Crock Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken
A simple slow-cooker chicken in a creamy, lemony sauce with capers.
Equipment
- 6-quart slow cooker
- Skillet
- Small Bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper to taste
- 5 tablespoons butter divided (1 tbsp for searing, 4 tbsp for topping)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- lemon zest zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon chicken base
- 1 tablespoon capers rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and sear in the hot skillet until golden, about 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the seared chicken to the 6-quart slow cooker and place the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, divided into 4 pieces, on top of the breasts.
- Add the dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the slow cooker, over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 1/2 hours (or on HIGH for just under 2 hours) until the chicken is cooked through.
- In a small bowl, stir 1 tablespoon of the half-and-half into the cornstarch until smooth, then whisk that into the remaining half-and-half. Stir in the chicken base and the rinsed, drained capers.
- Pour the half-and-half mixture into the slow cooker, stir gently to combine with the cooking juices, cover, and cook on HIGH for 1 more hour to thicken and finish the sauce.
- Check seasoning and serve the chicken with the creamy lemon-caper sauce spooned over it.
Notes
- Cook chicken on LOW for a more tender texture.
- Do not add lemon slices during cooking; only juice and zest are used.
- Use rinsed and drained capers to control saltiness.
- Whisk cornstarch into a small amount of half-and-half first to avoid lumps.
- Adjust salt and pepper at the end to taste.