Description
Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Potatoes & Carrots is a hearty and flavorful one-pot meal featuring tender chicken thighs, baby potatoes, and carrots cooked low and slow. The dish is enriched with smoked paprika and chicken broth, finished with a simple homemade gravy, making it a comforting and easy dinner option.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables
- 2 pounds baby red potatoes, halved
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Liquids and Thickeners
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels to ensure a good sear.
- Season Chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a medium bowl and evenly coat with smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Set aside to marinate briefly.
- Prep Vegetables: Halve the baby potatoes, chop the red onion, and mince the garlic to have all vegetables ready for cooking.
- Layer Vegetables: Add the halved potatoes, baby carrots, chopped onion, and minced garlic to the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, spreading evenly.
- Brown Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Once hot, sear the seasoned chicken thighs for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until browned. Work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Place the browned chicken thighs on top of the vegetable layer in the slow cooker and pour in the chicken broth.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours until chicken is tender and vegetables are cooked through.
- Make Gravy: Remove chicken, potatoes, and carrots onto serving dishes. Whisk cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry, then stir it into the slow cooker liquid. Cook on high for a few minutes to thicken into gravy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- For a deeper smoky flavor, use smoked paprika as indicated, but regular paprika can substitute.
- If you prefer crispier chicken skin, you can roast the thighs after slow cooking for a few minutes under a broiler.
- To make the dish gluten-free, ensure the chicken broth and cornstarch do not contain any gluten additives.
- Feel free to swap baby carrots with regular carrots cut into chunks if unavailable.
- Leftover gravy can be refrigerated and used later as a sauce for other dishes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 1047 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.03 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 146 mg
