Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken

Name: Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks; 8 large garlic cloves, smashed and chopped; 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving; 1 shallot, minced; 1 lemon, juiced; Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and pepper; 1/2 cup sour cream; Homemade or store-bought croutons, for topping

By Sarah DiGregorio

Published May 21, 2025

Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken — Joel Goldberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.

Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Rating: 4(817)
Comments: Read comments

The seasoning of this rich garlic and herb braise is inspired by escargot butter, which famously makes everything delicious, and is easy to make with just a few impactful ingredients. A generous dollop of sour cream added before serving brings it all together and makes it feel a little fancy. Top bowls generously with croutons, which lend crunch and soak up the flavorful sauce, or serve with thick slices of crusty bread.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1½ to 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2(15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed
4tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
8large garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
⅓cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
1shallot, minced
1lemon, juiced
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and pepper
½cup sour cream
Homemade or store-bought croutons, for topping

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Combine the chicken, beans, butter, garlic, parsley, shallot, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt and several generous grinds of pepper in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Cook on low until the chicken is tender and the flavors have mellowed, about 4 hours.
Step 2
Break the chicken into large pieces using two forks. Stir in the sour cream.
Step 3
Serve the stew topped with croutons and more parsley.

Ratings

4 out of 5

817 user ratings

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Comments

Penny3 weeks ago

@Joan I haven’t made this yet but have made several recipes in a Dutch oven instead of a slow cooker. This is how I would approach it. First brown the thighs in the butter it will add richness - then deglaze with liquids and add the rest of the ingredients. Oven at 325 - plan for 2 hours but check after 1 hr.

Scot3 weeks ago

My kind of recipe. Take a few ingredients. Include butter. Cook for a while. Do other stuff. Come back. Eat. :^)

Aimee2 weeks ago

@Semmelwürfel, try stirring a bag of baby spinach through before adding the sour cream, it was a great addition for texture, flavor and adding some healthy greens.

Lisa10 hours ago

I wanted more chicken than beans so only used one can with 1.5 lbs of chicken thighs. Followed the rest of the recipe exactly, but threw in a heaping teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor. The meat was very shreddable and moist (cooked for five hours on low) and everything was very flavorful (really garlicky). Crusty bread to sop up the juice is an absolute must. Will definitely put this into the rotation.

tgt1 day ago

I followed the recipe, but only used one can of beans. Thought the chicken was too dried out. The homemade croutons were the best part. Will not make again.

Jules1 day ago

Could lentils be substituted for the cannellini beans? I'm not sure what type would hold their shape and if it would throw off the liquid ratio.

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