Slow Cooker Greek Chicken
This slow cooker Greek chicken is healthy and delicious dinner that can go straight from the crockpot to a plate. Loaded with Mediterranean flavor it’s easy to pair with a simple side of steamed white rice and a vegetable making it a filling dinner the whole family will love.
Chicken is a mainstay in my family’s kitchen. I love it because of how wonderfully well it takes on whatever flavor profiles I throw at it. Rarely does an experiment go wrong, even when it needs some refining.
It’s especially friendly when trying to work with different flavor profiles from different culture’s- things like Asian, Greek & Mediterranean, or even French.
Even when the recipe is more a flavor feel, than something I can pin down with that kind of specifics.
I do tend to find the chicken is a great addition to anything ‘Greek’, all things pegged Mediterranean.
I’ve always got chicken on hand, so it was bound to happen that I’d end up combining the two. A solid Mediterranean chicken recipe is always a must have.
Add the slow cooker to the mix, and you’ve got meal time magic you can feel good about with this relatively healthy slow cooker Greek chicken recipe.
It’s easy to throw together, even at the last minute on a busy morning, and ready to become a filling family dinner with the addition of some steamed white rice.
Why This Greek Chicken Breast Recipe Works
- A lot of people do not like cooking with chicken breasts. If not cooked properly they can end up with a very dry, stringy texture. When cooked low & slow in the crock though, they come out unbelievably tender and moist. Like thigh meat, but with the more recently preferred white meat.
- The chicken is added to a hot skillet and pan seared in olive oil before being added to the bowl of the slow cooker. Put simply, browning is better. A quick initial sear leads to more complex flavors. The light golden brown crust also prevents the chicken from falling apart when plating it.
- Fresh, bright flavor from the Mediterranean blend of veggies is combined with tangy red wine vinegar, pungent garlic, dried herbs, and sweet honey resulting in a simple but delicious vinaigrette.
These slow cooker chicken breasts are my favorite way to get a Mediterranean chicken recipe on the supper table.
It’s one meal the whole family can agree on, even the kids. Although they may, or may not, pick and choose which veggies to enjoy.
What Makes A Traditional Mediterranean Meal?
- Mediterranean meals almost always feature ingredients found & grown in and around the sea of the same name.
- The meals are also usually of a healthier style, both in composition & in cooking methods, reflecting popular life style choices of the region.
- Olives, olives, and more olives. Olives are universal to a Mediterranean dish. Both in the dish, and as the primary source of cooking fat from the oil.
- Lean cuts of meat are typical, fish or poultry often being preferred options for their high protein contents.
- Red onion, roasted red peppers, & tomatoes, along with the whole olives, are a very popular Greek combination.
- Garlic and fresh herbs like basil, oregano, & thyme go hand in hand with other Mediterranean flavors. And don’t forget the feta cheese garnish!
While these things all make this dish a traditional ‘old world’ style recipe, this slow cooker Greek chicken has easily been adapted into a more modern meal using contemporary cooking methods.
Ingredients Needed
Like all my favorite recipes this Greek chicken may have a longer ingredient list to layer and build the flavors, but all the ingredients are simple and easy to find in any local grocery store.
To make it you’ll need:
- Olive oil – I recommend using extra virgin olive oil specifically, although regular will work if that’s what you have on hand.
- Chicken – 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (trimmed of fat), which roughly equates to four full sized pieces.
- Red Peppers – A 12 ounce jar of roasted red peppers, drained well & the peppers roughly chopped
- Olives – 1 cup pitted Greek kalamata olives
- Onion – A large red onion, peeled & roughly chopped
- Vinegar – Red wine vinegar
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves- for best flavor I don’t recommend subbing jarred garlic or garlic paste.
- Honey
- Herbs – A blend of dried oregano and dried thyme
- Cheese – Crumbled feta cheese, for garnish
Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, you’re ready to begin!
How To Make
Making this slow cooker Greek chicken is super easy.
Start by spraying the bowl of your slow cooker generously with nonstick cooking spray. It’s not mandatory, but will make cleanup much easier later.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot add the prepared chicken to the pan, and generously season them with salt and pepper.
Sear the chicken breasts on each side for roughly two minutes, just until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to the prepared bowl of your slow cooker.
Top the chicken with the roasted red peppers, olives, and onion.
To a mixing bowl add the remaining ingredients, except for the cheese, and whisk together until evenly combined into a dressing. Pour this evenly out over the chicken.
Add the lid to cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or on HIGH for 2 hours.
Serve the chicken, garnished with fresh crumbled feta cheese, and enjoy!
What To Serve With Greek Chicken
This Mediterranean chicken is great on it’s own, but if you need to flesh it out into a meal consider serving it with the following options:
- Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
- Steamed White Rice
- Easy Gyro Salad
- Mashed Potatoes
- Lemon Cucumber Couscous Salad
- Pasta
- Tzatziki Potato Salad
- Steamed Vegetables, like asparagus or broccoli
While these are our suggestions based on what we like, pair it with whatever simple side dish your family enjoys.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover Greek chicken can be safely stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat the leftovers on the stovetop, or in the microwave, but add a splash of chicken broth because the leftovers tend to dry out some to add the moistness back.
Do I Have To Brown The Chicken?
While this step is technically optional, I highly recommend taking the extra few minutes to sear the chicken.
This will lock in the juices keeping your chicken moist without totally falling apart when it’s done cooking in the crockpot.
TIPS & TRICKS
- Greek chicken may seem easy, but it’s all about the ingredients. Use premium ingredients when making this dish.
- The recipe calls for chicken breasts, and it’s one of my favorite ways to cook them- but you can also sub chicken thighs. If you decide to use thighs, make sure all the fat’s cut off with kitchen shears.
- This Greek chicken recipe is great as is, but if you want to take it to the next level- consider how to serve it. Pair it with a simple side like steamed white rice, pasta, or salad. The pulled chicken is also great in a wrap or gyro style soft taco.
Other Easy Greek Recipes
You really can’t go wrong with this easy Mediterranean style chicken recipe. It’s easy, but it’s also super tasty. It’s food you can feel good about enjoying.
Let your slow cooker do all the work, and prep this slow cooker Greek chicken for supper. As easy as it is to throw together, it’s even easier for the family to fall in love with!
Looking for other easy Greek recipes to enjoy?
Try these:
- Greek Quiche Recipe
- Greek Chicken Kabobs
- Greek Bruschetta Feta
- Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
- Easy Gyro Salad
- Greek Seasoned Oven Fries
If you’ve tried this SLOW COOKER GREEK CHICKEN, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

Slow Cooker Greek Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs chicken breasts
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 12 oz jar roasted red peppers drained and chopped
- 1 cup pitted Greek kalamata olives
- 1 red onion chopped
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp pure honey
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Spray the bowl of a slow cooker with cooking spray.
- In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and lay chicken breasts in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sear each side of the chicken for 1-2 minutes.1 tbsp olive oil, 2 lbs chicken breasts, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Add seared chicken to slow cooker, along with roasted red peppers, olives, and chopped onion.1 12 oz jar roasted red peppers, 1 cup pitted Greek kalamata olives, 1 red onion
- Whisk together remaining ingredients except feta cheese in a small bowl and pour into the slow cooker.3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp pure honey, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours (or LOW for 4 hours).
- Serve and garnish with crumbled feta cheese.1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Notes
- Greek chicken may seem easy, but it's all about the ingredients. Use premium ingredients when making this dish.
- The recipe calls for chicken breasts, and it's one of my favorite ways to cook them- but you can also sub chicken thighs. If you decide to use thighs, make sure all the fat's cut off with kitchen shears.
- This Greek chicken recipe is great as is, but if you want to take it to the next level- consider how to serve it. Pair it with a simple side like steamed white rice, pasta, or salad. The pulled chicken is also great in a wrap or gyro style soft taco.
I love flavors like this, especially olives. Thank you for another delicious share at Fiesta Friday!
Looks good – I have a question though. Most slow cooker “Bibles” say you should completely submerge the meat for even cooking. There isn’t much “sauce” here. Add chicken broth?