Slow Cooker Hurry Chicken
Updated
Updated
This Slow Cooker Hurry Chicken uses just a handful of pantry items with just 10 minutes of prep, then the crockpot does the rest! It’s a sweet and tangy, super easy, and inexpensive crock pot chicken dish your family will love.
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5 STAR REVIEWS
Chicken in a Hurry
Named Hurry Chicken because of its ease and quickness putting it together, I certainly consider it a lifesaver during the week when we’ve got too much going on. Just a few ingredients and minutes of prep – set it and forget it with this one! Sweet and tangy, super easy, and inexpensive. Bet you already have most of these ingredients in your pantry!
Helpful Tips & Variations
- Chicken. I always make this with chicken legs or bone-in chicken thighs and leave the skin on, but you can remove the skin, if preferred. You can use boneless thighs or breasts, but the cooking time should be cut in half or until an internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Pan fry the chicken first. Before putting the chicken in the crockpot, I recommend sautéing the chicken in a skillet first. You can skip that step, but the end result won’t be as tasty. Pan-frying first develops a nice crust on the chicken and locks in flavor.
- Onion soup mix. You’ll need a packet of Lipton onion soup mix (a generic brand is fine), or make my homemade french onion soup mix.
- Ketchup. Try using a brand with the least amount of ingredients and without high-fructose corn syrup. The overall sauce will taste better.
- Thicken the sauce. The sauce will be thin after cooking. To thicken it up and make a glaze for the chicken, transfer the sauce to a small pot on the stovetop. Whisk together 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Bring the sauce to a bubble and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Simmer for a minute or so until thickened.
Slow Cooker Hurry Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 packet onion soup mix
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- cracked red pepper flakes, , to taste
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8 pieces bone-in chicken legs or thighs, (about 2 & 1/2 pounds total) – see note
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- mashed potatoes, , for serving
Instructions
- Coat a 5-6 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, ketchup, chicken broth, onion soup mix, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of cracked red pepper flakes.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Season chicken with a little salt and pepper; sauté for about 3 minutes per side, until they have a golden crust. Transfer to slow cooker along with the sauce mixture.
- Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or until an instant read thermometer reads 165F in the thickest part.)
- To thicken the sauce and make a glaze for the chicken, transfer the sauce to a small pot on the stovetop. Whisk together the cornstarch and water. Bring the sauce to a bubble and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Simmer for a minute or so until thickened.
- Serve chicken over mashed potatoes or rice with some of the sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
Serving Suggestions
We like to enjoy this chicken dish with our beloved mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes!
How to Store Leftovers
Allow any leftover chicken and sauce to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove or microwave.
More Easy Crock Pot Chicken Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Italian Lemon Chicken
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- Honey Garlic Chicken
- Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
- Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
I’ve made this recipe numerous times. Every time it is delicious. I never change a thing. My family loves it!
This was the first time using a slow cooker for drumsticks. This recipe did not disappoint. I highly recommend it.
I used bone-in skin on thighs. Was good!
Can this be done without heating the chicken in the skillet first?
Hi Christi – you can skip that step, but the end result won’t be as tasty. Pan-frying first develops a nice crust on the chicken and locks in flavor.
I want to try this with split chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
How do I go through the recipe using either? And cook for how long?
You could place them in a 9×13 baking dish in a single layer; toss to coat with the sauce. Bake at 400°F for approx. 30 minutes or until a cooking thermometer reads 165°F when inserted into the thickest part. (The cooking time can vary greatly since ovens are different and chicken breasts come in all shapes and sizes, so start checking after 23 minutes.)
I cooked on high for 5 hours. It was probably done at 4, but I didn’t have a thermometer and was nervous. LOL. It was so good!
This sounds fantastic! Anyone ever try with wings?
Has anyone tried this in the insta pot? If so what modifications?
It was really good! I made in my 3-1 Ninja so I put on stovetop setting with olive oil for approx 10 min (5 per side) then set to crockpot low for 5 1/2 hrs. I put on my roasting pan w/ parchment to boil about 3-5 min per side. I made a huge batch and half we kept ate right out of the crockpot.
Sounds yummy! Did you take the skin off the legs before u put them in the crockpot?
Nope, I let the skin on. But you certainly can take it off if you prefer.
Chicken is in the crock pot now, by the juice seems very thin. Any suggestions to thicken? Add cornstarch?
Directions for that are included in the article and recipe card.
Has anyone tried it with chicken tenders or breast? If so, how was it???
I need to feed about 55 people
Hey there! Just wondering if I could use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe?
I know from previous comments that some readers used boneless thighs and said it was delicious. I imagine breasts would be similar, but my concern would be they could end up dry. Try it!
Back in February, I said I would try this and just now pulled it out of my ‘to cook’ folder. Since I don’t have a slow cooker, I just made in the oven at 325 degrees for about 1 1/2 hrs. Also used chicken thighs rather than legs. Turned out so good, this gets formally filed in my binder. I paired this dish with your Spinach Salad with Poppyseed dressing, and did make the Homemade Creamy Poppyseed dressing you listed. Two successes and two more recipes checked off of the to do list.
I need to learn how to use youtube, so I can learn controls. Share your secrets!! Oh my gosh this chicken looks fabulous!
I had to turn the internet off on my kids’ iPad because the little one kept finding a video about Mario (like Super Mario) being killed. I guess I need to look into parental controls – it’s just easier to turn the whole internet off!
This is the kind of chicken my kids love! I definitely need to make it for them.
I don’t have a slow cooker, so I used boneless thighs and just cooked them in the oven at 350F for an hour. Delicious!