Low Carb Keto Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Thighs are a perfect meal for a busy weeknight. You can make this in your slow cooker, Instant pot or you can bake them! Just 4 carbs per serving!
LOW CARB BALSAMIC CHICKEN
This amazing slow cooker balsamic chicken recipe has been a popular post since it was first published in 2012! It is simple enough for any weeknight meal and delicious enough for company.
With a few ingredients and 2-4 hours in your slow cooker, you have the most tender, mouthwatering, flavorful, chicken the whole family will love!
Pair it with any side dishes you like. The slow cooker does all the work and you will have an amazing dinner waiting for you when you get home from a long day.
HOW TO MAKE BALSAMIC CHICKEN
Ingredients
You will need some dry spices like garlic powder, dried basil or you could also use dried parsley, sea salt, black pepper, dried minced onion. You will also need minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and of course skinless, boneless chicken thighs.
Directions
Combine the first five dry spices in a small bowl and spread over chicken on both sides. Set aside.
Place the olive oil minced garlic and half of the balsamic vinegar into the slow cooker.
Lay your chicken thighs in the slow cooker, they can overlap.
Cover and cook on high 2-3 hours if you have a newer slow cooker and 3-4 if you have an older slow cooker.
HOW TO SERVE BALSAMIC CHICKEN THIGHS
I've got a bunch of delicious low-carb side dishes to serve this with;
- Cheesy Cauliflower Tots
- Loaded Cauliflower
- Cauliflower Rice salad
- Oven Fried Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
- Low Carb Cheesy Bacon Hasselback Zucchini
But of course if you don't feel like making anything too involved, a simple cauliflower rice is always good as is a mashed cauliflower.
Palmini rice is a new favorite of ours and we do still enjoy Shirataki rice too!
BONELESS VERSUS BONE-IN THIGHS
Using boneless chicken thighs is best for perfectly tender and juicy slow cooked chicken, but of course you could always use chicken breast if you're not a fan of dark meat. You could even try this recipe using pork tenderloin if you like.
Bone-in thighs will also work just fine, you may need to cook them a bit longer, possibly an hour more. Make sure to use an internal thermometer and insert near the bone. You want a reading of 165 degrees F.
My entire family loved this chicken and each child asked for seconds of it which rarely ever happens! Don't be worried about the balsamic flavor, it is subtle and not strong at all. The kids will only notice how moist and tasty the chicken is, I promise!
TOOLS TO MAKE BALSAMIC CHICKEN
Slow Cooker-I love using my crock pot weekly for that wonderful smell when you come home knowing you've got dinner ready to go for the family!
or Instant Pot- As much as I love using my crock pot, having an Instant Pot does save time when you need to get dinner ready in under an hour.
HOW TO BAKE BALSAMIC CHICKEN THIGHS
If you'd rather not use the slow cooker or instant pot. Simply follow the directions for seasoning your chicken.
Instead of placing the oil, garlic and balsamic into the slow cooker, add it to a bowl and toss and coat the chicken thighs. Place in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight is even better.
When you are ready to bake, place parchment paper on a large baking sheet pan and preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Lay thighs evenly on pan without overlapping. Bake for 25- 30 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
CAN I SWAP CHICKEN THIGHS FOR BREASTS?
Check this Post if you prefer using chicken breasts for this recipe instead. This recipe has also been adapted to use with beef!
Check out my newest recipe, Crock Pot Balsamic Roast Beef!
Other crock pot recipes you might like:
- Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken Breasts
- Crock Pot Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
- Crock Pot Beef Burgundy
- Crock Pot Shredded Mexican Style Chicken
- Crock Pot Sugar Free BBQ Pulled Chicken
KETO SLOW COOKER BALSAMIC CHICKEN THIGHS
Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons dehydrated onion
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar divided
- 8 chicken thighs boneless, skinless (about 24 ounces)
- sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Combine the first five dry spices in a small bowl and spread over chicken on both sides.
- Set aside.
- Pour olive oil and garlic on the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour in ¼ cup balsamic vinegar.
- Place chicken on top.
- Sprinkle remaining balsamic vinegar over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on low for 3 hours if using boneless, if using bone in thighs, high for 2-3 hours. If you have an older slow cooker you may need to cook another hour.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley on top to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Kay
The nutritional facts showed 4g carbs but not fiber which is needed to determine net carbs. What would be the net carbs for this recipe please?
Brenda
Because there is no fiber in the recipe.
Sally Field
LOL
Jami
This was one of the best chicken recipes I've tried! Is it possible to double this recipe? If so how long do I need to cook it?
Brenda
Sure you could double it, I would just check it at the same time to make sure it's cooked through and not pink, it may just need another 30 minutes more.
jami
thanks!
Kristen Fuchs
Tried this for the first time tonight. This was torture around the last hour of cooking, my house still smells fabulous. I loved it. So simple to make but very tasty. Will make again and again.
Andrea Harris
I had this for tea tonight. This was absolutely delicious. Will definitely be making again. Easy and delicious, what more could you ask for!!!
Christine M. Lamb
I had to go on-line today to find this recipe because I lost my previous copy which was tattered, stained and torn anyway because of constant use! I love this chicken recipe and have shared the recipe countless times. It's been in our two-week rotation for years. Thank you.
Priscilla Mullen
This is one of the best keto recipes I have tried. It has become part of the regular rotation for dinners in my house. So simple to make since the slow cooker does the work. Thanks for the recipe!!
Mel T
Came upon this recipe, and actually had the hubby grab the ingredients for me!! Very excited about this! Thanks Brenda!
Rebekah Shephard
Thank you so much! I've been looking for a healthy chicken thigh meal prep option that isn't Asian-inspired, haha. So excited to try this tonight!
Megan
I made these tonight for company, and they were delicious! I will definitely make them again. I followed the recipe exactly, and they were perfect. Thank you!
Lindsey
Hi! This is by far my favorite chicken thigh crock pot recipe. I read thru most everything, (i think) but I got an instapot recently and wanted to see if there was any advice on how to do them in there. I'm kinda afraid of the instapot so will probably stick to the crock pot if you haven't tried it.
Thank you!!!
Becca N
This recipe is fantastic and I've been sharing it with family. Thank you!
CW
Cooking now Thanks for posting. I hope that the substitutions i made work out. Looks good in the crock pot.
Juliann VanderMeer
These were really good. Cooked nicely in 2 hrs on high. Didn’t crisp up though, but were delish and I will make again.
Stephanie
1/4 a cup of balsamic vinegar has 40g of carbs in it...
Brenda
Half of the juice is not absorbed on the chicken, it's often about 1/2 cup in the bottom of the crockpot.
Sevara
Worst chicken recipe I’ve ever tried. It was dry and too much vinegar... and they didn’t look good at all. Just wasted the chicken and my time ☹️
Brenda
Is your slow cooker a new or old one? If newer, some cook quicker than others and the reason for it being dry is because it was cooked too long.
Kim
Just wondering how many chicken thighs this recipe there is suppose to be? Thank you
Brenda
In the ingredients I specified 8 chicken thighs, which for me weighed 24 ounces.
Elizabeth
I made these a while ago and they were a hit! So yummy! Just started a pot for tonight's dinner! Thanks for all the great keto-friendly things you have shared!
Lisa Corney
I made this yesterday and it was wonderful. My husband liked it a lot. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Jean Schiavo
I made this last night and it was AMAZING!!! I too had a long day so I too cooked it on low for 7.5 hrs. Three grown men ate it and asked if it was from a restaurant! Best chickenI have ever made! Thank you!
Brenda
Thank you!
Claudia
My husband & I are retired, traveling & haven’t a crockpot in our RV...so I improvised. Your marinade, my pork chops & my husband doing the grilling. OMG...delicious! Thanks for another great recipe.
Brenda
Great idea!
Janet
What brand balsamic vinegar do you use? I know nothing about balsamic vinegar except that you need a good brand.
Josie
I made this BALSAMIC CHICKEN (thighs) in my crock pot. To keep it moist, I put a crock pot bag inside the pot to keep it clean, and then an oven bag to put the meat inside to cook. This made it even more moist!
The coloring looks like it's grilled, but you get the coloring on the outside from the balsamic vinegar and the ingredients that you roll the thighs in before putting them in the pot. Mmmm... we put it on cauliflower rice, and I shredded the end product to make it easy for leftovers. Lunch? You bet!
Thanks for this recipe! We'll use it several times a month, yum!
Molly
Skin down or up in the crockpot??
Brenda
Mine were skinless, but I would say up.
PhD Mom
This recipe is on our regular rotation. I just want to say “thank you!” for sharing it. The only change I make is use fresh onion. The last few times I haven’t measured the spices, I just eyeball and sprinkle on top of the thighs. You really cannot mess this recipe up! It’s super easy and budget-friendly. My husband and toddler son love it! We usually shred the leftovers and eat in tacos.
Jensen
If I double the recipe do I need to cook longer?
Brenda
I wouldn't, just check them so no longer pink, but should take same amount of time unless too overcrowded in crock pot.
Wendy
With the exception of the minced onions and fresh basil, I followed your directions exactly. This chicken turned out so delicious! The chicken just cane apart beautifully and melted in my mouth. It's perfect for meal prep and I'm looking forward to having this the next four days. Thank you for posting this recipe!
Linda Holley
I have a question about the sodium content on the nutritional facts.
I says 832mg . Were does this come from. I made this exactly and none of my ingredients have
sodium except the sodium. My balsamic vinegar has 0 sodium also. And what makes the cholesterol so high,
Thank you in advance for your response. This recipe is excellent
Linda