Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken
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This Balsamic Chicken first appeared on Savory Experiments where I am a contributor.
Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken is a simple recipe that requires minimal prep and will have you pulling out your slow cooker on a weekly basis!
This recipe is so easy it’s sure to become one of your weeknight staples. With just a handful of ingredients, this savory Balsamic Chicken in the slow cooker will be a family favorite for weeknights, weekends, or family gatherings!
Looking for more slow cooker recipes? Check out some of my favorites like slow cooker pulled pork and chili lime pulled chicken!
Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Recipe
One of my favorite things to do on a hectic day is to throw ingredients in a slow cooker. Even though I love my air fryer more than anything, I still have a deep love for the slow cooker.
It doesn’t get much easier than throwing all your ingredients into one pot and letting it do the cooking for you. Everything always comes out so tender, juicy, and full of flavor from cooking slowly.
This Balsamic Chicken is definitely one of my new favorite slow cooker recipes. Slow cooking is truly the way to go to achieve the most succulent chicken recipes. Slow cooking gives the dish time to marinate and really absorb all the delicious herbs, spices, and juicy flavor.
BONUS: You probably already have most of the ingredients in your home or pantry! (Don’t you just love having one less thing to worry about).
There are so many possible pairings for this savory dish. While I used orzo for a bit of flair in this recipe, you can use your favorite pasta or grain. You can even serve it next to your favorite vegetables.
Speaking of leftovers, although, I doubt you will have any, it is great the next day too! If you are looking for a recipe that is perfect for meal prep, you are going to be happy you found this. Shred your balsamic chicken for sandwiches or wraps, you can even keep it simple and make a sandwich. In my house, recipes that can be leftover for lunch are key!
Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Ingredients
Chicken: for this recipe I used boneless, skinless chicken breast. Why make a slow cooker recipe complicated? Just toss and go.
Pasta: while I used orzo, you can substitute for whatever pasta you have handy. This balsamic chicken really pairs great with any pasta or grain.
Wet ingredients: these ingredients will help make a delicious balsamic sauce that coats your chicken. For that, you’ll need apple juice, apple jelly, water, and balsamic vinegar.
Dry ingredients: you’ll need cornstarch and a bouillon cube. Bouillon cubes can usually be found with the broths and stocks at the grocery store.
Spices and herbs: get your spices ready! You’ll need garlic powder, salt, paprika, black pepper, thyme, and fresh parsley.
For cooking: you only need a bit of melted butter.
*For a detailed list of ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.
How to Make Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken
1. Prepare the sauce. In your slow cooker, whisk together the apple jelly, apple juice, water, balsamic vinegar, chicken bouillon, garlic powder, salt, thyme, paprika, and pepper.
2. Cook the Chicken. Add your chicken breast, turning once to coat. Slow cook for 3 hours on high.
3. Add butter and cornstarch. Melt your butter in a small bowl and whisk in cornstarch. Stir into your slow cooker to thicken the sauce.
5. Cook the orzo pasta. During the last 10-15 minutes of cooking, prepare orzo according to the package instructions. You can even experiment with cooking it right in the slow cooker with the sauce.
6. Serve. Serve hot over orzo and garnish with fresh parsley.
What to serve with Balsamic Chicken
Make it a meal! Although this dish has pasta, I always love a great side dish. Consider pairing your chicken dinner with one of my favorite sides:
- Easy Sauteed Green Beans With Garlic And Lemon
- Healthy Green Bean Casserole
- Cranberry Bacon Broccoli Salad
- Watermelon Feta Salad
- Caramelized Peach Burrata Salad
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Is it OK to put raw chicken in a slow cooker?
Absolutely! You may come across a recipe that calls for your to brown your meat before slow cooking. However, this is not a step necessary for this recipe.
Precooking your meat can turn a “toss and go” recipe into something a bit more complicated. This is meant to be an easy and stress-free recipe you only have to think about when it comes time to eat it!
Note: you will want to make sure your chicken is tender and has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees before consuming.
Is it better to cook chicken on high or low in a crockpot?
Low and slow is the way to go! When using your crockpot, you want to remember slow and low will give you that perfectly tender meat. However, if you don’t have the time, you can sometimes opt for a high-temp cook time.
Does slow cooking chicken make it more tender?
Yes! The longer you cook your chicken the more tender it will be. Letting your chicken marinate for hours might seem tedious but the end result is deliciously worth it.
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas
- Fall Off The Bone Ribs
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa Beef
- Slow Cooker Carnitas Tater Tot Nachos
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Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup apple jelly
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 chicken bouillon cube, or 1 teaspoon ground bouillon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- Fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- In your slow cooker, whisk together the apple jelly, apple juice, water, balsamic vinegar, chicken bouillon, garlic power, salt, thyme, paprika and pepper. Add the chicken breasts, turning once to coat.
- Set the slow cooker to high for 3 hours.
- Melt butter in a small bowl, whisking in cornstarch. Stir into slow cooker mixture to thicken the sauce. Continue cooking on low for 15 minutes.
- During the final 10-15 minutes of cooking, prepare the orzo pasta according to package instructions.
- Serve hot over orzo and garnish with fresh parsley.
