Cook up this creamy slow cooker Tuscan chicken for an easy weeknight dinner. Chicken is slow cooked in a creamy sauce with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, and served with your favorite side dish.
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Why you'll love it
- Delicious creamy slow cooker chicken dish
- Can be paired with a variety of side dishes
- Easy to prepare
- Customize the recipe to suit your preferences
🥘 More SLOW COOKER RECIPES from Hint of Healthy
Ingredients
Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
Chicken stock: Makes up the majority of the liquid. You can also use water and a bouillon cube, or vegetable broth.
Cream: Heavy cream is perfect for creamy sauces. You can also use half and half, or creme fraiche as a lighter alternative.
Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is a fantastic edition, but completely optional.
Sun-dried tomatoes: These add so much flavor to the dish. You can use dry tomatoes, or jarred tomatoes in oil.
Onion: Yellow, red or white onions all work well.
Garlic: Garlic cloves, garlic powder or garlic paste will all work well.
Spinach: Washed fresh spinach pairs perfectly with this sauce.
Seasoning: Salt, freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning or mixed dried herbs add fantastic flavors to the dish.
Instructions
You can find full instructions + ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page
One: Heat up olive oil in a small pot. Sauté diced onion and garlic for a few minutes until they are soft.
Two: Add heavy cream and chicken stock to the pot, and stir to combine. Allow the sauce to heat up, until it starts to barely simmer. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, and stir to allow the cheese to melt.
Three: Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker, and coat with seasoning. Add diced sun dried tomatoes, and pour over the cream sauce. Cover the slow cooker with a lid, and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
Four: Then, add washed spinach to the slow cooker, and stir to allow the leaves to wilt. Serve the chicken breasts whole, covered with the cream sauce. Alternatively, shred the meat in the crock pot before serving.
Top tips
- Leave the lid on the slow cooker for the whole cooking time. You don't have to stir to check on the dish.
- Make sure to wash the spinach before use.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken is cooked through before you remove it from the slow cooker. The chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 °F / 74 °C.
Serving suggestions
This creamy sun dried tomato chicken is perfect as an entree for lunch or dinner. You can serve it with a variety of side dishes to suit your preferences.
Here are some of my favorite sides to pair it with:
- Instant Pot Basmati Rice
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Healthy Mashed Potatoes
- Garlic Basil Pasta
- Air Fryer Baked Potato
- Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli
Variations
Added vegetables: This is a great way to cook the entree and side dish in one; add extra vegetables to the dish! Green beans, sliced carrots, broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, sliced peppers, kale, mushrooms and diced potatoes are excellent options.
Spicy creamy chicken: Sauté the red pepper flakes with the onion and garlic. This will make the cream sauce more spicy. You can also double or triple the amount of red pepper flakes used if you want.
Other cuts of chicken: Instead of chicken breasts, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs, or other boneless cuts of chicken. Chicken thighs, or dark chicken meat, is often more flavorful, while chicken breasts are leaner and lighter.
Lighter options: To make a light, low calorie version, you can replace the heavy cream with creme fraiche, and use chicken breasts. You can also reduce the amount of cream sauce in each serving.
Dairy free: Omit the Parmesan cheese, and use dairy free heavy cream.
Equipment
To make this recipe, you will need a 3 quart or 5 quart slow cooker. You can use any brand of slow cooker, as long as it is big enough to fit the ingredients.
Additionally, you will need a small pot to prepare the sauce. A cutting board, a sharp knife, and a wooden spoon or ladle will also be useful.
Storage
Store any leftover slow cooker creamy Tuscan chicken with spinach and sun dried tomatoes in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the dish in a slow cooker, microwave or a small pot on the stove top.
I don't recommend freezing this dish, as the cream sauce could separate when you thaw it.
🥘 More SLOW COOKER RECIPES from Hint of Healthy
Frequently asked questions
Yes, heavy cream is safe to cook in the slow cooker.
Chicken breasts are often cooked after 2-4 hours in the slow cooker, depending on how big they are.
The chicken does not have to be covered in liquid. The liquid is only added to create a sauce to serve the chicken with.
You might also like these recipes
- Slow Cooker Hunters Chicken
- Slow Cooker Spanish Chicken
- Crockpot Chicken and Rice
- Chicken and Leek Pasta Bake
- Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken
If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!
Recipe
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large chicken breasts
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups spinach
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 onion
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Sauté diced onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat in a skillet or pot.4 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 onion
- Add chicken stock and heavy cream, and stir to combine. Bring this to a simmer, then add Parmesan cheese.1 cup chicken stock, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- Meanwhile, place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker. Add seasoning and diced sun-dried tomatoes on top.4 large chicken breasts, ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Pour the cream sauce over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker with a lid, and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
- Add the spinach to the slow cooker, and allow the leaves to wilt in the liquid. This only takes a few minutes. Then, serve the chicken immediately over your favorite side dish.2 cups spinach
Video
Notes
- Store any leftovers in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a microwave, slow cooker or pot on the stove top.
- For a lighter version, you can replace the heavy cream with creme fraiche.
- Feel free to use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Make this a complete meal by adding vegetables such as broccoli, potatoes, peppers or green beans to the slow cooker.
Nutrition
Food safety tips
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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