🍅🧀🌿 Easy Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken features tender chicken that slow cooks in a creamy, Tuscan-inspired sauce featuring sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan! Slow cooking the chicken makes it melt-in-your-mouth wonderful and it’s all made in your Crockpot – no stovetop searing or transferring is necessary. Serve with pasta for a stress-free dinner that the whole family will love!
Easy Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Recipe
- This is the easiest way to make chicken that tastes like you just went to Tuscany!
- When I say easy, we’re talking about adding everything to the slow cooker, turning it on, and coming back in 4 hours and your meal is served!
- There’s no searing in a skillet first, no sauce making or thickening in a separate skillet – this is a Crock-Pot meal from start to finish!
- This Tuscan chicken slow cooker recipe is made with common fridge and pantry staples which is is great since you probably have half the ingredients on hand already. Bonus that it’s naturally gluten-free, too.
- Best of all, this is such a great weeknight chicken dinner recipe, especially when the weather is chillier. Set it and forget it!
- If you’re interested in a Stovetop Tuscan Chicken recipe rather than slow cooker, I’ve got you covered. It’s ready in about 45 minutes rather than hours.
- If you’ve seen Marry Me Chicken all over the internet, this is very similar except that instead of basil, this recipe uses spinach – although you could use both. Adding red pepper flakes will also give Marry Me Chicken vibes.
Ingredients in Tuscan Crockpot Chicken Recipe
- Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts although you may substitute with boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Liquids: Heavy cream and chicken broth. Do not use milk or even half-and-half because they don’t have as much fat in them and fat is what will keep the cream from separating during the slow cooking process. In general, dairy doesn’t like to be heated for a long duration but the fat content in heavy cream is insurance against the cream separating or curdling.
- Seasonings and Flavor Enhancers: Salt, pepper, cornstarch, Italian seasoning, paprika or smoked paprika, garlic, Parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard. For a bit of heat, use red pepper flakes.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: I use oil-packed sundried tomatoes that I drain and blot with paper towels before dicing and adding to the slow cooker.
- Fresh spinach: In the final 10 minutes, add the spinach, just long enough so it wilts. You could use another green such as kale or Swiss chard if you happen to have some on hand. Basil is also great here!
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Creamy Crock Pot Tuscan Chicken
- To a large 6-quart or 7-quart slow cooker, add the chicken and season it with salt and pepper.
- To a small bowl, add the broth, cream, cornstarch, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic, grated Parmesan, and whisk to combine. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
- Evenly scatter the sun-dried tomatoes in the slow cooked and over and around the chicken.
- Slow cook on LOW for about 4 hours, or on HIGH for about 2-3 hours, or until chicken the interior of the chicken registers 165F measured by a digital thermometer.
- In the last 10 minutes, stir the sauce together, add the spinach and stir, allow it to wilt for about 10 minutes before serving this Italian dish! If you want it a bit spicier, sprinkle some crushed red pepper flakes. If you have fresh basil on hand, it’s a great garnish.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for step-by-step photos and process shots of the cooking process.
what to serve with slow cooker creamy tuscan chicken
Plain pasta or buttered pasta is great, or rice, veggies like broccoli, carrots, or green beans, or your favorite simple side dish.
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
🍅🧀🌿 Features tender chicken that slow cooks in a creamy, Tuscan-inspired sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan cheese! Slow cooking the chicken makes it melt-in-your-mouth wonderful and it's all made in your Crockpot – no stovetop searing or transferring is necessary. Serve with pasta for a stress-free dinner that the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1/2-pound each; or about 2 pounds chicken in total
- 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ¾ cup heavy cream, do not substitute; the fat in heavy cream is necessary to prevent curdling or separating of the sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth, regular or reduced sodium; if using reduced sodium you’ll likely want to add more salt
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, regular paprika may be substituted
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and blotted (dice them if necessary because they’re on the bigger side)
- 1 ½ cups fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- Spray the insert of your slow cooker with cooking spray if desired and add the chicken. Season it with salt and pepper. Set aside momentarily. Chicken Tips – Chicken comes in all shapes and sizes. I use breasts that are of an even , normal thickness and not "thin-sliced" which are NOT a great choice here nor are chicken tenders or small pieces of chicken because they will cook very quickly and can actually overcook before the sauce has thickened and reduced. If your chicken is very thick/big, slice it into 1/2-inch pieces; and/or pound with a meat tenderizing tool.
- To a small bowl or 2-cup measuring cup, add the cream, broth, Parmesan, cornstarch, Dijon, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic, and whisk to combine. It will not be "smooth" due to the cheese and the garlic which is fine. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken.
- Evenly scatter the sun dried tomatoes over and around the chicken.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and slow cook for about 4-5 hours on LOW, OR about 2-3 hours on HIGH. Cooking Tips – If you have the time, I prefer low heat for this recipe because the cream is less likely to curdle or separate with low-and-slow heat. However, don't cook for more than 5 hours (unless chicken truly isn't done) because you will risk the sauce breaking or separating. Chicken is done when the internal temp reaches 165F.
- In the final 10 minutes or so of cooking, give the sauce a good stir to make it cohesive. Add the spinach, nestle it into the sauce by stirring it in, place the cover back on, and cook for another 10 minutes or until the spinach wilts.
- Taste the sauce, and make any necessary flavor adjustments such as more salt, pepper, paprika, etc. Optionally garnish the chicken with extra Parmesan and serve immediately with pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or your favorite sides.
Notes
Storage: Anything with a cream sauce is always best when freshly made and consumed. However, leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave as desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 383cal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 134mg, Sodium: 1113mg, Potassium: 804mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 2169IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 183mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can I use frozen chicken?
As long as it’s fully thawed before you add it to the slow cooker, yes sure thing.