This easy slow cooker chicken is the kind of supper that saves a busy summer day. With just five ingredients, including frozen bone-in chicken thighs, it comes together with almost no prep and cooks into a juicy, flavorful meal with a sweet-and-savory sizzle. It is a wonderful choice for family dinners, potlucks, or those evenings when you want something hearty without heating up the kitchen.
Serve this chicken over fluffy rice, buttered noodles, or mashed potatoes to catch every bit of the saucy juices. It also goes nicely with sweet corn, green beans, a crisp garden salad, or simple sliced watermelon for a fresh summer plate. For a casual meal, you can even tuck the chicken and peppers into toasted sandwich rolls.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Summer Sizzle Chicken
Servings: 6
Ingredients
6 frozen bone-in chicken thighs
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 packet dry onion soup mix
Directions
1. Place the frozen bone-in chicken thighs in the bottom of a slow cooker in an even layer.
2. Scatter the diced red and yellow bell peppers around and over the chicken.
3. Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the chicken and peppers, then pour the barbecue sauce across the top.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and very tender.
5. Spoon some of the sauce and peppers over the chicken before serving, and serve hot.
Variations & Tips
Milder for picky eaters: Use a sweet, mild barbecue sauce and cut the bell peppers into very small pieces so they melt more into the sauce as the chicken cooks.
Smokier flavor: Choose a smoky barbecue sauce if your family likes a deeper backyard-cookout taste. A pinch of smoked paprika works too if you do not mind adding one extra pantry ingredient.
Extra sauce: If you want more spoonable sauce for rice or potatoes, add an extra 1/2 cup barbecue sauce before cooking. The chicken will release juices as it cooks, so the sauce becomes nicely savory.
Handling bone-in thighs: Bone-in chicken stays especially juicy in the slow cooker. Before serving, check that the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F at the thickest part near the bone.
Make it a full meal: Stir in a handful of pineapple chunks during the last 30 minutes for a sweet summer twist, or serve the chicken with corn on the cob and coleslaw to round out the plate.