Description
This Crock Pot Lemonade Chicken recipe offers a sweet and tangy twist on classic slow-cooked chicken, combining lemonade concentrate with brown sugar, ketchup, and vinegar to create a flavorful sauce. Perfectly tender chicken breasts are slow-cooked to juicy perfection and served over rice with steamed vegetables, making for an easy, comforting weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Sauce
- 6 ounces thawed lemonade concentrate (¾ cup)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons flour
To Serve
- Lemon slices or wedges, for serving
- Cooked white rice, for serving
- Steamed vegetables (such as broccoli), for serving
Instructions
- Add Chicken and Sauce: Lightly grease the slow cooker insert with cooking oil. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. In a bowl, whisk together the thawed lemonade concentrate, brown sugar, ketchup, and vinegar until smooth. Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken breasts.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook the chicken on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Thicken Sauce: About 30 minutes before the cooking time is complete, whisk together the flour and water to create a slurry. Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and set aside. Turn the slow cooker to HIGH heat, then gradually whisk the slurry into the sauce. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and cook for the remaining 30 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.
- Serve: Serve the chicken breasts over cooked white rice with steamed vegetables on the side. Spoon some of the thickened sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh lemon slices or wedges for a bright, citrusy finish.
Notes
- For a more tangy flavor, opt for rice wine vinegar instead of white vinegar.
- Adjust the sweetness by adding more or less brown sugar based on your taste preference.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add the flour slurry earlier or add a bit more flour slurry as needed.
- Cooked rice and steamed vegetables are suggested sides but can be substituted with mashed potatoes or quinoa for variation.
- Ensure chicken breasts are thawed before cooking to maintain even cooking times.
