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

Print

Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Thighs

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 285kcal

Author Brenda Bennett | Sugar Free Mom

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons dehydrated onion
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar divided
• 8 chicken thighs boneless, skinless (about 24 ounces)
• sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

Slow Cooker 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 1/4 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.

Instant Pot Instructions

• Combine the first five dry spices in a small bowl and spread over chicken on both sides. Set aside.
• Pour the olive oil and garlic on the bottom of the instant pot. Add all the chicken thighs to the pot. Pour the balsamic over the chicken.
• Cover the lid of the Instant pot and make sure it is set to "sealing".

  Press the "poultry" button and set timer for 12 minutes. Once it beeps, use a long wooden spoon to prevent steam burning your finger, switch to "venting" and the Instant Pot will quick release.

Notes

This recipe was one of my first published on my blog in November of 2012!  I finally updated the pictures in 2018 and updated with video in February 2020.

Nutrition

Serving: 1thigh | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 279mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

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