It’s slow cooker season, and we’re starting it off with a bang! This Crockpot Greek Chicken is going to be your new weeknight best friend, bursting with bright flavors.
With only 15 minutes of hand-on time, it’s easy, versatile and super delicious!
We just can’t get enough of crockpot cooking. It’s a breeze to use, and the meat always become tender and delectable.
From the insanely easy Kalua Pork, to the magically delicious Tuscan Chicken, there are so many ways to make that crock work.
Why We LOVE Crockpot Greek Chicken
- Big time flavors: The combination of roasted red peppers, mixed olives, and a trio of fresh herbs ensures each bite is packed with the vibrant, sunny flavors of Greece.
- Easy to make: With the crockpot doing the heavy lifting, this recipe is a breeze to prepare, making it perfect for Busy Weeknights.
- Versatile: There are so many ways to serve this chicken. We’ll give you a ton of ideas later in the post.
- Healthy: Packed with protein and infused with the goodness of olive oil and fresh veggies, this dish is both nutritious and satisfying. It’s also naturally gluten-free and can also be easily adapted to be keto friendly.
- Crowd-pleaser: This dish is sure to impress with its colorful presentation and the burst of Mediterranean flavors, making it a hit for any gathering.
Ingredient Notes
For exact measurements, please see the recipe card at the end of the post. Here is what you’re going to need:
- Chicken – Thighs are our top pick for slow cooking. If you really want to use breasts, you may wish to adjust the cooking time down to prevent overcooking. If you have a family with mixed preferences, a whole chicken is a great option (in which case, you will skip the browning step).
- Roasted Red Peppers – Fresh bell peppers can be used as well. We love the extra flavor layer of the roasted peppers, and use jarred. You can always roast your own peppers, but crockpot meals are supposed to be easy, right?
- Olives – Any of your preferred varieties. In this case, we used 15 kalamata and 6 green.
- Onions -Red would be most traditionally Greek. Today we had white.
- Olive Oil – A staple in Greek cooking. Use extra virgin for deeper flavor, or regular to allow the other flavors to shine more.
- Lemon – For a burst of freshness and zing. If you don’t have any fresh lemons on hand, substitute 2 tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
- Honey – Provides a balancing sweetness. For a keto alternative, use monk fruit sweetener.
- Garlic – Fresh is always best.
- Fresh Herbs – Dried herbs are more potent, so use them in a 1:3 ratio (dried:fresh) if fresh are not available.
- Salt and Pepper
- For Garnish – Feta cheese (freshly crumbled) and cherry tomatoes.
How to Cook Slow Cooker Greek Chicken
1. Brown the chicken: Although it’s not entirely necessary, we like to give the chicken a quick sear. It really adds to the overall flavors. Heat a little oil in a skillet, then sear the chicken about 5 minutes per side before adding to the crock pot.
2. Add remaining ingredients: Arrange red pepper, olives and onion in the spaces between the chicken thighs. In a bowl, whisk together all other ingredients, then pour the mixture all over the top of the chicken.
3. Cook: Place the lid on the crockpot and cook for 3-4 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low.
Serving Suggestions
Now this is where things really get fun, as this is a super versatile recipe.
This time, we served our chicken with Lemon Rice, which pairs so beautifully with the Greek-inspired chicken.
It also goes great with a variety of other grains and starches such as orzo, couscous, quinoa or roasted or mashed potatoes.
For a quick and easy option, add a side of crusty bread, perfect for sopping up the cooking juices. Maybe add Greek Horiatiki Salad to round things out.
You can also shred the chicken, which opens up a whole extra bunch of possibilities. Stuff it in pita along with cucumbers and Tzatziki. Use it as a topper for a green salad. Or, toss it in pasta, wrap it in lettuce wraps, or stuff bell peppers or zucchini with the chicken.
Storage and Reheating
Our Greek chicken stores very well, making it a great meal prep idea. Allow to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container.
Refrigerate for 3-4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. If freezing, thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Reheat in the microwave, or on stovetop over medium heat, adding a little water if needed.
Give your crockpot night a Greek makeover with this easy and delicious chicken recipe. It’s one of our new favorites, and we hope it becomes one of yours!
Crockpot Greek Chicken, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
More Easy Crockpot Meals
Cuban Mojo Pork
Crockpot Turkey Chili
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken
Cajun Pulled Pork
Crockpot Pork Chops
Crack Chicken
Crockpot Greek Chicken
This Crockpot Greek Chicken is an easy meal bursting with great flavors, perfect for impressing guests, of an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, bone-in skin-on
- 8oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into strips
- 1 cup olives (mixed green and kalamata)
- ½ medium white or red onion, sliced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp honey (for keto version, use monk fruit sweetener)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- crumbled feta cheese, for garnish
- cherry tomatoes, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Generously season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then sear for about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken thighs to slow cooker, skin side up.
- Arrange red pepper, olives and onion in the spaces between the chicken thighs.
- In a bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients (olive oil, honey, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper). Pour this mixture all over the top of the chicken.
- Place lid on crock pot and cook for 3-4 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 185°F.
Notes
- Searing the chicken is an optional step. You can simply dump everything in the crock pot and cook for a shortcut. However, we highly recommend this step, as it adds a lot of flavor.
- In absence of fresh herbs, use 1 teaspoon or dried in place of 1 tablespoon dried.
- Technically, chicken can be safely consumed at 165°F. If you prefer your chicken to have some chew to it, you can adjust the cooking time down and stop there. For fall off the bone tender chicken thighs (which is our preference), cook to 185°F. If using breast, cook just to 165°F.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 386Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 19gCholesterol 166mgSodium 418mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 2gSugar 5gProtein 31g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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