First cousin to Crock Pot Chicken and Rice, this is one of those unabashedly unfancy, take-me-home basic crock pot recipes that is ultra useful to have in your arsenal. Chicken. Potatoes. Carrots. <—All are approachable and widely accepted additions to the dinner plate. Lemon. Butter. Parmesan. Italian herbs. <—I dare you (and anyone else to whom you serve this slow cooker chicken and potatoes) to argue that there is a single objectionable item on that list. And…that’s it! When you are attempting to serve a household of different tastes, manage your day-to-day responsibilities, plan for tomorrow, and survive today—all while maintaining a scrap of personal dignity—well, sometimes nothing being wrong with a recipe is also everything that is exactly right about it. I have dozens of healthy slow cooker recipes and healthy crock pot chicken recipes on my site, but it’s the “dump and go”/“set it and forget it” ones like this Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken and this Crockpot White Chicken Chili that are prized most for their ease. I’m happy to share that this crockpot chicken with potatoes and carrots fits that category too! You can make this crock pot recipe with chicken breasts or thighs, add extra seasonings if you’re feeling adventurous, or keep it just as it is when you need a simple slam dunk. This recipe offers every food group in a single pan (er, crock pot), is reasonably healthy, and you can even repurpose the leftovers.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes
The straightforward ingredient list and easy prep tells you everything you need to know: this is a simple, comforting dish that’s here to help you get dinner on the table at end of a long day.
The Ingredients
Potatoes. For quick prep, I use baby potatoes, which can be quartered in a flash. Yukon gold potatoes are nice and buttery, and red potatoes are another creamy option. You can also use regularly sized Yukon gold potatoes; dice them into rough 1-inch pieces first. Chicken. The universal protein! I opted to use chicken breasts for this recipe, but it would be equally as scrumptious with chicken thighs. Carrots. Carrots are the perfect complement to the creamy potatoes. They add a nice crunch to the dish and a load of nutrients. (For another recipe combining potatoes and carrots, check out these Roasted Potatoes and Carrots.) Italian Seasoning. This blend of herbs is a staple in many of my recipes (Italian Sheet Pan Chicken, anyone?), because it provides a myriad of flavors per teaspoon, without having to separately measure individual spices. During the slow cooking process, the Italian seasoning sneaks flavor into each ingredient and makes the sauce extra yummy. Lemon. Lemon brings a bright, fresh, and citrusy flavor to the recipe. Once you taste the lemon butter Parmesan herb sauce, you’ll want to pour it over everything!
What you won’t see on the ingredient list: cream of anything soup. While some crockpot chicken and potatoes recipes call for cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup, I wanted this recipe to be healthy and use minimally processed ingredients. The Parmesan cheese and touch of butter add just enough indulgence to make the recipe satisfying, no canned soup required.
The Directions
How to Know When Slow Cooker Chicken is Done
It is easy to overcook chicken in the slow cooker, especially if you are using boneless skinless chicken breasts, which dry out easily. Here are tips to know when your chicken is done and to avoid overcooking.
Using a sharp knife, make a small incision in the middle of your piece of chicken. Use a fork to peek inside the incision and check the color. If the meat still has pink hues, then it needs to cook longer. If the chicken is white, then it is done. The best option is to use an instant read thermometer! I typically pull my chicken out at 160 degrees F, then place it on a plate and cover it to keep warm. This carryover cooking takes the chicken to the safe, FDA recommended temp of 165 degrees F. I recommend checking your chicken early to make sure it doesn’t overcook. Each slow cooker is different (some run hot; mine does!), and this can alter how long your chicken will take to cook.
Can I Put Frozen Chicken in the Crockpot?
This is a question I receive often, and the short answer is no, you cannot put frozen chicken in the crockpot. Here’s why:
While place raw chicken in the slow cooker, the chicken MUST be thawed first. If you use frozen chicken, during the cooking process, the chicken will spend too long at room temperature, and this may cause the meat to become unsafe to eat.
GOOD NEWS: You CAN put frozen chicken in the Instant Pot!
The Instant Pot cooks frozen chicken quickly enough to where it stays at a safe temperature. See Instant Pot Chicken for cook times for fresh or frozen chicken breasts and thighs. The post includes cooking times for both boneless and bone-in chicken as well.
Recipe Variations
Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes and Green Beans. Swap the carrots for trimmed and halved fresh green beans, or try a mix of vegetables. Extra Lemony Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes. Double the lemon zest, using two lemons instead of one. Once the chicken and potatoes have finished cooking, squeeze the juice of the additional lemon over the top. Crockpot Chicken and Sweet Potatoes. Swap the diced white potatoes for 3/4-inch diced sweet potatoes.
What to Serve with Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes
This recipe is plenty hearty as a stand-alone meal, as it includes servings of protein and vegetables. If you’d like to add more to the meal, here are some suggestions:
Vegetables. To serve even more vegetables with your dinner, try pairing crockpot chicken and potatoes with Sautéed Cabbage, Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Garlic, or Roasted Zucchini. Applesauce. Applesauce makes a simple and healthy side dish that’s both tasty and kid-friendly. I love making this Crockpot Applesauce. Salad. A big green salad is a great complement to the chicken and potatoes in this recipe. Try it with this Anytime Arugula Salad.
Storage and Reheating Tips
To Store. Place cooked leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To Freeze. While I do not recommend freezing the potatoes (they can become mealy when frozen), you can freeze the chicken and carrots. Store cooked chicken and carrots in an airtight freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. To Reheat. Gently rewarm the chicken and vegetables on a plate in the microwave until warmed through. I also enjoy shredding the leftover chicken and tossing it (either chilled or at room temperature) with a green salad.
More Favorite Crockpot Chicken Recipes
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore Slow Cooker Greek Chicken Plus, this full list of the Best Crockpot Recipes!
Recommended Tools to Make Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes
Programmable Slow Cooker. I love that this one switches to “keep warm” once the cooking time ends, so food runs less of a risk of overcooking. Still KEEP AN EYE on your chicken and check early! Every slow cooker is different. Instant Read Thermometer. The best, surest way to know when your slow cooker chicken is done and not overcook it.
The next time life feels like it’s moving too fast to keep up, I hope this slow (cooker) dinner helps to ease your weeknight routine.
