Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken (Printable version)

Tender slow-cooked Tuscan chicken in a creamy sun-dried tomato and spinach sauce—easy, low-carb comfort for weeknights.

# What you need:

→ Meats

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup fresh baby spinach, packed
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced

→ Dairy

06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Liquids

09 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (or a mix of oregano, basil, and thyme)
11 - ½ teaspoon paprika
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To:

01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides generously with salt, freshly ground black pepper, paprika, and dried Italian herbs.
02 - Scatter the finely chopped onion, minced garlic, and sliced sun-dried tomatoes across the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
03 - Lay the seasoned chicken breasts on top of the vegetable mixture in an even layer.
04 - Pour the chicken broth and heavy cream over the chicken breasts. Dot the surface with pieces of unsalted butter.
05 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 4 to 6 hours, or until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
06 - About 20 minutes before serving, add the packed baby spinach and grated Parmesan cheese to the slow cooker. Stir gently to wilt the spinach and blend the cheese into the creamy sauce.
07 - Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Transfer the chicken breasts to serving plates and spoon the creamy Tuscan sauce generously over the top.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce practically makes itself in the slow cooker, thick and golden without a single whisk or roux.
  • Sun dried tomatoes infuse every bite with a tangy richness that tastes like you spent all day cooking.
  • It is genuinely beginner friendly, you season, you layer, you walk away, and dinner is done.
02 -
  • Do not lift the lid during cooking to peek, every time you do heat escapes and adds roughly 30 minutes to the cook time.
  • If the sauce seems thin at the end, let the slow cooker run uncovered on high for 15 minutes to reduce and thicken.
  • Chicken thighs work beautifully if you prefer darker meat, they actually stay even juicier through the long cook.
03 -
  • Let the finished dish rest for five minutes before serving, the sauce thickens as it cools slightly and clings to the chicken much better.
  • A splash of dry white wine added with the broth adds an incredible layer of flavor that people will notice but never quite be able to identify.