Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Epicurious

Slow Cooker Greek Chicken is a flavorful, healthy chicken dinner. This crockpot chicken recipe is nicely sized to feed a family of four. I ate the entire crock pot full. BY MYSELF. It's one of my best healthy crock pot chicken recipes for a busy family.

slow cooker Greek chicken topped with kalamata olives, fresh herbs, and feta cheese

Ben spent the better part of August and a chunk of September camped out at his office, which meant that for many evenings, it was just Teddy and me at home for dinner.

Since the pooch doesn't eat people food (unless it's something that fell on the floor, in which case, fair game!), that's 50% of the usual consumers in a kitchen that produces three to four new recipes a week.

The leftovers situation has been REAL.

Staunch Midwestern girl that I am, I can't handle the idea of wasting food. Instead of tossing the leftovers I couldn't eat, I started asking friends if they'd mind if I dropped off a giant pan of XYZ for dinner that night. Gracious pals that they are, they usually a) said yes, then b) asked me to stay to join them.

Life tip: a successful way to get yourself invited over for dinner is to offer to bring it.

This slow cooker Greek chicken, however, was a different situation. I didn't share it. Not one bite. This one stayed right at home in my refrigerator, where I proceeded to devour it for lunch and dinner, sometimes in the same day. It is THAT GOOD. (I didn't want to share this Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes either.)

Looking for a keeper recipe? Slow Cooker Greek Chicken, quite literally, is it.

What Makes Slow Cooker Greek Chicken Recipe So Special

Like Crockpot Italian Chicken, Greek chicken is a textbook example of the triumph of simple ingredients. It combines:

lightly browned chicken breasts (I also used this trick in my Crock Pot Chicken Marsala)
convenient Greek pantry staples (holla roasted red peppers!), and
a 30-second Greek red wine vinegar dressing.

I promise that the extra step of browning the chicken in a pan on the stove top before adding it to the crock pot is 1,000% worth it. Your taste buds will thank you, and the golden color is much prettier. I enjoy Mediterranean flavors, so I expected I'd like the Greek chicken just fine. What I didn't expect was to fall for it so completely that the leftovers turned into a hoarding scenario.

Even after hours in a slow cooker, the flavors of the Greek chicken stay remarkably vibrant and bright (just like my Crock Pot Moroccan Chicken).

The chicken is some of the most tender I've ever had in a crock pot chicken recipe; the dried herbs don't lose their oomph, and the roasted red peppers and olives give the dish a robust flavor.

I opted for a sprinkle of feta cheese and fresh thyme at the end, but if you prefer to omit either, the Greek chicken is still tasty without.

What to Serve with Greek Chicken

Couscous. This chicken would be tasty served with Israeli Pearl Couscous Salad with Feta and Mint or brown rice.
Pasta. Mediterranean Pasta would be delicious with this chicken.
Salad. Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable and Chickpea Salad and Anytime Arugula Salad are both perfect side dishes for this recipe.

Healthy Slow Cooker Greek Chicken with roasted red peppers, olives, and feta. Easy and a family favorite dinner! Recipe at wellplated.com

How to Store and Reheat This Recipe

To Store. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To Reheat. Since chicken can be hard to reheat, I recommend cutting it into smaller pieces, then reheating gently in the microwave with a splash of chicken stock. You can also enjoy leftover chicken at room temperature over salads or try mixing it into hot pasta. I enjoyed it sliced on top of a salad, with the red peppers and olives mixed in.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 jar roasted red peppers (12 ounces), drained and chopped
1 cup kalamata olives drained
1 medium red onion cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic from about 3 large cloves
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 cup feta cheese optional for serving
Chopped fresh herbs: any mix of basil parsley, or thyme, optional for serving (I used fresh thyme)

Lightly coat a 5-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick spray. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, then place it in the hot pan, seasoned side down. Let brown on the first side for 1 to 2 minutes until golden, then flip and brown on the other side for 1 additional minute. If your skillet isn't large enough to fit all of the chicken pieces, work in batches so that the chicken does not overlap. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
Arrange the peppers, olives, and onions around the chicken (do not place on top).
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the red wine vinegar, garlic, honey, oregano, and thyme. Pour over the chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours on high or 3 to 4 hours on low, until the chicken is cooked through and the center reaches 165 degrees F. Serve warm, sprinkled with feta and fresh herbs.

All slow cookers differ in temperature and cooking times, so adjust the cooking time according to your experience with your model. When in doubt, check early to ensure the chicken does not overcook.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Since chicken can be hard to reheat, I recommend cutting it into smaller pieces, then reheating gently in the microwave with a splash of chicken stock. You can also enjoy leftover chicken at room temperature over salads or try mixing it into hot pasta.

Serving: 1 (of 4) Calories: 399 kcal Carbohydrates: 13 g Protein: 50 g Fat: 17 g Saturated Fat: 4 g Cholesterol: 140 mg Sodium: 1093 mg Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 9 g

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titled photo collage - Slow Cooker Greek Chicken

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