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    Home » Recipes » Recipe

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs (Bone-In)

    Published: Sep 26, 2018 · Modified: Jan 1, 2020 by Fox Valley Foodie · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs Bone In recipe #chicken #slowcooker #crockpot #easy #thighs

    Slow cooker chicken thighs is an effortless meal solution resulting in outrageously tender chicken generously dusted with a simple chicken seasoning rub.

    Once upon a time, when I was a kid I drove our lawn mower into the side of my parent's garage, significantly damaging it. The only thing that spared me from the full extent of my dad's wrath was a tree falling on our roof before my dad got home. Fast forward twenty years and my son drives an ATV into the side of my pole shed, punching a good hole in it. What happens next? Well, a tree lands on the roof of the shed! I wish history didn't repeat itself quite so often.

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs Bone InSo that's pretty much what is on the agenda today. As soon as I am done writing about these slow cooker chicken thighs I have to meet with the insurance adjuster to assess the damage.

    But, you know what? It is hard to beat the slow cooker for crazy days like today, and it is hard to beat chicken thighs for an inexpensive hassle-free meal. Let's take a look at one of my favorite ways to make them!

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs (Bone-In)

    I actually prefer to cook chicken thighs in the slow cooker instead of the oven. Why? As the bone-in chicken thighs cook the moisture renders out of the skin, pooling in the bottom of the slow cooker where the chicken is sitting, essentially cooking the chicken in its own flavorful juices. Not only does this make the chicken taste better, the moisture makes the meat more tender.

    Crock Pot Chicken Thighs

    How Long to Cook Chicken Thighs in Slow Cooker

    I find 4 hours on low to be ideal when cooking chicken thighs in the slow cooker. This gives the skin plenty of time to render out the fat, resulting in firmer/dryer skin when served. You can cook the chicken longer if needed, nothing bad will happen. The meat will get more tender the longer it cooks until it finally falls off the bone.

    How Do I Cook Bone-In Chicken Thighs

    You have a lot of flavoring options for cooking your chicken thighs. When using a slow cooker, I personally recommend sticking to a dry rub, or basic chicken seasoning. By not adding moisture to the slow cooker (like a BBQ sauce for example), you will allow the skin to dry out as it cooks, resulting in a more crisp skin. Adding a sauce will certainly flavor the meat, but the skin will remain soggy.

    How to Cook Chicken Thighs in the Slow Cooker

    I find six chicken thighs fit perfectly in the bottom of my 6-Quart Crock Pot, however, you can still easily make this recipe if you have a different sized slow cooker. The chicken thighs need to be laid in a single layer at the bottom of the slow cooker, so you are welcome to use as many thighs as will fit in yours.

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs Recipe

    Will Skin Get Crispy in the Slow Cooker?

    The slow cooker is NOT an ideal cooking vessel if you are looking for crispy chicken skin. Baking or broiling your chicken thighs will result in much crispier skin. That being said, you do not need to settle for soggy, rubbery skin just because you are using a slow cooker. As the chicken thighs cook they will release moisture, the skin sitting in the pooling liquid will never get remotely crisp. However, the portion of the skin resting above the liquid will render fat and will firm up. I still would not describe it as "crispy", however, it is crisp enough that you can bite through it.

    To summarize: If you are looking for maximum crispy chicken skin, use your oven.

    Chicken Thighs Recipes

    If you are looking for other recipe ideas for chicken thighs, check out these crispy Soy-Brined Chicken Thighs, my Indian Butter Chicken, or my Filipino Chicken Adobo! 

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs - Bone In

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs (Bone In)

    Slow cooker chicken thighs is an effortless meal solution resulting in outrageously tender chicken generously seasoned with a simple chicken seasoning rub.
    4.87 from 94 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 4 hours hours
    Total Time: 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 248kcal
    Author: Fox Valley Foodie

    Ingredients

    • 6 Chicken Thighs (bone in)
    • Salt and needed

    Chicken Seasoning

    • ½ teaspoon Paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
    • ¼ teaspoon Oregano
    • 1 dash Cayenne Pepper

    Instructions

    • Lightly sprinkle chicken with salt on each side.
    • In a small dish combine chicken seasoning and blend together. Sprinkle liberally over chicken thighs.
    • Arrange chicken thighs in a single layer at the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, skin side up. Turn on low and let cook for 4 hours. Chicken will surpass 165 degrees when measured with a meat thermometer.

    Notes

    The longer the chicken cooks the more tender it will be. 4 hours is plenty of time to create sufficiently tender chicken, but it can be left in the slow cooker longer if needed.
     
    IF YOU LIKED THIS RECIPE check out my Ginger Peach Glazed Chicken Thighs recipe too!

    Nutritional Information

    Calories: 248kcal | Protein: 18g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 231mg | Vitamin A: 170IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.8mg
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    If you enjoyed reading my Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs (Bone-In) recipe then you should probably like me on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest too. That’s what I would do at least, because if you don’t get to know me but you still use my recipe it is kind of like taking candy from a stranger, and your mom taught you not to do that. Don’t disobey your mom, subscribe to Fox Valley Foodie today!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. jess lahti

      June 03, 2025 at 10:56 pm

      5 stars
      this recipe could not be any easier and it was very yummy. I went hard with the seasonings and I would recommend doing the four hours because I want a hair over and has ever so slightly dry, but it was still very delicious. I would love to make it again thank you for sharing.

      Reply
    2. David E Compton

      May 16, 2025 at 5:29 pm

      4 stars
      I made it ,added a few potatoes and cut an onion up in there...turned out well

      Reply
    3. Teressa Downey

      August 19, 2024 at 4:44 pm

      How long would I cook 10 bone in chicken thighs along with 6 bone in chicken legs in the crockpot?

      Reply
    4. Sara Marx

      August 19, 2024 at 10:24 am

      4 stars
      I doubled the measurements for the Seasoning & still only sprinkled it on the skin-side of the thighs!
      Very easy and tasty.

      Reply
    5. Cathy Smith

      August 08, 2024 at 4:34 pm

      5 stars
      I bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees, works great.

      Reply
    6. Jess Coplans

      August 03, 2024 at 2:28 am

      1 star
      Incredibly overcooked, very little flavor. Also instructions were confusing if skin was needed or not.

      Reply
      • Maria Sophia

        March 27, 2025 at 9:37 am

        There’s an entire paragraph about skin and Step 3 of instructions are quite clear:

        3. Arrange chicken thighs in a single layer at the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, skin side up.

        Reply
    7. Chris

      July 30, 2024 at 9:40 pm

      5 stars
      This was great! So moist. Meat just fell off the bone. Could I use skin-on bone-in breasts?

      Reply
    8. Brian Harlig

      June 12, 2024 at 6:49 pm

      5 stars
      Thru in some baby red potatoes, too. )

      Reply
    9. YT

      May 01, 2024 at 2:54 pm

      If I am short on time, say 2 hours, can I put the setting on High and cook for 2 hours instead of Low for 4 hours?

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        May 02, 2024 at 7:01 am

        Cooking on high will speed up the cook time, but it may not be completely tender in two hours, but it should be close.

        Reply
    10. Kathy

      February 24, 2024 at 3:39 am

      I’ve never seen a crockpot recipe that didn’t contain liquid of some type. Am I missing something?

      Reply
      • Bridget

        May 30, 2024 at 8:22 am

        One of my fave slow-cooker recipes is actually a whole chicken without any liquid. I was so skeptical at first but it turned out juicy and delicious!

        Reply
      • Mary Alice

        June 20, 2024 at 10:48 pm

        Kathy, since chicken thighs are moist dark meat, they do not dry out as easily as breast meat can. Plus, the thighs will essentially slowly baste in their own juices as the fat in the skin renders out while cooking. Many meats like pork country ribs do not need any liquid for show cooking - just a good dry rub and their own cooking juices will provide plenty of moisture.

        Reply
    11. Dottie

      January 30, 2024 at 4:37 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for sharing this recipe.
      It is definitely a keeper! So easy to make.

      I have three questions.

      1. Do we use oregano leaves or ground oregano?
      2. Will any type of paprika do?
      3. Do we only put the blended seasoning on the top of the chicken thighs?

      Thanks.

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        February 01, 2024 at 7:52 am

        Ground oregano is what I use, but fresh leaves are great too! Regular paprika is fine, but there is no reason you can't substitute smoked or sweet paprika. You can sprinkle the seasoning over the entire thigh.

        Reply
    12. Carol

      January 13, 2024 at 10:41 am

      5 stars
      This was a winner! Easy for me and loved by husband. Thanks Ben!

      Reply
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    4.87 from 94 votes (57 ratings without comment)

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