Amish Sunday Slow Cooker Chicken: Here’s a recipe that feels like it came from a kind church friend, written on a folded little card and passed to you with a smile. It uses just four easy pantry items and almost no work. Your slow cooker does the rest, turning plain chicken thighs into soft, juicy, buttery chicken.
Tender chicken thighs slowly cook in butter, broth, and zesty Italian seasoning until they fall off the bone. The juices turn into a golden, silky sauce that tastes amazing over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles. It’s a cozy, no-fuss Sunday dinner the whole family will happily ask for again.
Amish Sunday Slow Cooker Chicken
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6 to 8 pieces), with extra fat cut off
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- 1 small packet (about 1 ounce) of dried Italian dressing powder
Directions
- Get the chicken ready. Use paper towels to pat each chicken thigh dry. Then cut off any big flaps of extra skin or fat. This keeps the sauce rich but not greasy, and it helps the edges of the chicken turn a nice golden brown.
- Add the broth. Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. You only need enough to cover the bottom in a thin layer. This little bit of liquid keeps the chicken moist and starts the buttery sauce.
- Place the chicken in the pot. Lay the thighs in one snug layer with the skin facing up. It’s fine if a few pieces touch or overlap a little. Just try to leave most of the skin showing so it can brown as it cooks.
- Sprinkle on the seasoning. Shake the dry Italian dressing mix evenly over the top of the chicken. Make sure each piece gets a good coat. The packet already has the salt, herbs, and tangy flavor, so you don’t need to measure anything else.
- Top with butter. Drop the butter chunks on top of and around the chicken. As everything cooks, the butter melts into the broth and seasoning, making a shiny, tasty sauce that keeps the chicken super juicy.
- Cook it low and slow. Put the lid on. Turn the slow cooker to low and let the food cook for 6 to 7 hours. If you are in a hurry, turn it to high and cook it for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken is done when it is very soft and a food thermometer reads at least 165°F in the thickest part, without touching the bone. The skin and edges should look lightly browned, and the juices should look golden and buttery.
- Let it rest, then serve. Turn the lid a little so it sits slightly open, and let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This lets the juices settle and the sauce thicken a bit. Spoon some of the buttery juices over the chicken, and serve the rest in a bowl on the side. It’s perfect for drizzling over potatoes, rice, or noodles.