This hearty and healthy slow cooker chicken dinner with vegetables is the perfect one-dish, one-pot meal. This is your answer for an easy, nutritious and delicious dinner everyone will love.

When you want a filling, meal that is thrown into a crockpot and forgotten until it's time to eat, then this slow cooker chicken and vegetable dinner is perfect for you!
Of course it won't totally be forgotten because the delicious smell will fill the house so that you can hardly wait for dinner.
But you won't have to think about it. Yes, please.
Did you know that 95% of Americans have chicken in their fridge or freezer at any given time (according to the National Chicken Council - which I didn't even know was a thing...)?
Thankfully chicken has remained affordable even as other foods shoot up in price so you, too, may have chicken on hand that you can use to make this stress-free, nutritious dinner.
And you will want to make this! Not only is it simple to put together, it also has bacon and a flavorful au jus gravy. You can make it with sweet potatoes or regular potatoes and it's a great way to use your frozen green beans.
Did I mention the bacon? Um, yeah, you will want to try this.
Skip right to the recipe or read more on the best ingredients to use, how to prepare the meal, some suggestions for variations, and other ways to cook this if you don't have a slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Chicken Dinner
Ingredients
The things you need to make this recipe are affordable and often what you may have in your pantry and fridge regularly. No specialty ingredients for this meal.
- Bacon - this is added for flavor - once cooked, you then sauté the onions in the bacon grease which imparts this deliciousness to the au jus gravy.
- Onions - of course. Both for the flavor from the long cooking time and the health benefit of eating onions.
- Carrots - they help make this a one-dish meal with the nutrition they offer along with the onions and beans.
- Green beans (fresh or frozen) - I love using our summer frozen green beans in meal like this - they are cut and ready to go, making it so easy.
- Potatoes - I've made with with red potatoes, yellow and russets as well as the sweet potatoes pictured. All work well, though the sweet potatoes need less time to cook (see recipe card for specifics).
- Chicken - you can use bone in thighs and/or drumsticks or bone-in breasts.
- Chicken broth - homemade is great, but when I don't have it, I use this easy bullion that is recommended by America's Test Kitchen (it's cheaper and better than the boxes).
- Sea salt and black pepper - we'll layer these on the chicken as well as season the vegetables with a bit.
- Dried basil and thyme - dried herbs hold up much better than fresh with the long cooking in crockpots. To use fresh, add it the last 15 minutes.
- Cornstarch or potato starch - I find either of these work, though I prefer potato starch for the added resistant starch it provides (a great fiber for gut health).
- Optional chicken spice rub - you can use this all purpose spice rub or make your own with basic pantry staples like paprika, onion and garlic powder. It's optional because you can just sprinkle with salt and pepper, but you'll lose the prettier look of slow cooked chicken and the added flavor.
Easy Ingredient Swaps
Here are some ingredient substitutions I can recommend for this slow cooker chicken dinner with vegetables:
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts. Adjustments on the cooking time is included in the recipe card below. (This is what I was using for the photos - the spice rub makes it look like there's browned skin, which is why I like using it.)
- Add or substitute any root vegetable for the carrots - parsnips, turnips and golden beets (red are okay, but change the color of the chicken, so I stick with golden).
- You don't have to use the bacon - it will still be a delicious chicken dinner, it will just taste a bit different. Sauté the onions in olive or avocado oil instead.
- You can use arrowroot instead of cornstarch or potato starch, but you'll need to use 1 and 1/2 to 2 times as much.
How to make Chicken Dinner with Vegetables
This is an almost a throw-everything-in-the-pot at once dish. You will need to cook a few chopped up pieces of bacon first, then cook the onions in the drippings as well as brown the chicken before adding to the pot.
Is it all absolutely necessary? Maybe not, but oh, the flavor it imparts.
- Cook chopped bacon pieces until crisp and then remove to a plate. (Recipes like this where you only need a few pieces of bacon is when I pull out my easy freezer bacon.)
- Cook chopped onions in the bacon drippings - or use olive oil if not using bacon. Lightly cook just for a couple minutes.
- While the onions are sautéing, add the carrots and green beans to the slow cooker, and then scrape the sautéed onions over them.
- Season skinned chicken with spice rub (or salt and pepper) and brown it in the remaining drippings on both sides for a few minutes each side. (If I use bone-in chicken, I always skin it before going in the slow cooker because, well, it comes out rubbery and gross, in my opinion.)
- Transfer the chicken to the crockpot and layer the potatoes over the chicken.
- Mix together the chicken broth and spices and pour over the layers in the cooker.
- Cover the pot and let it cook away.
Make the Au Jus Gravy
When the chicken and vegetables are done, transfer them to a platter and cover to keep warm.
Turn the cooker to high. Mix cornstarch or potato starch in cold water until smooth and add to the pan juices in the cooker.
Cook on high for about 15 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally.
To be honest, the juices never really thickens up much this way for me. It might work better in a pan on the stove, cooking for about 3 minutes, but I don't want the hassle or another pan to wash (hey- bacon is worth it, but gravy...not so much).
This is why I call it "au jus" instead of gravy and we're all satisfied, but if you'd like thicker gravy, you can go the extra pan route.
Pour some of the gravy/au jus over the chicken and vegetables, sprinkle with the reserved bacon and pass more au jus with the platter.
Slow Cooker Chicken Dinner FAQs
Research shows that slow cooked meals are healthier than traditionally cooked meals, as they help to maintain more nutrients in the food. (source)
You can use a Dutch oven or other covered casserole. Make the slow cooker recipe just as it is written, but put the ingredients in a Dutch oven instead of the slow cooker. Bake at 350 degrees for for an 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
Yes! Here's how: Turn 6-quart Instant Pot on sauté mode to high. Cook the bacon until crisp and remove (or use olive oil).
-Season chicken with salt and pepper or spice rub and brown the chicken in the IP on both sides, a few minutes each side.
-Set the chicken aside and sauté the onions a bit before adding the broth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom to avoid the burn notice.
-Layer carrots and potatoes over onions and then add the browned chicken on top.
-Set IP to high pressure and cook for 10 minutes for bone-in chicken (6 minutes for boneless) and quickly release the steam. Remove the lid, add the green beans, and secure the lid again.
-Set the cooking time for 1 minute at high pressure. The Instant Pot will come to pressure again, and end the cooking cycle. Quickly release the steam and remove the lid.
-Continue like slow cooker recipe, removing food to a platter and making au jus in the pot using the sauté setting - switch off once it's thickened some.
Recommended tools
- Slow Cooker/Crockpot (this is the brand I prefer)
- OR Instant Pot (this is the version I use)
- OR Dutch Oven (bonus - you can also use it to make this delicious bread)
- Sharp chef's knife (the less expensive brand I use all the time)
- Wooden cutting board for veggies; dishwasher-safe cutting board for chicken
Don’t forget to check out all of my kitchen essentials and nice-to-haves.
More easy slow cooker recipes you'll love
- Slow Cooker Chicken, Vegetable & Lentil Curry Recipe
- Easy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Carrots with Onions
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Recipe (with Stovetop Option)
I hope you love this delicious and healthy slow cooker chicken dinner with vegetables! If you make it, please leave a comment and a rating letting me know - I'd be so thankful!
Slow Cooker Chicken & Vegetable Dinner
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Pressure Cooker optional
- Dutch oven optional
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 2 cups cut green beans, fresh or frozen
- 4 medium potatoes, quartered (small ones halved)*
- 8 chicken thighs or drumsticks, bone in**
- optional chicken seasoning: all purpose spice rub OR 2 teaspoons paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic and onion powder
- 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch***
Instructions
- Cook chopped bacon pieces until crisp and then remove to a plate.
- Cook chopped onions in the bacon drippings - or use olive oil if not using bacon. Lightly cook just for a couple minutes.
- While the onions are sautéing, add the carrots and green beans to the slow cooker, and then scrape the sautéed onions over them.
- Season skinned chicken with spice rub (or salt and pepper) and brown it in the remaining drippings on both sides for a few minutes each side.
- Transfer the chicken to the crockpot and layer the potatoes over the chicken.
- Mix together the chicken broth and spices and pour over the layers in the cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours.
- Transfer chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Combine the cold water and cornstarch/potato starch until smooth and add to the drippings in the cooker, cooking on high for 15 minutes (or transfer all to a small saucepan for a couple minutes for thicker gravy in less time).
- Pour some of the gravy/au jus over the chicken and vegetables, sprinkle with the reserved bacon and pass more gravy with the platter.
Notes
-Season chicken with salt and pepper or spice rub and brown the chicken in the IP on both sides, a few minutes each side.
-Set the chicken aside and sauté the onions a bit before adding the broth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom to avoid the burn notice.
-Layer carrots and potatoes over onions and then add the browned chicken on top.
-Set IP to high pressure and cook for 10 minutes for bone-in chicken (6 minutes for boneless) and quickly release the steam. Remove the lid, add the green beans, and secure the lid again.
-Set the cooking time for 1 minute at high pressure. The Instant Pot will come to pressure again, and end the cooking cycle. Quickly release the steam and remove the lid.
-Continue like slow cooker recipe, removing food to a platter and making au jus in the pot using the sauté setting - switch off once it's thickened some.
Daphne says
Ooh, I love green beans. I think it's the only green vegetable that I eat. LOL
Princess and the Pea says
Oooh yum, I love anything that comes out of the slo-cooker! It is my best friend in the winter!
Heather's Blog-o-rama says
This really looks good and anything that I can basically throw into my slowcooker is already a hit in my family 🙂 🙂 🙂 Have a lovely Happy Thanksgiving. Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather 🙂
very merry vintage style says
Sounds yummy. I wish it was cooking at my house... Perhaps Friday or Saturday when we plan to decorate the tree!