Fitness / September 12, 2023

Easy Middle Eastern Keto Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

These keto slow cooker chicken thighs have middle Eastern flavors and a creamy sauce! An easy, weeknight meal that the whole family will love!

low carb chicken thighs with caulilfower rice

Let’s just cut to the chase.

Crock pot chicken thighs are SO much better than crock pot chicken BREAST.

I mean, don’t get me wrong. I love me some slow cooker thai peanut chicken but then one day Mr. FFF asked my why I always served him chicken breast in the slow cooker, and it got me thinking.

There really is a whole world beyond chicken breast and these easy slow cooker chicken thighs opened it UP for me.

Chicken Thighs vs Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is leaner than chicken thighs which makes it a lot less forgiving. If you cook chicken breast in the slow cooker too long, I find it gets a little grainy-textured and just not good. Mr. FFF pretty much has a fit whenever I tell him I have chicken breast in the slow cooker for dinner.

But thighs? They have a much higher fat content, which makes them way more juicy, tender, flavorful and SO much more forgiving. If you cook them a little longer? STILL GOOD.

Especially when you cook them with the BEST, creamy goat cheese, tahini and lemon sauce that you will ever have. I actually wanted to use the feta sauce from the grilled avocados but then realized I didn’t have feta cheese when I already had the chicken ready to go in the slow cooker.

Keto slow cooker chicken thighs cooking in a slow cooker

Don’t you hate when that happens?

BUT, bing-bing-bing, I had goat cheese! So, in it went to the slow cooker and out came the most MAGICALLY middle eastern tasting slow cooker boneless chicken thighs that was bursting with ethnic flair, creamy tahini and little pops of zesty and tangy lemon in every bite.

The goat cheese and tahini balance out the otherwise tart lemon and there are these little pops of cooling, fresh mint that can only be described as pretty much perfect.

Keto Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs Ingredients

To make these chicken thighs, you will need a few simple ingredients:

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (duh)
Zaatar seasoning
Salt
Goat Cheese
Tahini
Lemons
Chicken broth
Mint

Keto Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs on a plate with mint

What Temperature to Cook Chicken Thighs in the Slow Cooker

I prefer to cook my chicken thighs on the low temperature. You know what they say – low and slow! I find this gives the best textured meat and meat that is so tender it just FALLS off the bones!

How Long to Cook Chicken Thighs in the Slow Cooker

You want to cook these chicken thighs on a low temperature for 4-5 hours. I recommend checking them after 4 hours and seeing if they are done. If you did opt for cooking at a higher temperature, you would cook them for 2-3 hours, checking them at 2 hours.

a pile of slow cooker chicken thighs on a plate

What to serve with slow cooker chicken thighs?

You could keep things super simple and just serve these over some steamed rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa. There is enough sauce that keeping it super-simple would be SUPER yum! BUT you could also get fancy and serve it with:

Meal Prep

If you want to meal prep these chicken thighs, they stay great in the fridge for about a week. So, make yourself a double batch and then divide between your favorite meal prep containers, maybe with a little side of rice or cauliflower rice, and be ready to grab and go during the week!

Spicy, tangy, creamy and basically what your dinner dreams are made of!

keto chicken thighs on a plate with rice

Easy Middle Eastern Keto Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Easy Keto Slow Cooker Middle Eastern Chicken Thighs may be low carb, but they’re not light on flavor! You’ll love that savory sauce too.

Course Healthy Eating

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 10

Servings

Calories 596kcal

Author FoodFaithFitness

Ingredients

2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
1 tablespoon Za’tar Seasoning
2 ounces Goat Cheese
1/3 cup Chicken Broth
3 tablespoons Tahini Paste
1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 Lemon cut into two
Fresh Mint sliced, for garnish

Instructions

Cut any of the large visible chunks of fat off the chicken (optional) and put the thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle on the zaatar seasoning and rub all over the chicken to coat it thoroughly.
Place the goat cheese into a medium, microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the goat cheese just begins to soften, about 15-30 seconds. Add all the rest of the ingredients (except the full lemon and mint) into the bowl and whisk until smooth and the cheese is broken down.
Pour over the chicken, making sure to cover it. Place the 2 lemon halves into the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours, until the chicken is cooked and tender. OR, high heat for 1-2 hours (low is recommended.)
Once cooked, squeeze out all the juice from the lemons into the slow cooker. Transfer the chicken to plates and then stir together the remaining sauce in the slow cooker until well mixed.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with mint, if desired.
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