Every spring, just when the fields are still a little muddy and the nights haven’t quite given up their chill, the ramps start popping up along the edges of the woods. Around here in the rural Midwest, that’s our sign that winter is finally loosening its grip. This slow cooker ramp butter chicken takes that fleeting wild flavor and tucks it into a simple, comforting dish you can throw together in minutes. You make one fragrant mixture with wild ramps, cultured butter, white wine, chicken broth, and lemon zest, then drizzle it over raw chicken thighs right in the slow cooker. By supper time, the house smells like the kind of meal you’ll absolutely crave again, season after season.
Serve this ramp butter chicken spooned over buttery mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or plain white rice so all those juices have somewhere to go. A side of simply cooked green beans, peas, or roasted asparagus keeps the plate feeling fresh and springlike. A crusty loaf of bread or warm dinner rolls is handy for mopping up the pan sauce, and if you enjoy wine, a chilled glass of dry white pairs nicely with the gentle garlic-onion notes of the ramps.
Slow Cooker Ramp Butter ChickenServings: 4
Ingredients
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4–6 thighs)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 small bunch wild ramps (about 1 cup chopped, white and green parts)
6 tablespoons cultured butter, melted
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional, for a brighter finish)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for a little heat)
Directions
Pat the raw chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then sprinkle them all over with the salt and black pepper. Lay the seasoned thighs in a single layer in the bottom of your slow cooker, skin side up if using skin-on.
Rinse the ramps well to remove any dirt, then trim off the root ends. Chop both the white bulbs and green leaves into small pieces and place them in a medium mixing bowl.
In the same bowl with the ramps, add the melted cultured butter, white wine, chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice (if using), and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Stir well to combine into one fragrant, loose mixture.
Holding the bowl over the slow cooker, slowly drizzle this 1 mixture made with wild ramps, cultured butter, white wine, chicken broth, and lemon zest evenly over the raw chicken thighs, making sure some of the ramps and liquid fall down around the sides of the meat.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily pulls away from the bone.
If you’d like the sauce a bit richer, spoon some of the cooking liquid into a small saucepan and simmer it on the stove for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly, then pour it back over the chicken in the slow cooker.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon juice, if needed. Serve the chicken hot, spooning plenty of the ramp butter sauce over each portion.
Variations & Tips
If you can’t find wild ramps, you can use a mix of thinly sliced green onions and a small clove of garlic to mimic their gentle onion-garlic flavor. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs will also work; just reduce the cooking time slightly (about 4 to 5 hours on LOW or 2 1/2 to 3 hours on HIGH) and watch so they don’t dry out. For a creamier sauce, stir in 1/4 to 1/3 cup heavy cream or sour cream at the end of cooking and warm just until heated through. If you prefer to skip the wine, replace it with extra chicken broth and add a bit more lemon zest for brightness. You can also tuck in a few small potatoes or thick carrot slices around the chicken before drizzling the mixture, turning this into more of a one-pot meal. Leftovers reheat well and can be shredded and folded into cooked noodles or used as a filling for sandwiches or wraps.
