Creamy Lemon Chicken with Green Beans and Artichokes

Crockpot Creamy Lemon Chicken with Green Beans and Artichokes

This slow-cooker meal has tender pieces of chicken, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, green beans, and spinach in a light lemon-garlic Parmesan sauce.

The vegetables are added in stages so they retain some structure instead of spending eight hours transforming into mysterious green paste. It is satisfying on its own and does not require pasta or rice.

Serves: 5–6

Prep time: About 15 minutes

Cooking time: 4–5 hours on LOW

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Salt, optional and only if needed
• 1 small onion, diced
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and quartered
• 3 cloves garlic, minced, or 1½ teaspoons jarred garlic
• ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Juice of ½ lemon

Crockpot Instructions 

1. Prepare the chicken.

Leave smaller chicken thighs whole. Cut especially large thighs in half so all the pieces cook at approximately the same rate.

Season both sides of the chicken with paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Use salt only if desired; the broth, cream cheese, artichokes, and Parmesan will add flavor.

2. Build the vegetable base.

Place the diced onion, sliced mushrooms, and quartered artichoke hearts in the bottom of the slow cooker.

Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and chicken broth. Stir the vegetables together.

3. Add the chicken.

Arrange the chicken pieces over the vegetables in a mostly even layer. Spoon a small amount of the broth over the top.

Cover and cook on LOW for 3½ hours.

Try not to repeatedly lift the lid. The crockpot considers every inspection a personal setback.

4. Add the green beans.

After 3½ hours, add the fresh green beans. Gently press them down into the liquid without breaking up the chicken.

Cover and continue cooking on LOW for another 45–60 minutes, or until the green beans are tender but still have some structure.

The chicken is ready when its thickest portion reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

5. Temporarily remove the chicken.

Carefully transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate. Keep the pieces whole rather than shredding them. Cover the plate loosely to keep the chicken warm.

6. Make the creamy sauce.

Add the softened cream cheese to the crockpot in small pieces. Stir until it melts into the hot broth.

Add the Parmesan and lemon juice. Stir again until the sauce is creamy and evenly combined.

If the sauce is thinner than you want, leave the crockpot uncovered on HIGH for approximately 10 minutes. Remember that it will also thicken slightly as it cools.

7. Add the spinach.

Add the spinach one handful at a time, stirring gently until it wilts into the sauce.

Return the whole chicken pieces to the crockpot and spoon the vegetables and sauce over them.

Taste before adding any salt. Add extra black pepper or another squeeze of lemon if desired.

If Using Canned Green Beans

Drain and rinse two cans of no-salt-added or low-sodium green beans. Add them during the final 15–20 minutes instead of cooking them for an hour.

They are already tender and do not require a lengthy crockpot sentence.

Serving Ideas

Serve the chicken in a bowl with plenty of the green beans, mushrooms, artichokes, and spinach. Spoon a small amount of the creamy sauce over everything.

Steamed broccoli or cauliflower can be served on the side. A small portion of brown rice could also be added if wanted, but the chicken and substantial vegetables make this a complete meal on their own.

Leftovers

Divide the leftovers into individual containers for easy reheating. Microwave gently, stirring the vegetables and sauce halfway through.

Add a tablespoon of chicken broth before reheating if the sauce becomes too thick in the refrigerator.

This recipe provides plenty of solid pieces to chew, vegetables that still know who they are, and absolutely no crockpot swamp.