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This recipe screams SPRING!!!! Tender chicken thighs or chicken breast are slow cooked in a bright and tangy lemon sauce with artichoke hearts and warm spices. The result is a light, flavorful, and nourishing meal that is easy enough for a weeknight dinner and delicious enough for the whole family to enjoy!!
Whether you make it in your slow cooker or Instant Pot, this lemon artichoke chicken is packed with fresh flavor, wholesome ingredients, and plenty of nutrition.
Why You Will Love This Lemon Chicken Recipe
If you are searching for slow cooker lemon chicken, healthy artichoke chicken, or an easy spring chicken dinner, this recipe checks all the boxes.
- Easy weeknight dinner: The slow cooker or Instant Pot does the work for you, creating tender, juicy chicken with minimal effort.
- Bright and flavorful: Fresh lemon juice, artichoke hearts, herbs, and warm spices come together for a dish that feels light, fresh, and full of flavor.
- Nourishing and wholesome: As a nutritionist, I love recipes that combine bold flavors with real nourishment. This chicken dinner is packed with protein, fiber rich artichokes, and simple ingredients that support a balanced meal.
- Great for meal prep: The flavors get even better as they sit, making this an easy option for healthy lunches or busy weeknight dinners.
- Naturally gluten free and dairy free: This lemon artichoke chicken fits a variety of dietary needs while still feeling comforting and satisfying!!!!
As a nutritionist, I love creating recipes that are both flavorful and nourishing. This lemon chicken recipe is a perfect example of how simple ingredients can come together to make a meal that feels comforting while still being packed with wholesome benefits!!!!
The Inspiration Behind This Lemon Artichoke Chicken
I have always loved bright, fresh flavors, especially anything with citrus, tang, and acidity. Lemon has a way of bringing every ingredient to life, and I knew it would be the perfect pairing for tender chicken and artichoke hearts.
I almost added pepperoncinis for even more tang, but decided to let the lemon and artichokes shine. Would you add them?
I also realized I had not eaten artichokes in a while and had never featured them here. That needed to change! Artichoke hearts are a delicious way to add more variety to your meals, and they are a great source of fiber and antioxidants that support overall wellness.
Sometimes the most nutritious ingredients are the ones we forget about. Adding more variety to your vegetables, whether fresh, canned, or frozen, is one of the easiest ways to keep meals exciting and nourishing.
How To Make Slow Cooker Lemon Artichoke Chicken
This easy slow cooker chicken recipe comes together with simple ingredients and minimal effort. The chicken cooks low and slow with lemon juice, artichoke hearts, garam masala, turmeric, lemon pepper, and fresh thyme until it becomes perfectly tender and flavorful.
The combination of citrus, herbs, and warm spices creates incredible depth while keeping the dish fresh and bright. Slow cooking allows the flavors to blend together beautifully while keeping the chicken juicy.
Tips For Success
- Use fresh lemon juice for the brightest, most vibrant flavor.
- Check the chicken for doneness so it stays tender and juicy.
- Taste before serving and add an extra squeeze of lemon if you love bold citrus flavors like I do!!
- For even more flavor, allow the chicken to rest briefly before serving so the sauce can soak into every bite.
How To Serve Lemon Artichoke Chicken
This lemon artichoke chicken is incredibly versatile and pairs well with so many sides. My family loves it served over rice, while I often enjoy mine over cauliflower rice.
It is also delicious with zoodles, spaghetti squash, or your favorite pasta. Add a simple side salad or roasted vegetables for a complete and nourishing meal.
Easy, flavorful, and full of fresh spring inspired flavors, this healthy slow cooker chicken recipe is one you will want to make again and again!!!!
Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Lemon Artichoke Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 1 cup chicken broth or white wine
- Juice of 1 large lemon, about 1/4 cup
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 7 oz can hearts of palm, drained
- 7 oz jar artichoke hearts, drained
- 3 twigs of fresh thyme
- 2 tsp lemon pepper
- Slices of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp arrowroot powder*
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
For the Slow Cooker
- Salt and pepper both sides of chicken. Place on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, mix together chicken broth (or wine), lemon juice, garam masala, garlic, and turmeric. Pour on top of the chicken.
- Cover chicken with hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, fresh thyme, slices of lemon, and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Cook for 4 hours on low.
- At 4 hours, mix together arrowroot powder with 2 tbsp water. Add arrowroot powder with water and whisk. Then add mixture to the slow cooker, and continue to cook for another 30 minutes or until thickened. Remove thyme sprig (leaves should have fallen off into the dish).
- Serve chicken on top of rice, pasta, or with vegetables.
For the Instant Pot
- Salt and pepper both sides of your chicken. Place in the bottom of your Instant Pot.
- In a small bowl, mix together chicken broth (or wine), lemon juice, garam masala, garlic, and turmeric. Pour on top of the chicken.
- Cover chicken with hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, fresh thyme, slices of lemon, and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Secure the lid, ensuring the valve is sealed. Select the manual (or pressure button on some models), and cook on high pressure for 9 minutes.
- Use a quick release, ensuring the steam is completely released before opening the lid. Whisk together arrowroot with 2 tbsp of water, and add to the sauce. Continue to stir until thickened. Remove thyme sprig.
- Serve chicken on top of rice, pasta, or with vegetables.
This is the best of all your recipes!!!
I made with curry and added some cinnamon, serves over cauliflower rice in the instapot.
Thank you!!!!
I have a problem doing QR cooking meat. If I do NPR will it mess up the artichokes & hearts of palm?
Hi Diana, natural release is no problem!
It’s delicious, but it would be great to know nutritional info, as in carbs, fat and protein per serving. Do you have that?
This was phenomenal! Best meal to come out of my IP in a long time. Thanks for the keeper!
What would you speculate the cooking times would be for a crockpot? Planning on doubling this recipe for meal prep, and using my 8qt crockpot 🙂
Anywhere between 4-6 hours.
I made this and recommend smelling the lemon pepper before adding it. Lemon pepper is not for everyone, and there is a big variation between the different brands. If you don’t like the smell of something, don’t add it. Unfortunately, my lemon pepper ruined the dish. I will be trying it again in the future without the lemon pepper. 🙂
Hi
I made this tonight. It smells and tastes delicious but 9 minutes was not enough in my IP. I added it back for another 4 minutes
I love this recipe! It’s a cold and rainy day, so I didn’t thicken the sauce but instead served it like a soup over rice. The flavors are bright, but the meal is perfectly cozy and delicious. It’s a nice, light break from traditional crockpot fare.
I made this in the crock pot and it was delicious! We served it over cauliflower rice. Excited to have a tasty, quick, healthy meal to throw in the rotation! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Amy,
Making this tonight. I’m using thighs instead of chicken breasts. Let you know how we like it.
Thanks,
Lorraine