Prep Beans: Rinse the dried lima beans under cool running water and pick out any broken beans or debris. No need to soak if you are cooking on LOW for at least 8 hours.

Layer Slow Cooker: Place the lima beans in the bottom of a large slow cooker (5–7 quarts works well), spreading them into an even layer.

Add Chicken: Lay the chicken thighs on top of the beans in a single layer. If they overlap a bit, that’s fine, but try to keep them mostly in one layer so they cook evenly and shred easily.

Add Broth & Seasoning: Pour the chicken broth (or water plus bouillon) over the chicken and beans. The liquid should just cover everything; if it doesn’t, add a little extra water until it does. Sprinkle the salt and black pepper evenly over the top. Don’t be shy with the pepper here—that classic speckled, peppery broth is part of why this tastes like it’s been passed down for generations.

Cook: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours, or on HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the lima beans are plump and very tender and the chicken pulls apart easily with a fork.

Shred Chicken: Once everything is tender, use tongs to lift the chicken pieces out onto a plate or cutting board. Remove and discard the bones, then shred the chicken with two forks into bite-sized pieces.

Combine & Adjust: Return the shredded chicken (and any juices on the plate) back into the slow cooker. Stir well so the chicken and lima beans are evenly combined in the cloudy broth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and black pepper if needed. If the mixture seems thicker than you like, stir in a splash of hot water or broth to loosen it slightly.

Serve: Serve the chicken and lima beans hot, straight from the slow cooker, with extra black pepper on top if you like. Keep the slow cooker on WARM for up to 2 hours for easy seconds or a relaxed family meal.