Our boneless skinless chicken thighs Crockpot recipe in sauce is an good meal made in one pot. It's easy made with homemade or your favorite bottle of barbecue sauce and one of our favorite easy Crockpot recipes We make often.

A close-up of a spoon lifting a glazed boneless skinless chicken thigh from the crockpot, covered in sauce and herbs.

Whether you use bottled bbq or throw together our peach sauce, this boneless skinless chicken thighs Crockpot recipe is the bomb. Tender meat that is a cheap dinner everyone in our house loves. Our favorite easy Crockpot recipe here on Pynmi blog.

Crockpot Boneless Chicken Thighs Recipe

This is one of the most underestimated, overlooked pieces on the bird. Dark meat is so much more tender and flavorful than breasts. We didn't fully realize this until much later in life, but now we are here to share it.

Yes bone-in is cheaper but many times you can find without on sale and that is when we load up! If you have a deep freeze you should too. Separate them out into 1 lb. bags and defrost the night before. Then make Crockpot chicken recipes of all kinds like this one.

Let's talk a little bit about slow cooking shall we?? First off we have a few different varieties and we love them all. Each one has an occasion to be used like….

This is our favorite 6 quart programmable one with a locking lid so it's great for bringing to a potluck too.
We prefer not to use liners, but rather spray olive oil inside before adding our food for easier cleanups.

Let us give you a peek of our pretty thang we bought recently. It goes with our kitchen so we can leave it out on the countertop all the time.

A floral design slow cooker with a white base and lid sits on a kitchen countertop, solid for whipping up a 5 ingredient crockpot chili recipe.

Ingredient notes

As for the sauce you have a lot of options. We mean we have gone Italian with our Crockpot chicken cacciatore with a jar of spaghetti sauce. If you have a favorite bbq sauce you can use that with some chicken broth.

If you wanted to add some sweetness like we did here we like to add a dollop of Peach jam or apricot jam is the bomb, or substitute 1/4 cup of brown sugar

Ideally you will want to use medium sized fresh or defrosted skinless and boneless chicken thighs for this. You could use bone-in however those don't soak in the sauce as easily and are harder to eat (especially for kids).

As for seasonings and other items that are optional but add a lot more flavor to the dish, we like Worcestershire sauce Cayenne pepperwe will typically add some Poultry seasoning and Garlic powder and/or salt would be a good add in too + minced garlic if you want a stronger flavor

You could add some salt and pepper, a pinch in the sauce too. Then use a bit when serving to taste. We love serving this over a pot of pressure cooker white rice and a side of slow cooker mashed potatoes.

Ingredients on a white surface include boneless skinless chicken thighs on a plate, green onions tied with string, a measuring cup with liquid, small bowls of orange-colored sauce and brown sauce, soy sauce, and seasonings of salt, pepper, and paprika—solid for your crockpot creation.

You lay the meat on the bottom, whisk the sauce together, pour it on top and let this baby go. Then about 30 minutes before it's done you can make some vegetables or this is the best way to make baked potatoes to serve with it.

Do you need to add liquid to cook chicken in slow cooker?

Yes. It needs a liquid and/or sauce to create some steam and help to steam the meat in a way. That is why you should slow cook chicken on low at all times. Speeding up the process on high is possible but not as desired. We will provide both options below in the recipe card but always recommend a lower temp. for longer.

Since you're adding raw chicken into the mix there will be a little more liquid added / emitted from the meat as it cooks. You should add a bit of water or broth to begin with though so it isn't quite as thick and will be soaked up better.

How Long to Cook Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs on Low

On low you are looking at about 5 hours or until they are fork tender. The timing will vary depending on how large they are and in the case that you should use bone-in that will add a little bit longer too. Check after 4 on low. Lift out, use a thermometer in the thickest part to see if it has reached 165 degrees F. yet.

We didn't find this necessary but at the end if you wanted to thicken the sauce you could whisk some cornstarch to thicken into the liquid. Set a pot on the stovetop and boil it all until it is the consistency you want.

Boneless skinless chicken thighs are submerged in a rich, red tomato-based sauce inside a crockpot. The mixture is enhanced with herbs and spices, creating a savory aroma. The sleek, black slow cooker features a reflective interior that beautifully showcases the appetizing dish.

Yes you could do the same with bone in chicken thighs but we would increase the cooking time by 30 minutes to 1 hour. Want to make it look wow when serving these cooked chicken thighs? Sprinkle with a few sesame seeds and diced green onions if you want. Served with green beans our family loved this recipe last week.

How long should you cook chicken thighs in a Crockpot on high?

About 3 hours on high is about right for us in our testing, though we do not recommend rushing things. Of course this always depends slightly on how thick they are and whether there is a bone or not. Before consuming poultry you should always ensure the internal meat temperature is high enough or you may get sick.

For the most part when you make meat in a slow cooker it will fall apart when done. Like so tender and soft you can cut or shred it with two forks. Yes, it is in fact that wonderful. A great other way to serve this one is to shred the meat, put it back into the sauce and serve inside tortillas as tacos, or inside slider buns for a fun appetizer!

Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs in Crockpot

We have made Frozen Chicken Thighs Crock Pot before which turned out great. You have to expect that this way the meat will not stay together in one piece. If you want it shredded though it doesn't matter whether it is defrosted or not other than increasing the cook time.

Believe it or not the timing doesn't change whether rock hard or fresh, but they do need to be separated from one another. Know that it will let go more liquid when it cooks as well so your sauce may become thinner than you'd like. It is a good option though if you are in a pinch and want to throw dinner in and had a forgetful moment.

Can you overcook chicken thighs in a slow cooker?

We mean anything can be cooked too long but these are pretty darn forgiving. Since it has a higher fat content than breasts it can handle a bit more heat without negatively affecting it, to a point. We wouldn't allow it to sit past 6 hours. Even at that point they are going to fall apart and become more shredded than anything.

A plate with boneless skinless chicken thighs, glazed to perfection, alongside a side of macaroni salad on a red dish. Two peaches are blurred in the background.

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Crockpot Recipe

By Making boneless skinless chicken thighs Crockpot style has never been easier. With this easy homemade sauce or barbecue requires little prep. Prep: 10 minutes minsCook: 3 hours hrsServings: 4 Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

6 medium chicken thighsboneless skinless
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup jam, peach was used, orange is great too
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Place thighs into crock, season with salt, cayenne and poultry seasoning on top.
In a small bowl whisk together bbq sauce and your jam, then add chicken broth and Worch. sauce. Pour this over the chicken.
Close lid and heat on high for 3 hours. Could use low for 5-6 until thickest part of chicken is 165 degrees F. Longer you cook the more it will fall apart and become shredded chicken.