Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes (Greek Lemon Style)

These Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes pair bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and petite yellow potatoes with fresh lemon, garlic, Dijon mustard, oregano, and dill. As the chicken cooks skin-side up, the fat renders and the skin becomes tender. Serve it straight from the slow cooker or broil it for about 5 minutes for extra browning.

Greek lemon slow cooker chicken and potatoes with parsley in a blue bowl.

I based the lemon, garlic, Dijon, and salt levels on my Baked Lemon Chicken and Rice. The tested batch used no added oil or butter because the skin-on thighs released enough fat as they cooked. After about 3 hours on HIGH, the potatoes were fork-tender, the chicken was cooked through, and 1/2 cup chicken broth produced the right amount of cooking liquid.

🔍 At a Glance

⏱️ Ready in: 3 hours 20 minutes–4 hours 20 minutes on HIGH or 6 hours 20 minutes–8 hours 20 minutes on LOW; add about 5 minutes if broiling
👥 Serves: 6
📌 Main Ingredients: Bone-in chicken thighs, potatoes, lemon, garlic, Dijon mustard, and dried herbs
🔥 Cook Method: Slow-cooked on HIGH or LOW, with an optional broiler finish
😋 Flavor Profile: Lemony, garlicky, savory, tangy, and herbaceous
📝 Great For: A complete slow-cooker dinner with no added oil or butter

🔍 At a Glance
Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients & Why They Matter
Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes Step by Step
Pro Tips for Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes
Common Mistakes
Swap It Up: Variations to Try
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes
Slow Cooker Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes Recipe
Recipe FAQs
More Chicken Recipes

Why This Recipe Works

The chicken drippings season the potatoes. As the skin-on thighs cook, their rendered fat and juices drip over the potatoes, so the recipe does not need added oil or butter.
A concentrated lemon-Dijon broth adds flavor without making the dish soupy. The recipe uses only 1/2 cup chicken broth along with lemon juice, Dijon, and the liquid naturally released by the chicken and onion.
You do not need to sear the chicken first. The fat beneath the skin renders as the chicken cooks, leaving the skin tender. Serve the thighs that way or broil them briefly for extra browning.

Ingredients & Why They Matter

Labeled ingredients for slow cooker Greek lemon chicken and potatoes arranged on a table.

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: I used six large thighs weighing almost 3 pounds. Use weight as the main guide because thigh size varies significantly. Trim excess overhanging skin, but leave the skin covering the top intact. Do not substitute chicken breasts; they are too lean for this cook time and can dry out.
Potatoes: The tested batch used 2 pounds of petite yellow potatoes. Yellow, Yukon Gold, red, or russet potatoes can also be used. Cut whichever variety you choose into about 1-inch pieces so they cook at the same rate.
Yellow onion: Cut one large onion into six wedges. The wedges soften beneath the chicken and add savory sweetness to the cooking liquid.
Chicken broth: Use 1/2 cup prepared chicken broth, or mix 1/3 teaspoon Knorr chicken bouillon powder with 1/2 cup water. I tested the recipe with the Knorr mixture and prefer it when I need only a little broth because I do not have to open a carton and use the remainder within about 7 days. If using prepared broth, choose a lower-sodium option because sodium varies by product.
Fresh lemon: Use both the zest and juice of two lemons. The zest strengthens the lemon flavor without adding more liquid, while the juice gives the sauce its bright acidity.
Dijon mustard: Three tablespoons add tang and savory depth. Whisk the mustard thoroughly into the liquid so the potatoes are seasoned evenly.
Fresh garlic: Ten to twelve cloves provide the strong garlic flavor I wanted and hold up to the lemon and Dijon during slow cooking.
Dried oregano and dill: Oregano is the main herb, while a smaller amount of dried dill rounds out the Greek-inspired flavor and keeps the herb blend pantry-friendly.
Morton kosher salt: Use 1 tablespoon total. Stir 1 teaspoon into the lemon-Dijon mixture for the potatoes and sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons over the chicken skin.
Black pepper: Add it to taste. I sprinkled pepper directly over the chicken skin in the tested batch. Some toasted beneath the broiler, which I did not mind, but the flavor may be too strong for some people. If you are sensitive to toasted pepper, add it only to the potato mixture.
Fresh parsley: This is optional, but it adds color and a fresh finish before serving.

Find the full ingredient list and exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes Step by Step

Lemon Dijon broth mixture with garlic and dried herbs in a slow cooker.

Yellow potatoes and onion wedges coated in lemon Dijon broth in a slow cooker.

Make the lemon-Dijon mixture. In a 6-quart slow cooker, whisk the chicken broth, Dijon, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, dill, 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt, and black pepper to taste until combined.
Coat the potatoes and onion. Halve the petite yellow potatoes into about 1-inch pieces, quartering any larger potatoes as needed. Cut the large yellow onion into six wedges. Add both to the slow cooker and toss until evenly coated in the lemon-Dijon mixture.
Arrange and season the chicken. Trim any excess overhanging skin from the thighs and arrange them in a single layer over the potatoes, skin-side up. Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt over the skin. Add more black pepper directly to the chicken, if desired.
Slow-cook the chicken and potatoes. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours or LOW for 6–8 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the thickest part of each thigh reaches at least 165°F. Insert the thermometer without touching the bone. Chicken thighs can reach 175°F or higher and still remain tender and juicy, so do not worry if they are above 165°F by the time the potatoes are done.
Broil the chicken, if desired. The skin will already be tender and its fat rendered, so this step is optional. Remove any onion or potato pieces resting on the chicken, then use tongs to transfer the thighs to a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan, skin-side up. There is no need to blot the skin. Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Watch continuously and do not walk away; broilers vary, and the skin and black pepper can scorch quickly.
Finish and serve. Gently toss the fork-tender potatoes and onion in the cooking liquid. Serve one thigh with a portion of potatoes and onion, either directly from the slow cooker or after the optional broil. Garnish with parsley, if using.

💡 Bri’s Best Tip

Weigh the chicken and potatoes instead of relying only on piece count. Chicken thighs and petite potatoes vary considerably in size. Using 2 1/2–3 pounds of chicken with 2 pounds of potatoes preserves the tested seasoning ratio so neither tastes over- or underseasoned.

Pro Tips for Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes

Keep the chicken skin-side up: The skin should sit above the lemon-Dijon liquid rather than being submerged. Because the thighs cook on top of the potatoes, they are also easy to transfer beneath the broiler.
Cut the potatoes evenly: Halve petite potatoes into about 1-inch pieces and quarter the larger ones. Uniform pieces are more likely to become fork-tender at the same time.
Use bouillon when you need only a little broth: For the 1/2 cup chicken broth, mix 1/3 teaspoon Knorr chicken bouillon powder with 1/2 cup water. This avoids opening a full carton when you need only a small amount.
Watch the broiler and black pepper: The tested chicken took about 5 minutes to brown, but broilers vary. Black pepper on the skin can toast or scorch. I liked that toasted-pepper flavor, but if you are sensitive to it, add the pepper only to the potato mixture. Watch continuously and do not walk away.

Common Mistakes

Adding extra broth or oil: The chicken and onion release more liquid as they cook, and the skin-on thighs provide enough fat. More broth or oil may make the dish greasy or overly soupy.
Putting all the salt on the chicken: Stir 1 teaspoon into the lemon-Dijon mixture so the potatoes and onion are seasoned, then sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons over the chicken skin.
Relying only on the timer: Slow cookers vary. The potatoes should be fork-tender, and the chicken should reach at least 165°F.
Substituting chicken breasts: This recipe and its cook times are designed for bone-in, skin-on thighs. Chicken breasts are much leaner and can dry out before the potatoes become tender.
Walking away during the optional broil: The skin and black pepper can scorch quickly. Stay at the oven and remove the thighs as soon as they are golden brown.

Swap It Up: Variations to Try

Add feta: Sprinkle up to 1/2 cup crumbled feta over the finished chicken and potatoes. This variation has not been tested and will make the dish saltier and tangier.
Add Kalamata olives: Stir in 1/2 cup drained, pitted Kalamata olives before serving. This variation has not been tested and will make the dish brinier and saltier.

Broiled bone-in chicken thighs with potatoes and lemon broth in a white dish.

What to Serve with Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes

The chicken and potatoes make a complete meal on their own. For a fresh side, try one of these salads:

For a cucumber and tomato side: Serve it with Cucumber Tomato and Feta Salad.
For a crisp Greek-inspired salad: Pair it with Copycat Panera Greek Salad.

Recipe FAQs

Can raw chicken and potatoes cook together in a slow cooker?

Yes. Arrange the raw chicken over the potatoes and cook everything together on HIGH for 3–4 hours or LOW for 6–8 hours. The potatoes should be fork-tender, and the thickest part of every chicken thigh must reach at least 165°F. Thighs can reach 175°F or higher and still be tender and juicy.

Do I need to brown the chicken before slow cooking it?

No. This version does not require searing before slow cooking. The fat beneath the skin renders in the slow cooker, leaving the skin tender. For extra browning, broil the cooked thighs skin-side up for about 5 minutes, watching continuously because broilers vary.

Can I use chicken bouillon instead of prepared broth?

Yes. For the 1/2 cup chicken broth, mix 1/3 teaspoon Knorr chicken bouillon powder with 1/2 cup water. This is the version I tested. If you use prepared broth instead, choose a lower-sodium option so the finished dish does not become overly salty.

Why should the chicken thighs be skin-side up?

Keeping the thighs skin-side up prevents the skin from sitting directly in the cooking liquid. The potatoes remain underneath, where they cook in the lemon-Dijon broth and chicken drippings. This arrangement also makes the thighs easy to transfer beneath the broiler if you want extra browning.

How much liquid do chicken and potatoes need in the slow cooker?

For this recipe, use only 1/2 cup chicken broth. The chicken and onion release more liquid as they cook, so there is no need to cover the ingredients with broth.

What if the potatoes are not fork-tender when the cooking time is up?

Continue cooking until a fork slides easily into the center of the potato pieces. Slow cookers vary, and pieces larger than about 1 inch will take longer. Check that the chicken is cooked through as well, but use the texture of the potatoes—not the clock alone—as the final cue.