Lemon Basil Chicken Thighs

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Some days you just don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but you still want to make a healthy meal for your family. This lemon basil chicken thigh slow cooker recipe is ideal for days like that.

Cooking with chicken thighs is ideal because they have so much flavor; all you need to do is add a few ingredients to make a tasty dish. These lemon basil chicken thighs are a terrific low-carb meal that can go with a side dish such as this quick make-ahead broccoli salad. Or if you’re not in the mood for low carbs, you can cook a pot of rice on the side and drizzle the natural juices from this dish over it.

A great thing about slow cooker recipes is that you can just set it and forget it, giving you the satisfaction of preparing a healthy meal for your family without spending hours in the kitchen. Most of these ingredients are things you’ll already have on hand or can easily order from Amazon or the grocery store before getting started.

Ingredients for Lemon Basil Chicken Thighs

• 1 (1 ½ to 2 pounds) package boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup chicken stock
• Fresh basil, optional

Notes: Although the fresh basil is optional, it adds so much flavor to these lemon basil chicken thighs that I personally would not skip it.

Also, this lemon basil chicken dish recipe can be easily doubled or tripled but packing the slow cooker may increase the cooking time. Check your chicken for an internal temperature of 165 degrees prior to serving.

Instructions for Lemon Basil Chicken Thighs

Step 1. Pour olive oil in the bottom of the slow cooker crock and swirl to coat OR spritz with non-stick cooking spray.

Step 2. Lay chicken thighs in the slow cooker crock. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken. Then add the chicken stock.

Step 3. Sprinkle each chicken thigh with dried basil, garlic, and pepper. Drop lemon zest on top.

Step 4. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, depending on the thickness of your chicken thighs.

Step 5. Remove chicken from the slow cooker and garnish with fresh basil.

This is the kind of meal that can quickly become a family favorite because it’s so simple to prepare yet tastes so good. You might even decide you want to grow your own basil to make sure you always have some fresh basil on hand for this recipe.

It’s not likely that you’ll have leftovers but if you do, you can use the chicken to make this hearty chicken kale quinoa soup or the best chicken broccoli stir-fry you’ll ever taste! Simply add the chicken from this lemon basil chicken dish in place of the chicken that’s called for in the recipes.

Isn’t it great to eat healthy and enjoy the meals at the same time?

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