Juicy chicken thighs swimming in a smooth balsamic sauce turn out perfectly every time thanks to everyone’s favorite “set it and forget it” kitchen appliance. This slow cooker balsamic chicken is perfect for weeknights when you need something simple that the whole family will love.
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“Just tried this today and it was SO delicious, thank you for sharing this recipe!” -Renato, FoodieCrush reader
A Super Simple Slow Cooker Chicken Dinner
If you love the idea of easy slow cooker dinners but just can’t seem to remember to get the dang thing set up and plugged in first thing in the morning, this slow cooker balsamic chicken is for you.
Why? Because the chicken thighs can be cooked in just 3 hours on high and still turn out as tender and juicy as if they were slow cooking all day long.
Just before dinner hits the table, I like to remove the chicken from the slow cooker and spoon all of that glorious balsamic sauce into a skillet with a pat of butter to thicken it up and give it a silky texture.
Serve this with rice or egg noodles, add some steamed veggies if you’ve got some to use up, and just like that you’ve got a whole meal prepared.
P.S. This is the slow cooker I currently like best.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Use chicken thighs for maximum flavor and tenderness. Dark meat, like chicken thighs, can withstand hours of slow cooking better than chicken breasts, which tend to dry out or become tough. If you only have chicken breasts on hand, opt for a longer (but gentler) cook time of 6 to 7 hours on low for best results.
Brown the chicken for a boost of flavor. I know it’s one more dish to dirty, but a quick sear on both sides lends the chicken thighs so much more flavor — not to mention a gorgeous golden hue.
Choose tender vegetables for their quick cook times. Since the chicken is only cooked for 3 hours, I found it best to use veggies that are already quite tender to ensure they cook at the same rate as the chicken. Skip hearty root vegetables like carrots or potatoes, which will still be crunchy after 3 hours.
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs — Boneless skinless chicken thighs cook in just 3 hours on high without becoming rubbery or chewy like chicken breasts tend to do when slow cooked quickly (yes, that’s an oxymoron, but you know what I mean).
- Pearl onions — I used frozen white pearl onions for flavor (I love the sweet flavor burst of cooked onion with each bite), but if you can’t find them, substitute one thinly sliced yellow onion thinly sliced or even the white part of one or two leeks to give a mild but delicious onion flavor.
- Mushrooms — I used white button mushrooms, but baby bellas can also be used.
- Herbs and spices — A few sprigs of fresh rosemary, some freshly minced garlic, and a bay leaf infuse the balsamic sauce with flavor.
- Balsamic vinegar — Choose a quality balsamic vinegar that’s not too sharp in flavor.
- Chicken stock — Thins out the sauce without diluting the flavor.
- Tomato paste — The ultra-concentrated flavor of the tomato paste adds depth to the sauce without having to cook it for a longer period of time.
- Brown sugar — If the balsamic sauce is a little too pungent for you, add another tablespoon or two of brown sugar to the sauce to sweeten it up. It’s all up to your taste buds.
Heidi’s Tips: Accidentally bought bone-in chicken thighs? That’s okay! The cooking time might need to be adjusted slightly because bone-in chicken cooks more slowly than boneless. Start by adding another 5 to 10 minutes to the total cook time and go from there.
How to Make Balsamic Chicken in a Slow Cooker
- Brown the chicken. Preheat a skillet with a little oil so the chicken sears upon contact rather than steams. About 5 minutes on each side should be enough to turn the chicken thighs golden brown.
- Slow cook for 3(ish) hours. After a quick batch of chicken browning, everything goes into the slow cooker. Cooking for just 3 to 3 ½ hours keeps the chicken juicy and sweetened up thanks to that lovely sauce.
- Simmer the sauce. Aaand, you’ll have one more pan to wash. This is totally my husband’s idea. After the chicken is finished cooking, reduce the balsamic sauce by half, add some butter, and you’ll create a smooth and succulent balsamic sauce worthy of any entertaining meal.
Heidi’s Tip: If you need dinner on the table now, you can also make balsamic chicken in a skillet or on the grill.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8-10 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 16 ounces frozen white pearl onions
- 8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds (for serving)
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves, torn or chopped (for serving)
Instructions
- Brown the chicken. Season chicken thighs with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat and brown thighs in batches for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Assemble. Layer the pearl onions, button mushrooms, garlic, fresh rosemary and bay leaf in the bowl of a slow cooker. Add the browned chicken to the slow cooker bowl. Mix the balsamic vinegar, chicken stock, tomato paste and brown sugar in a medium bowl or a 4 cup measuring cup and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken.
- Slow cook. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours, testing for doneness and cook another 15 minutes to a half hour until chicken is no longer pink.
- Thicken the sauce. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and cover with a lid or foil. Separate the liquid from the vegetables, and add the vegetables to the chicken. Add the liquid to a sauce pan and cook over medium heat, at a low boil, for about 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Add the butter and whisk until melted and sauce has thickened.
- Serve. Garnish the chicken with pomegranate seeds and parsley and serve immediately with rice, mashed potatoes or other grain and balsamic sauce.
Side Dishes to Make This a Meal
- Carbs — Buttery Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Cauliflower, Garlic Bread, Parmesan Buttered Noodles, Lemon Rice
- Salads — Italian Salad, Parmesan Kale Salad, Everyone’s Favorite Caesar Salad
- Veggies — Roasted Asparagus, Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Storage Tips
Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Store the chicken in the balsamic sauce to keep it nice and moist.
More Recipes to Make If You Love Balsamic Chicken
- Skillet Balsamic Chicken with Tomatoes
- Grilled Balsamic Chicken
- Balsamic Chicken and Strawberry Salad
- Balsamic Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
- Balsamic Chicken Skewers
- Peach and Balsamic Chicken Pizza
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denise
Hi! I’m wondering what size slow cooker you recommend for this and maybe your other recipes? Love your recipes! They come out great every time!
Hi Denise, I use a 6 quart slow cooker for these recipes. I hope you try it and enjoy!
Jane Alexander
What’s the proteins and
Cal’s content please?
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Hi Jane, I don’t provide full nutritional content for each of my recipes because of difference in brands used, etc. Try using a calculator such as MyFitness Pall or online to add up the nutrition information.
Mary P.
I just can’t buy a slow cooker, so…..how long to cook and what temp in oven?
Sounds too delicious to miss.
Jen L
Any adjustments for using boneless skinless breasts?
Karen
What would the time be for cooking this on low instead of high?
Renato
Just tried this today and it was SO delicious, thank you for sharing this recipe!
I do have a question: while the chicken did taste like heaven, I felt that the mushrooms and onions were a little overpowered by the vinegar sauce. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks again!
I’d say the next time you make it add less vinegar. Enjoy!