Slow Cooker Creamy Lemon Herb Chicken

Creamy Lemon Herb Chicken (Slow Cooker)

This set-and-forget slow cooker dinner makes ultra-tender chicken in a silky lemon-rosemary cream sauce. It’s weeknight-easy, kid-approved, and perfect over pasta, rice, or roasted potatoes.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 3–4 hours on High (or 6 hours on Low) | Total Time: 3 hr 15 min–6 hr 15 min | Servings: 4
Keywords: slow cooker creamy lemon chicken, crockpot lemon chicken, weeknight dinner, family friendly, rosemary garlic chicken.

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp unsalted butter (salted is fine—reduce added salt)
1 shallot, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
Zest of 1 lemon
1½ cups chicken broth
½ tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water (slurry)

Instructions

Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with a pinch of salt and pepper. If your slow cooker has a sauté function, turn it on; otherwise heat a large skillet over medium-high. Melt the butter and brown the chicken 3–5 minutes per side; it should be golden, not fully cooked.
Add the shallot, rosemary, and garlic to the pot or skillet and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. If using a skillet, transfer everything to the slow cooker.
Stir in the lemon zest and chicken broth. Season with the ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Cover and cook on High 3–4 hours or on Low about 6 hours, until the chicken is very tender.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent to keep warm. If your cooker has sauté, use it now; otherwise pour the cooking juices into a skillet over medium heat. Whisk the cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water to make a slurry. Stir the cream into the juices, then whisk in the slurry and simmer about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Return the chicken to the sauce or slice and plate it, then spoon the lemon-herb cream over the top. Garnish with extra chopped rosemary if you like and serve.

Variations

Use boneless thighs (same method) or bone-in breasts (add 30–60 minutes to cook time). Swap rosemary with fresh thyme, oregano, or Italian seasoning. For extra brightness, add 1–2 tsp fresh lemon juice to the finished sauce. Stir in ¼–⅓ cup grated Parmesan for a cheesy finish.

Serving Suggestions

Serve over linguine, jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, or with roasted green beans or Brussels sprouts. Leftovers are great sliced in wraps, on salads, or reheated with rice.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container 3–4 days. Reheat gently over low heat; add a splash of broth to loosen the sauce if needed.

Pro Tips

Brown for flavor, not doneness—the slow cooker finishes the cook. Rolling boil can split cream; keep the sauce at a gentle simmer while thickening. For neater slices, rest chicken 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition (per serving, estimate)

Serving Size	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Fiber	Sugar
1 of 4	326	26g	5g	22g	0.4g	2g

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