CROCKPOT BBQ CHICKEN THIGHS RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Put the chicken in the skillet, skin side down, and brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a clean plate.
• Add the onion to the hot skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until onion starts to soften. Stir in the garlic, thyme, rosemary, tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
• Stir in the chicken broth. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until sauce thickens, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Remove pan from the heat.
• Place the potatoes and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the onion mixture from the skillet and spread it out into an even layer over the vegetables. Add the bay leaves. Place the chicken on top of everything else, skin side up.
• Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 2 ½ to 3 hours, until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and potatoes and carrots are tender. Remove bay leaves and serve.

Steps:

• Place the onion, carrots and potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker. Arrange them in a single layer as much as possible.
• In a small bowl, stir together the spice rub ingredients: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt and pepper.
• Place the chicken in a baking dish to catch any excess juices. If there is a bag of innards in the cavity of the chicken, remove it and discard. Drain out any liquid that may be in the cavity.
• Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Loosen the skin around the breasts. Rub the olive oil and then the spice rub over the chicken, rubbing some of the seasoning under the skin on the breasts if possible.
• Place the lemon pieces and fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs in the cavity of the chicken. Optional: tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
• Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker, breast side up. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, until the chicken registers at least 165° F in the thickest part of the leg, not touching the bone. Avoid opening the slow cooker lid during the cook time, as this can cause too much heat to escape the slow cooker.
• You can serve the chicken and vegetables as is, or use the following steps to brown the chicken and vegetables and make a gravy.
• Optional: Brown the Chicken and Vegetables under the Broiler
• Optional: Make gravy with the juices from the slow cooker.