This simple slow cooker recipe yields tender chicken thighs and potatoes swimming in a creamy, garlicky sauce, with lots of melted Parmesan. These garlic parmesan chicken thighs come out with that perfect garlicky, cheesy flavor that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.
I love making chicken thighs in the slow cooker because they’re almost impossible to mess up. Unlike chicken breasts, that can dry out if you look at them wrong, thighs stay juicy and tender even if dinner gets pushed back an hour because soccer practice ran late.
The creamy garlic parmesan sauce and the potatoes come together right in the pot, with no extra pans and no fussy steps. There are just a few minutes of prep in the morning, and by dinnertime, the house smells incredible, and there’s actual food ready to go.
Coming up, I’ll walk you through exactly how to make this, plus some easy sides that pair well and a few variations if you want to switch things up. Once you make these, they’ll become a regular in your weeknight rotation, just like they have at my house.
Looking for more slow cooker dinner ideas? Try my recipes for Birria chili, slow cooker lasagna soup, or slow cooker jambalaya.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: I’m a huge fan of using bone-in thighs for slow cooker recipes because they stay incredibly moist and tender during the long cooking time.
- Seasoning: The chicken is seasoned with salt, black pepper, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and garlic powder.
- Olive oil
- Baby potatoes: If you can only find larger potatoes, just cut them into 1-inch chunks.
- Garlic cloves
- Heavy cream
- Chicken broth
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken & Potatoes
- In a small bowl, stir together the salt, black pepper, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and garlic powder.
- Use about ¾ of your seasoning mix to sprinkle over both sides of the chicken thighs. Save that remaining seasoning for the potatoes.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan. Let them sear undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes until the skin turns golden brown and crispy.
- Add the halved baby potatoes to your slow cooker first, then scatter the minced garlic over them. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring to combine.
- Sprinkle the shredded parmesan cheese over the potato mixture, then add that reserved seasoning blend you set aside earlier.
- Place the seared chicken thighs on top of the potatoes in an even layer, skin-side up.
- Cover your slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- When you’re ready to eat, sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. If you want extra-crispy skin, you can place the chicken thighs under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Just watch them carefully so they don’t burn.
Serving Ideas
One of my favorite things about this dish is that it comes together as a complete meal. The creamy sauce and tender potatoes mean you don’t need much else, but here’s what I do when I want to round things out:
- Crusty garlic bread or toasted ciabatta soaks up that incredible Parmesan cream sauce.
- Serve it over egg noodles or pasta to stretch the meal further.
- A simple green salad goes perfectly with this dish.
- For a lighter approach, try roasted asparagus or green beans on the side. They add color to your plate and provide a nice textural contrast to the soft potatoes and tender chicken.
How to Store
These chicken thighs keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. To reheat, pour the chicken, potatoes, and sauce into a large skillet and warm it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated through.
This method takes about 10 minutes and keeps the chicken moist instead of drying it out.You can use the microwave if you’re in a rush, but I’ve found the stovetop method produces better results.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- I know the whole point of a slow cooker is to avoid extra steps, but taking those 5-7 minutes to sear the chicken in a hot skillet is absolutely worth it.
- If you don’t have time and do skip the initial sear, you can still achieve that crispy skin texture at the end. Just line a baking sheet with foil, arrange your cooked chicken thighs skin-side up, and pop them under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
- If your baby potatoes are on the larger side, cut them into smaller pieces so they cook through properly.
- I don’t like cooking this recipe on high because it contains heavy cream. Some slow cookers run hot, which can cause the heavy cream to curdle. So plan ahead and cook this on low.
- This recipe is a fantastic base for customization. Toss in some sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, or onions if you want to sneak in extra vegetables.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs will work just fine in this recipe, though you’ll miss out on that crispy skin situation. They’ll also cook a bit faster, so check for doneness around the 5-hour mark on low.
- Chicken breasts work too, but they are leaner and can dry out more easily than thighs, so I’d recommend checking them at the 5-hour mark also. Chicken thighs are more forgiving because of their higher fat content, which is why I typically prefer them for slow cooker recipes.
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Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken & Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 large chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil to sear chicken
- 1 ½ pounds baby potatoes halved
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese for topping
- Chopped parsley for topping
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and garlic powder.1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Use ¾ of the seasoning to sprinkle over the chicken thighs. Set aside the other half of the seasoning for the potatoes.6 large chicken thighs
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and sear the chicken thighs, skin-side down, until the skin browns and crisps, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside. (You can choose to brown the other side if you want.)2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the baby potatoes, garlic, chicken broth, and heavy cream into the Crockpot.1 ½ pounds baby potatoes, 4 garlic cloves, ¾ cup chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream
- Top with shredded parmesan cheese and reserved seasoning.¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Place the seared chicken thighs on top in an even layer.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are fork-tender.
- When ready to serve, top with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, Chopped parsley
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
