart Weibull



cilantro-chutney-chicken-094-d113096.jpg   Credit: Lennart Weibull

cilantro-chutney-chicken-094-d113096.jpg Credit: Lennart Weibull

cilantro-chutney-chicken-094-d113096.jpg

Credit: Lennart Weibull

The slow cooker is a great tool for cooking chicken—but not for the same reasons you’d list when it comes to cooking, say, pork shoulder or beef short ribs. Poultry is generally a quick-cooking protein, so there are more efficient ways to get a chicken dinner on the table when time is of the essence. So, why make quick chicken in the slow cooker? Easy answer: It does almost all the work for you, especially if you set it up in the morning and come back to eat later in the day. 

Even better? It’s reliably delicious. Dark meat lends itself particularly well to the the low, gentle heat of the slow cooker, staying moist and flavorful; it turns so tender, you don’t even need to cut it with a knife. Though cooking chicken in this appliance is a no-brainer, following a recipe will only elevate the result. The options we’ve gathered here take inspiration from Indian, Mexican, French, and other cuisines, but one thing they all have in common is their ease, simplicity, and approachability. We think—no, we know—you’ll love them.

      chicken with garlic         Slow-Cooker Chicken with 20 Cloves of Garlic    View Recipe   This classic French fricassee typically calls for 40 cloves of garlic, but the slow cooker intensifies flavors so much that 20 is all you need for a rich, garlicky taste. Serve with the braised garlic, the cooking liquid, and bread. Pro tip: Spread the softened garlic on the bread and dip it in the juices.              sweet-spicy-chicken-med108291.jpg         Slow-Cooker Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken    View Recipe   Here's a slow cooker recipe that's a snap to make. You combine cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a large zip-top bag. Add chicken and toss to coat—then cook the chicken in a skillet for a few minutes until it's golden. Into the slow cooker it goes, along with onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and raisins. The result? A comforting meal that hits so many notes.                 garlic-chicken-couscous-med107742.jpg         Slow-Cooker Garlic Chicken with Couscous    View Recipe   This simple chicken dinner is tasty and extremely gratifying. It has a gentle, comforting taste thanks to garlic, thyme, and white wine. With some couscous and a salad, it makes for a satisfying dinner any time of year.             spicy buffalo chicken sandwich         Slow-Cooker Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches    View Recipe   Here's a great party dish to have in your repertoire. You brown chicken pieces to build flavor, then sauté peppers, onions, and garlic; a tomato-y, peppery sauce pulls everything together. Four hours later, you shred the chicken and layer it into buns along with pickled vegetables for a cool crunch.               ba104460_0109_cacciatore.jpg         Chicken Cacciatore with Cremini Mushrooms    View Recipe   A hearty dish for a cold winter's day, this hassle-free one-pot meal can be prepped quickly. Simply stir together chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, flour, wine, celery, onion, a sprig of rosemary, and some salt and pepper. Let the slow cooker work its magic,  and you'll have tender chicken and a delicious sauce that's great for mopping up with crusty bread.              chicken mole         Slow-Cooker Chicken Mole    View Recipe   The Mexican chile sauce, mole, has a taste that's spicy and bittersweet, with earthy undertones. Thanks to dark chocolate and spices, it lends a rich taste to chicken thighs in this warming weeknight dinner. Serve it alongside a pot of white or yellow rice.              chicken curry          Chicken Curry    View Recipe   Put in 10 minutes of work for this recipe, and you'll be rewarded with a hearty dinner rich with spices. It's especially good when served with toasted cashews and cilantro leaves.             Slow-Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken         Slow Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken    View Recipe   A tasty soy-ginger sauce—and about six hours in the slow cooker—transforms chicken and carrots into a sweet, spicy, and just salty enough dish that's delicious over white rice. Garnish the finished meal with cilantro sprigs and thin slices of scallion for a little zip.              med104078_1008_tacos.jpg         Slow-Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos    View Recipe   It doesn't get easier than this streamlined taco night option. Combine chicken thighs, sliced garlic, a half-cup of salsa, chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo, and chili powder—then cook and shred with forks. You can moisten the meat with some of the cooking juices, and then pile it into taco shells with whatever toppings your heart desires.             cilantro-chutney-chicken-094-d113096.jpg         Slow-Cooker Cilantro-Chutney Chicken    View Recipe   To make this delicious chicken dish, it's helpful to sauté the onions first—it adds sweetness and an extra layer of richness. Then, towards the end of cooking, stirring in a chutney made from cilantro, peanuts, brown sugar, and lime juice keeps the flavors bright and fresh. Rice, yogurt, jalapeno, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges make perfect accompaniments.              tex mex beans         Slow-Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans    View Recipe   Here's another Mexican-influenced chicken dish that calls on salsa for flavor. The other ingredients—dried pinto beans, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, flour, red onion, chopped red bell pepper—are equally unassuming. When the stew is finished, top it with sour cream, chopped jalapeño, hot sauce, and tortilla strips or chips.             med10437_0309_0sea003b.jpg         Spiced Chicken Stew with Carrots    View Recipe   Sweet spices (like cinnamon and cumin) and golden raisins complement the carrots in this tagine-inspired chicken stew. With such aromatic flavors, the dish needs just a simple accompaniment: think plain couscous and sliced, toasted almonds.   

     chicken with garlic         Slow-Cooker Chicken with 20 Cloves of Garlic    View Recipe   This classic French fricassee typically calls for 40 cloves of garlic, but the slow cooker intensifies flavors so much that 20 is all you need for a rich, garlicky taste. Serve with the braised garlic, the cooking liquid, and bread. Pro tip: Spread the softened garlic on the bread and dip it in the juices.   

     sweet-spicy-chicken-med108291.jpg         Slow-Cooker Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken    View Recipe   Here's a slow cooker recipe that's a snap to make. You combine cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a large zip-top bag. Add chicken and toss to coat—then cook the chicken in a skillet for a few minutes until it's golden. Into the slow cooker it goes, along with onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and raisins. The result? A comforting meal that hits so many notes.    

     garlic-chicken-couscous-med107742.jpg         Slow-Cooker Garlic Chicken with Couscous    View Recipe   This simple chicken dinner is tasty and extremely gratifying. It has a gentle, comforting taste thanks to garlic, thyme, and white wine. With some couscous and a salad, it makes for a satisfying dinner any time of year.   

     spicy buffalo chicken sandwich         Slow-Cooker Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches    View Recipe   Here's a great party dish to have in your repertoire. You brown chicken pieces to build flavor, then sauté peppers, onions, and garlic; a tomato-y, peppery sauce pulls everything together. Four hours later, you shred the chicken and layer it into buns along with pickled vegetables for a cool crunch.   

     ba104460_0109_cacciatore.jpg         Chicken Cacciatore with Cremini Mushrooms    View Recipe   A hearty dish for a cold winter's day, this hassle-free one-pot meal can be prepped quickly. Simply stir together chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, flour, wine, celery, onion, a sprig of rosemary, and some salt and pepper. Let the slow cooker work its magic,  and you'll have tender chicken and a delicious sauce that's great for mopping up with crusty bread.    

     chicken mole         Slow-Cooker Chicken Mole    View Recipe   The Mexican chile sauce, mole, has a taste that's spicy and bittersweet, with earthy undertones. Thanks to dark chocolate and spices, it lends a rich taste to chicken thighs in this warming weeknight dinner. Serve it alongside a pot of white or yellow rice.   

     chicken curry          Chicken Curry    View Recipe   Put in 10 minutes of work for this recipe, and you'll be rewarded with a hearty dinner rich with spices. It's especially good when served with toasted cashews and cilantro leaves.   

     Slow-Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken         Slow Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken    View Recipe   A tasty soy-ginger sauce—and about six hours in the slow cooker—transforms chicken and carrots into a sweet, spicy, and just salty enough dish that's delicious over white rice. Garnish the finished meal with cilantro sprigs and thin slices of scallion for a little zip.   

     med104078_1008_tacos.jpg         Slow-Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos    View Recipe   It doesn't get easier than this streamlined taco night option. Combine chicken thighs, sliced garlic, a half-cup of salsa, chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo, and chili powder—then cook and shred with forks. You can moisten the meat with some of the cooking juices, and then pile it into taco shells with whatever toppings your heart desires.   

     cilantro-chutney-chicken-094-d113096.jpg         Slow-Cooker Cilantro-Chutney Chicken    View Recipe   To make this delicious chicken dish, it's helpful to sauté the onions first—it adds sweetness and an extra layer of richness. Then, towards the end of cooking, stirring in a chutney made from cilantro, peanuts, brown sugar, and lime juice keeps the flavors bright and fresh. Rice, yogurt, jalapeno, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges make perfect accompaniments.   

     tex mex beans         Slow-Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans    View Recipe   Here's another Mexican-influenced chicken dish that calls on salsa for flavor. The other ingredients—dried pinto beans, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, flour, red onion, chopped red bell pepper—are equally unassuming. When the stew is finished, top it with sour cream, chopped jalapeño, hot sauce, and tortilla strips or chips.   

     med10437_0309_0sea003b.jpg         Spiced Chicken Stew with Carrots    View Recipe   Sweet spices (like cinnamon and cumin) and golden raisins complement the carrots in this tagine-inspired chicken stew. With such aromatic flavors, the dish needs just a simple accompaniment: think plain couscous and sliced, toasted almonds.   

   chicken with garlic         Slow-Cooker Chicken with 20 Cloves of Garlic    View Recipe   This classic French fricassee typically calls for 40 cloves of garlic, but the slow cooker intensifies flavors so much that 20 is all you need for a rich, garlicky taste. Serve with the braised garlic, the cooking liquid, and bread. Pro tip: Spread the softened garlic on the bread and dip it in the juices.  

  chicken with garlic      

Slow-Cooker Chicken with 20 Cloves of Garlic

View Recipe

This classic French fricassee typically calls for 40 cloves of garlic, but the slow cooker intensifies flavors so much that 20 is all you need for a rich, garlicky taste. Serve with the braised garlic, the cooking liquid, and bread. Pro tip: Spread the softened garlic on the bread and dip it in the juices.

 chicken with garlic     

chicken with garlic    

chicken with garlic

chicken with garlic

Slow-Cooker Chicken with 20 Cloves of Garlic

This classic French fricassee typically calls for 40 cloves of garlic, but the slow cooker intensifies flavors so much that 20 is all you need for a rich, garlicky taste. Serve with the braised garlic, the cooking liquid, and bread. Pro tip: Spread the softened garlic on the bread and dip it in the juices.

   sweet-spicy-chicken-med108291.jpg         Slow-Cooker Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken    View Recipe   Here's a slow cooker recipe that's a snap to make. You combine cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a large zip-top bag. Add chicken and toss to coat—then cook the chicken in a skillet for a few minutes until it's golden. Into the slow cooker it goes, along with onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and raisins. The result? A comforting meal that hits so many notes.   

  sweet-spicy-chicken-med108291.jpg      

Slow-Cooker Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken

Here’s a slow cooker recipe that’s a snap to make. You combine cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a large zip-top bag. Add chicken and toss to coat—then cook the chicken in a skillet for a few minutes until it’s golden. Into the slow cooker it goes, along with onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and raisins. The result? A comforting meal that hits so many notes. 

 sweet-spicy-chicken-med108291.jpg     

sweet-spicy-chicken-med108291.jpg    

sweet-spicy-chicken-med108291.jpg

sweet-spicy-chicken-med108291.jpg

Slow-Cooker Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken

Here’s a slow cooker recipe that’s a snap to make. You combine cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a large zip-top bag. Add chicken and toss to coat—then cook the chicken in a skillet for a few minutes until it’s golden. Into the slow cooker it goes, along with onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and raisins. The result? A comforting meal that hits so many notes. 

   garlic-chicken-couscous-med107742.jpg         Slow-Cooker Garlic Chicken with Couscous    View Recipe   This simple chicken dinner is tasty and extremely gratifying. It has a gentle, comforting taste thanks to garlic, thyme, and white wine. With some couscous and a salad, it makes for a satisfying dinner any time of year.  

  garlic-chicken-couscous-med107742.jpg      

Slow-Cooker Garlic Chicken with Couscous

This simple chicken dinner is tasty and extremely gratifying. It has a gentle, comforting taste thanks to garlic, thyme, and white wine. With some couscous and a salad, it makes for a satisfying dinner any time of year.

 garlic-chicken-couscous-med107742.jpg     

garlic-chicken-couscous-med107742.jpg    

garlic-chicken-couscous-med107742.jpg

garlic-chicken-couscous-med107742.jpg

Slow-Cooker Garlic Chicken with Couscous

This simple chicken dinner is tasty and extremely gratifying. It has a gentle, comforting taste thanks to garlic, thyme, and white wine. With some couscous and a salad, it makes for a satisfying dinner any time of year.

   spicy buffalo chicken sandwich         Slow-Cooker Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches    View Recipe   Here's a great party dish to have in your repertoire. You brown chicken pieces to build flavor, then sauté peppers, onions, and garlic; a tomato-y, peppery sauce pulls everything together. Four hours later, you shred the chicken and layer it into buns along with pickled vegetables for a cool crunch.  

  spicy buffalo chicken sandwich      

Slow-Cooker Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Here’s a great party dish to have in your repertoire. You brown chicken pieces to build flavor, then sauté peppers, onions, and garlic; a tomato-y, peppery sauce pulls everything together. Four hours later, you shred the chicken and layer it into buns along with pickled vegetables for a cool crunch.

 spicy buffalo chicken sandwich     

spicy buffalo chicken sandwich    

spicy buffalo chicken sandwich

spicy buffalo chicken sandwich

Slow-Cooker Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Here’s a great party dish to have in your repertoire. You brown chicken pieces to build flavor, then sauté peppers, onions, and garlic; a tomato-y, peppery sauce pulls everything together. Four hours later, you shred the chicken and layer it into buns along with pickled vegetables for a cool crunch.

   ba104460_0109_cacciatore.jpg         Chicken Cacciatore with Cremini Mushrooms    View Recipe   A hearty dish for a cold winter's day, this hassle-free one-pot meal can be prepped quickly. Simply stir together chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, flour, wine, celery, onion, a sprig of rosemary, and some salt and pepper. Let the slow cooker work its magic,  and you'll have tender chicken and a delicious sauce that's great for mopping up with crusty bread.   

  ba104460_0109_cacciatore.jpg      

Chicken Cacciatore with Cremini Mushrooms

A hearty dish for a cold winter’s day, this hassle-free one-pot meal can be prepped quickly. Simply stir together chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, flour, wine, celery, onion, a sprig of rosemary, and some salt and pepper. Let the slow cooker work its magic,  and you’ll have tender chicken and a delicious sauce that’s great for mopping up with crusty bread. 

 ba104460_0109_cacciatore.jpg     

ba104460_0109_cacciatore.jpg    

ba104460_0109_cacciatore.jpg

ba104460_0109_cacciatore.jpg

Chicken Cacciatore with Cremini Mushrooms

A hearty dish for a cold winter’s day, this hassle-free one-pot meal can be prepped quickly. Simply stir together chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, flour, wine, celery, onion, a sprig of rosemary, and some salt and pepper. Let the slow cooker work its magic,  and you’ll have tender chicken and a delicious sauce that’s great for mopping up with crusty bread. 

   chicken mole         Slow-Cooker Chicken Mole    View Recipe   The Mexican chile sauce, mole, has a taste that's spicy and bittersweet, with earthy undertones. Thanks to dark chocolate and spices, it lends a rich taste to chicken thighs in this warming weeknight dinner. Serve it alongside a pot of white or yellow rice.  

  chicken mole      

Slow-Cooker Chicken Mole

The Mexican chile sauce, mole, has a taste that’s spicy and bittersweet, with earthy undertones. Thanks to dark chocolate and spices, it lends a rich taste to chicken thighs in this warming weeknight dinner. Serve it alongside a pot of white or yellow rice.

 chicken mole     

chicken mole    

chicken mole

chicken mole

Slow-Cooker Chicken Mole

The Mexican chile sauce, mole, has a taste that’s spicy and bittersweet, with earthy undertones. Thanks to dark chocolate and spices, it lends a rich taste to chicken thighs in this warming weeknight dinner. Serve it alongside a pot of white or yellow rice.

   chicken curry          Chicken Curry    View Recipe   Put in 10 minutes of work for this recipe, and you'll be rewarded with a hearty dinner rich with spices. It's especially good when served with toasted cashews and cilantro leaves.  

  chicken curry       

Chicken Curry

Put in 10 minutes of work for this recipe, and you’ll be rewarded with a hearty dinner rich with spices. It’s especially good when served with toasted cashews and cilantro leaves.

 chicken curry      

chicken curry     

chicken curry

chicken curry

Chicken Curry

Put in 10 minutes of work for this recipe, and you’ll be rewarded with a hearty dinner rich with spices. It’s especially good when served with toasted cashews and cilantro leaves.

   Slow-Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken         Slow Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken    View Recipe   A tasty soy-ginger sauce—and about six hours in the slow cooker—transforms chicken and carrots into a sweet, spicy, and just salty enough dish that's delicious over white rice. Garnish the finished meal with cilantro sprigs and thin slices of scallion for a little zip.  

  Slow-Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken      

Slow Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken

A tasty soy-ginger sauce—and about six hours in the slow cooker—transforms chicken and carrots into a sweet, spicy, and just salty enough dish that’s delicious over white rice. Garnish the finished meal with cilantro sprigs and thin slices of scallion for a little zip.

 Slow-Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken     

Slow-Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken    

Slow-Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken

Slow-Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken

Slow Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken

A tasty soy-ginger sauce—and about six hours in the slow cooker—transforms chicken and carrots into a sweet, spicy, and just salty enough dish that’s delicious over white rice. Garnish the finished meal with cilantro sprigs and thin slices of scallion for a little zip.

   med104078_1008_tacos.jpg         Slow-Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos    View Recipe   It doesn't get easier than this streamlined taco night option. Combine chicken thighs, sliced garlic, a half-cup of salsa, chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo, and chili powder—then cook and shred with forks. You can moisten the meat with some of the cooking juices, and then pile it into taco shells with whatever toppings your heart desires.  

  med104078_1008_tacos.jpg      

Slow-Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos

It doesn’t get easier than this streamlined taco night option. Combine chicken thighs, sliced garlic, a half-cup of salsa, chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo, and chili powder—then cook and shred with forks. You can moisten the meat with some of the cooking juices, and then pile it into taco shells with whatever toppings your heart desires.

 med104078_1008_tacos.jpg     

med104078_1008_tacos.jpg    

med104078_1008_tacos.jpg

med104078_1008_tacos.jpg

Slow-Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos

It doesn’t get easier than this streamlined taco night option. Combine chicken thighs, sliced garlic, a half-cup of salsa, chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo, and chili powder—then cook and shred with forks. You can moisten the meat with some of the cooking juices, and then pile it into taco shells with whatever toppings your heart desires.

   cilantro-chutney-chicken-094-d113096.jpg         Slow-Cooker Cilantro-Chutney Chicken    View Recipe   To make this delicious chicken dish, it's helpful to sauté the onions first—it adds sweetness and an extra layer of richness. Then, towards the end of cooking, stirring in a chutney made from cilantro, peanuts, brown sugar, and lime juice keeps the flavors bright and fresh. Rice, yogurt, jalapeno, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges make perfect accompaniments.  

  cilantro-chutney-chicken-094-d113096.jpg      

Slow-Cooker Cilantro-Chutney Chicken

To make this delicious chicken dish, it’s helpful to sauté the onions first—it adds sweetness and an extra layer of richness. Then, towards the end of cooking, stirring in a chutney made from cilantro, peanuts, brown sugar, and lime juice keeps the flavors bright and fresh. Rice, yogurt, jalapeno, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges make perfect accompaniments.

 cilantro-chutney-chicken-094-d113096.jpg     

cilantro-chutney-chicken-094-d113096.jpg    

cilantro-chutney-chicken-094-d113096.jpg

Slow-Cooker Cilantro-Chutney Chicken

To make this delicious chicken dish, it’s helpful to sauté the onions first—it adds sweetness and an extra layer of richness. Then, towards the end of cooking, stirring in a chutney made from cilantro, peanuts, brown sugar, and lime juice keeps the flavors bright and fresh. Rice, yogurt, jalapeno, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges make perfect accompaniments.

   tex mex beans         Slow-Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans    View Recipe   Here's another Mexican-influenced chicken dish that calls on salsa for flavor. The other ingredients—dried pinto beans, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, flour, red onion, chopped red bell pepper—are equally unassuming. When the stew is finished, top it with sour cream, chopped jalapeño, hot sauce, and tortilla strips or chips.  

  tex mex beans      

Slow-Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans

Here’s another Mexican-influenced chicken dish that calls on salsa for flavor. The other ingredients—dried pinto beans, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, flour, red onion, chopped red bell pepper—are equally unassuming. When the stew is finished, top it with sour cream, chopped jalapeño, hot sauce, and tortilla strips or chips.

 tex mex beans     

tex mex beans    

tex mex beans

tex mex beans

Slow-Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans

Here’s another Mexican-influenced chicken dish that calls on salsa for flavor. The other ingredients—dried pinto beans, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, flour, red onion, chopped red bell pepper—are equally unassuming. When the stew is finished, top it with sour cream, chopped jalapeño, hot sauce, and tortilla strips or chips.

   med10437_0309_0sea003b.jpg         Spiced Chicken Stew with Carrots    View Recipe   Sweet spices (like cinnamon and cumin) and golden raisins complement the carrots in this tagine-inspired chicken stew. With such aromatic flavors, the dish needs just a simple accompaniment: think plain couscous and sliced, toasted almonds.  

  med10437_0309_0sea003b.jpg      

Spiced Chicken Stew with Carrots

Sweet spices (like cinnamon and cumin) and golden raisins complement the carrots in this tagine-inspired chicken stew. With such aromatic flavors, the dish needs just a simple accompaniment: think plain couscous and sliced, toasted almonds.

 med10437_0309_0sea003b.jpg     

med10437_0309_0sea003b.jpg    

med10437_0309_0sea003b.jpg

med10437_0309_0sea003b.jpg

Spiced Chicken Stew with Carrots

Sweet spices (like cinnamon and cumin) and golden raisins complement the carrots in this tagine-inspired chicken stew. With such aromatic flavors, the dish needs just a simple accompaniment: think plain couscous and sliced, toasted almonds.