Lemon and chicken has to be one of my favorite food combos. This Paleo slow cooker lemon chicken thighs recipe produces an amazing dish that’s easy to make.
If Life Gives You Lemons…Make Chicken
OK maybe that’s not quite how the saying goes, but this dish is a great alternative to going out and grabbing some conspicuous junk foods.
Lemons add a lot of flavor to foods, making them helpful to use in place of highly processed ingredients that may be harmful to your health.
While the sourness of lemons means you probably wouldn’t eat them in large quantities, you can still reap some of the benefits by eating reasonable portions in or with your meal.
Lemons are bursting with vitamin C, a great antioxidant. They also offer soluble fiber, which has been linked to health benefits such as improved digestive health.
A little lemon can go a long way, both from a taste and a nutrition perspective. That’s another reason to love this recipe!
How I Made This Paleo
As you likely already know, Paleo goes beyond what you eat. How you sleep, exercise, and take care of yourself are all part of the equation.
Part of that “taking care of yourself” business involves managing stress. And part of managing stress is keeping dinner simple, yet delicious.
I’ve found my slow cooker to be a great asset in reducing mealtime hassle. Nothing is easier than throwing a bunch of ingredients into your slow cooker and handling your business.
You can spend that time helping kids with homework, doing housework, catching up on emails, or even relaxing! What a concept!
In addition to making life a little easier, this recipe also omits some ingredients you may find in a typical lemon chicken dish.
Flour is probably the biggest offender here. People throw this stuff in everything and it’s just not necessary.
Cooking oil is another thing to consider. That’s an easy swap. I just used olive oil instead of canola or vegetable oil, which are just plain not good for you.
I also took into consideration what to serve with the chicken. I added white button mushrooms for a little more body, but that’s not necessarily the norm.
Lemon chicken is often served over noodles or with potatoes. If you wanted something a little more traditional, you could certainly use shirataki noodles for this purpose. Paleo bread is another option.
Coping With Stress
I think managing stress is a topic everyone can relate to. We can all probably do a little bit better at giving ourselves the breaks we need.
This article offers simple but proven stress management techniques for coping with the causes and effects of stress.
Thinly slice one and half lemons, saving the remaining half to juice. Set aside.
Season the chicken thighs with salt. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan and fry the chicken thighs until the skins are golden and crispy. Set aside.
Add the mushrooms to the same pan and fry until golden and caramelized.
Place the chicken, mushrooms, slices of lemon, and thyme leaves into a slow cooker then add in the chicken broth and squeeze over the remaining lemon. Cover and lcook for 2 hours.
Once done cooking, remove the chicken, lemon, and mushrooms using a slotted spoon and set aside. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
Tip the stock into a clean non-stick pot and reduce over high heat on the stove top until thick and glossy. Brush this glaze over the chicken thighs.
Serve immediately, garnished with additional fresh thyme sprigs if desired.
Notes
All nutritional data are estimated and based on per serving amounts.
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