Dump a bag of chicken thighs and 3 simple ingredients into the pot before church and come home to something that tastes like it took all day.

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Weeknight dinner spread with smothered chicken and easy sides
Weeknight dinner spread with smothered chicken and easy sides

4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Smothered Chicken Thighs

Servings: 6

Ingredients
2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1 standard family-size bag)
1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (1-ounce) packet dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Directions
Spray the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray for easier cleanup (optional but helpful).
Open the bag of boneless skinless chicken thighs and place them in a single, slightly overlapping layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. It’s fine if they’re touching; just try not to stack them too high.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of chicken soup, dry onion soup mix, and chicken broth until mostly smooth and combined. The mixture will be thick and a rich tan-burgundy color from the onion mix.
Soup mixture being whisked for slow cooker chicken
Soup mixture being whisked for slow cooker chicken
Pour the soup mixture evenly over the chicken thighs, making sure all of the chicken is coated and surrounded by the sauce.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken thighs are very tender and easily pull apart with a fork. Do not lift the lid during the first few hours of cooking, as this can significantly slow down the cooking time.
Once the chicken is done, taste the gravy and adjust seasoning if needed. Most onion soup mixes are salty enough that you won’t need extra salt; add a little black pepper if you like.
For a slightly thicker gravy, use a fork to gently shred some of the chicken thighs right in the slow cooker and stir them into the sauce. Let the mixture sit on WARM for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken.
Cooked chicken thighs in slow cooker with thick gravy
Cooked chicken thighs in slow cooker with thick gravy
Serve the smothered chicken and plenty of gravy over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles while hot.
Variations & Tips

To keep this truly 4-ingredient, I stick with cream of chicken soup, onion soup mix, and broth, but you can tweak it a bit without adding much effort. For a deeper color and flavor, swap half of the chicken broth for low-sodium beef broth, which will give the sauce a richer, more burgundy tone. If you like mushrooms, you can use cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken, or stir in a small can of drained mushrooms.

Smothered chicken served over egg noodles with extra gravy
Smothered chicken served over egg noodles with extra gravy

For a little tang, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce to the sauce mixture before pouring it over the chicken. To lighten things up slightly, you can use reduced-fat condensed soup and trim any visible fat from the chicken thighs. If you prefer white meat, this works with boneless skinless chicken breasts, but check for doneness a bit earlier so they don’t dry out.

Food safety tips: Always keep raw chicken refrigerated until you’re ready to add it to the slow cooker, and never leave it out at room temperature on the counter. Use thawed chicken only; starting from frozen can keep the chicken at unsafe temperatures for too long in the slow cooker. Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3 to 4 days, reheating until hot and steaming before serving.

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