This Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken is a super easy crockpot recipe that’s packed full of flavor. It’s got tender, juicy chicken breasts in a creamy Parmesan sauce with plenty of veggies. Serve over a bed of rice, pasta or even zoodles for a simple, satisfying meal.
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Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken
It looks and tastes impressive, but this Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken recipe is easy enough to make any night of the week. With just about 15 minutes of prep, the crockpot does most of the work. Trust us, you will love this recipe!
We can’t exactly claim this to be a "dump-and-go" meal because the recipe calls for starting the sauce on the stovetop. But, it makes such a huge difference in the overall flavor that we felt like it was worth the one extra pan to wash. Then once the onions are cooked, the Parmesan cheese has melted and the flavors have begun to mingle, everything goes into the slow cooker together to cook low and slow for hours while you do whatever else it is that you need to do.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Our family’s favorite way to eat Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken is over pasta with cheese. So yummy!
Once you have made the recipe according to the directions, you will also need:
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 1# pasta, cooked (spaghetti is what we use most)
Add the cooked pasta and about 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese to your slow cooker, then stir until combined. Add the remaining cup of cheese to the top of the pasta and cover with a lid. Continue to warm for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melty. Serve immediately, and enjoy!
What to Serve with Tuscan Chicken
This recipe is such a classic that it goes well served over all sorts of sides, including:
- Mashed Potatoes (like these Mashed Red Potatoes)
- Rice (try this Lemon Herb Rice)
- Pasta (Garlic Parmesan Orzo would taste great)
You can also pair it with any of the following suggestions for a delicious, complete meal:
- Best Baked Potato
- Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes
- Quick Dinner Rolls
- Italian Herb Focaccia Bread
- Pull Apart Garlic Bread
Ingredients in Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
- Butter - either salted or unsalted butter will work great.
- Garlic - use fresh minced.
- Chicken Broth - you can use store bought or homemade.
- Heavy Cream - this helps make the sauce super creamy.
- Parmesan Cheese - use fresh grated or shredded.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes - look for the sun-dried tomatoes stored in oil. You can either add these minced or sliced, or blend into the chicken broth. If you aren’t a fan of sun-dried tomatoes, you could also substitute artichoke hearts.
- Chicken - we use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. You could absolutely substitute chicken thighs, or even bone-in chicken if you prefer, but you may have to adjust the cooking time slightly.
- Spinach - fresh spinach tastes better than frozen.
- Italian Seasoning - you should find this in the spice section at your grocery store.
- Red Pepper Flakes - this adds the perfect amount of spice. You can, of course, adjust by adding more or less to your liking.
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Crockpot Tuscan Chicken
- Make the sauce. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and garlic. Saute on medium heat until the garlic is translucent and lightly golden, or about 3-5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes*. Continue to cook and stir until all of the Parmesan cheese is melted, then remove from heat.
- Add the chicken. Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker, then add the cream sauce, spinach, Italian Seasoning, red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Stir until combined, then cover the slow cooker.
- Cook. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, or cook on high for about 3 hours. Check the internal temperature of the chicken to be sure it has reached 165 degrees F. in the thickest spots.
- Serve. Turn off the slow cooker and remove the cooked chicken. Slice or dice as desired, then add back to sauce and serve over rice, zoodles, cauliflower rice or your favorite pasta noodles. Enjoy!
*You can also blend the sun-dried tomatoes with the chicken broth so you don’t have any chunks.
How Long to Cook Chicken in the Crockpot
Generally speaking, it should take roughly 5-6 hours on low, or 3 hours on high, to cook 2 ½-3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot. The cooking time will always vary depending on how much is in the crockpot and what size crockpot you are using. That’s why you should always check the internal temperature of your chicken to make sure it has reached 165 degrees F.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken can be store in an airtight container (or freezer bags) for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: if frozen, transfer to the fridge overnight to thaw. To reheat in the microwave, warm on high for about 2-3 minutes, depending on how much you are heating at a time. You may also place in a baking dish, cover with foil and reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
What to Do with Leftovers
Making enough Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken to have leftovers is always a good idea. It stores well and tastes great in a variety of different ways. Besides simply reheating and serving with more pasta or rice, you can use in:
- Sandwiches - serve on a buttery toasted sandwich bun with melted mozzarella cheese.
- Salads - dice or slice chicken and add into your favorite green salad.
- Pizza - chop the chicken and veggies and serve on pizza dough with mozzarella cheese and your favorite sauce or pesto.
- Chicken Spaghetti- This is an easy way to use up those chicken leftovers too.
If you're looking for some Healthy Chicken Recipes, Be sure to check out my list here for some dinner inspiration. Or if you’re looking for some more inspiration, here’s another list of Healthy Dinner Recipes too.
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Tablespoons Garlic minced
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- ½ cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes (in Olive Oil) minced or thinly sliced
- 4 large Chicken Breasts boneless, skinless
- 2 cups Spinach fresh, roughly chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and garlic. Saute on medium heat until the garlic is translucent and lightly golden, or about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Continue to cook and stir until all of the Parmesan cheese is melted, then remove from heat.
- Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker, then add the cream sauce, spinach, Italian Seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir until combined, then cover the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours, or on high for about 3 hours. Check the internal temperature of the chicken to be sure it has reached 165 degrees F. in the thickest spots.
- Turn off the slow cooker and remove the chicken. Slice or dice as desired, then add back to sauce and serve over rice, zoodles, cauliflower rice or your favorite pasta noodles. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Here are some more tasty recipes made in the slow cooker that we love!
- Slow Cooker Kalua Pork
- White Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- Tortellini Pasta Bake
- Easy Crockpot Lasagna
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It looks and tastes impressive, but this Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken recipe is easy enough to make any night of the week. With just about 15 minutes of prep, the crockpot does most of the work. Trust us, you will love this recipe!
Jenn
The flavors here are out of this world! Love that I can add extra spinach (my fav!) and have a fuss free dinner for the family using the slow cooker! Thanks!
Liz
I've been looking for new ways to use my slow cooker so this is perfect! I know my mom is going to want this recipe, too!