Slow Cooker Greek Chicken is a flavorful, healthy chicken dinner. This crockpot chicken recipe is nicely sized to feed a family of four. I ate the entire crock pot full. BY MYSELF. It’s one of my best healthy crock pot chicken recipes for a busy family.
Ben spent the better part of August and a chunk of September camped out at his office, which meant that for many evenings, it was just Teddy and me at home for dinner.
Since the pooch doesn’t eat people food (unless it’s something that fell on the floor, in which case, fair game!), that’s 50% of the usual consumers in a kitchen that produces three to four new recipes a week.
The leftovers situation has been REAL.
Staunch Midwestern girl that I am, I can’t handle the idea of wasting food. Instead of tossing the leftovers I couldn’t eat, I started asking friends if they’d mind if I dropped off a giant pan of XYZ for dinner that night. Gracious pals that they are, they usually a) said yes, then b) asked me to stay to join them.
Life tip: a successful way to get yourself invited over for dinner is to offer to bring it.
This slow cooker Greek chicken, however, was a different situation. I didn’t share it. Not one bite. This one stayed right at home in my refrigerator, where I proceeded to devour it for lunch and dinner, sometimes in the same day. It is THAT GOOD. (I didn’t want to share this Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes either.)
Looking for a keeper recipe? Slow Cooker Greek Chicken, quite literally, is it.
What Makes Slow Cooker Greek Chicken Recipe So Special
Like Crockpot Italian Chicken, Greek chicken is a textbook example of the triumph of simple ingredients. It combines:
- lightly browned chicken breasts (I also used this trick in my Crock Pot Chicken Marsala),
- convenient Greek pantry staples (holla roasted red peppers!), and
- a 30-second Greek red wine vinegar dressing.
I promise that the extra step of browning the chicken in a pan on the stove top before adding it to the crock pot is 1,000% worth it. Your taste buds will thank you, and the golden color is much prettier.
I enjoy Mediterranean flavors, so I expected I’d like the Greek chicken just fine. What I didn’t expect was to fall for it so completely that the leftovers turned into a hoarding scenario.
Even after hours in a slow cooker, the flavors of the Greek chicken stay remarkably vibrant and bright (just like my Crock Pot Moroccan Chicken).
The chicken is some of the most tender I’ve ever had in a crock pot chicken recipe; the dried herbs don’t lose their oomph, and the roasted red peppers and olives give the dish a robust flavor.
I opted for a sprinkle of feta cheese and fresh thyme at the end, but if you prefer to omit either, the Greek chicken is still tasty without.
What to Serve with Greek Chicken
- Couscous. This chicken would be tasty served with Israeli Pearl Couscous Salad with Feta and Mint or brown rice.
- Pasta. Mediterranean Pasta would be delicious with this chicken.
- Salad. Greek Salad or Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable and Chickpea Salad or Anytime Arugula Salad are all perfect side dishes for this recipe.
How to Store and Reheat This Recipe
- To Store. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Since chicken can be hard to reheat, I recommend cutting it into smaller pieces, then reheating gently in the microwave with a splash of chicken stock. You can also enjoy leftover chicken at room temperature over salads or try mixing it into hot pasta. I enjoyed it sliced on top of a salad, with the red peppers and olives mixed in.
Slow Cooker Greek Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 jar roasted red peppers (12 ounces), drained and chopped
- 1 cup kalamata olives drained
- 1 medium red onion cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic from about 3 large cloves
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup feta cheese optional for serving
- Chopped fresh herbs: any mix of basil parsley, or thyme, optional for serving (I used fresh thyme)
Instructions
- Lightly coat a 5-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick spray. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, then place it in the hot pan, seasoned side down. Let brown on the first side for 1 to 2 minutes until golden, then flip and brown on the other side for 1 additional minute. If your skillet isn’t large enough to fit all of the chicken pieces, work in batches so that the chicken does not overlap. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Arrange the peppers, olives, and onions around the chicken (do not place on top).
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the red wine vinegar, garlic, honey, oregano, and thyme. Pour over the chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours on high or 3 to 4 hours on low, until the chicken is cooked through and the center reaches 165 degrees F. Serve warm, sprinkled with feta and fresh herbs.
Notes
- All slow cookers differ in temperature and cooking times, so adjust the cooking time according to your experience with your model. When in doubt, check early to ensure the chicken does not overcook.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Since chicken can be hard to reheat, I recommend cutting it into smaller pieces, then reheating gently in the microwave with a splash of chicken stock. You can also enjoy leftover chicken at room temperature over salads or try mixing it into hot pasta.
Nutrition
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Ummm, this is in the crockpot right now and all of the minced garlic has turned teal!! I followed the recipe exactly, I hope it’s still edible???
Hi Elisabeth! I am not sure what you mean when you say it has turned tea, but I hope you were still able to enjoy it!
A couple of years later, but garlic can sometimes turn bluish when mixed with acid like lemon juice. It is perfectly harmless!
This is a perfect recipe. We make it often. Recently I was out of feta and sprinkled a little fake Parmesan on top and it was seriously good. I serve it on cauliflower rice and it’s a huge win with my husband.
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the chicken! Thank you for this kind review!
I’m making this tomorrow but have a smaller crockpot. Will it make much difference if the veggies are layered on top of the chicken instead of surrounding it?
Hi Nicci! I highly recommend that you do not place them on top of the chicken.
The calories are totally not calculated correctly. If you’re using 2 lbs of chicken and this is 4 servings – that’s 8 ounces a serving which alone is over 500 calories. You should fix that.
Hi J! Unfortunately the way the nutritional facts are set up, I am not able to change them. The good news is that you can calculate the calories for free at MyFitnessPal (there are other similar sites too). I hope that can be a helpful resource for you! When in doubt, you should definitely check them out yourself with the ingredients you use at home!
This was really good and my house smelled amazing while it was cooking! I used chicken thighs. Served with wheat couscous, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, and a little tzatziki. Will definitely be making this again.
Hi Laurie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
One of our favorite meals. It’s not the same if you forget the Feta cheese on top!!
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Joyce! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This was a big hit! We will definitely be making it again in our household. The peppers and olives gave it a lot of flavor, and it was filling and easy.
Hi Joyce! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
One of our favorites. I used thighs and added artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes. Question: Can this be cooked low and slow in the oven? If so, what is the recommended temperature and cooking time? I ask because I want to make a large batch. Thank you.
Hi Chachi! I’ve not tested this in the oven so I wouldn’t be able to advise on temperature and cooking time. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
I made this tonight in my Instant Pot and served it over quinoa. Delish!
Hi Terri! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
WOW! I am stunned by how great this dish was! Will definitely be making again! Served it with couscous and spinach. I’m looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow! Excellent!!!
Hi Michele! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
More of a question at this point. I do a lot of crock pot cooking, esp using chicken. Most recipes I use call for adding some additional cooking liquid. I followed your recipe to a T, hoping it will priduce a moist product. Just turned on the cooker, anxious to taste the
results! Thanks for all of your efforts to help in our meal planning!
Hope you enjoy it Bernadette!
Why are you writing that the olives peppers onions be put on the side.
Hi Robin, after testing this out, that was the best result I received! It’s so tasty, hope you enjoy it!
This recipe is wonderful! The flavors are spot on and delicious. Plus it’s easy! Will definitely make again :)
Hi Jody! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Delicious moist chicken! The aroma while cooking was amazing. I did find that after the required cooking time there was nearly a cup of liquid broth in the slow cooker which I wasn’t sure was a normal amount. Drained it and added to the brown rice for flavour.
Hi Joanne! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This is more a question. I don’t have a crackpot. How can I adapt the Slow Cooker Greek chicken to stovetop?
Hi Sahra! I’m pretty sure this could be adapted to the stovetop, it’s just not something I’ve done before. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
This recipe will be added to our short list of most favorites. It was delicious. We make a dish similar using shrimp, mussels, etc. But it is very time consuming. However, this recipe was very quick and easy. We cooked angel hair pasta and placed the meal right on top. I did add a can of artichoke hearts in the mix right before plating the dish. It didn’t need any additions. I just had some in the cabinet and love artichokes. I would recommend everyone try this dish. You will add it to your favorites too. 👍👍👍
Hi Tina! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
It was delicious, I’ll be making this again!
Hi Jen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I’ve made this a couple of times now. Replaced the kalimata olives with green olives as didn’t have any in my cupboard and also served with rice the first time but this time served with homemade greek flatbreads and had dalmathes for starters.
Hi Deborah! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Hi! Excited to try this. If I wanted to add sun dried tomatoes to this, when would you recommend I add them? Thanks!
Hi Alessandra! Ohhh, not really sure as I haven’t tried it myself. Maybe just at the end? If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Added it at the end— it was perfect! Thank you!!
Great to hear! Thanks Alessandra!