Creamy Crockpot Tomato Basil Chicken for Busy Nights
Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Chicken is an easy dinner for busy weeknights. Tender chicken breasts cook slowly in a creamy tomato basil sauce. The recipe needs only a handful of simple ingredients.
It is mostly hands-off and takes little prep. Tomato pasta sauce and diced tomatoes create a rich base. Cream adds a smooth and comforting texture. Fresh basil brings a bright flavor to every bite. You can also use basil pesto when fresh basil is hard to find. You can serve this crockpot chicken over spaghetti for a hearty meal.
A simple side salad works well too. This creamy chicken recipe is perfect for families. It is flavorful, filling, and easy to customize. Just check the chicken temperature before serving for juicy and perfectly cooked results.
Chicken is such a versatile protein, so we always have a stash in the freezer!
This slow cooker chicken recipe comes together in no time with just a handful of ingredients that we usually have on hand — which makes it a win in my books!
The creamy tomato flavor combo is always a hit, and we love this chicken over a plate of spaghetti, but it can really be a stand-alone meal with a side salad if that’s your thing!
Why we love this Slow Cooker Chicken Breast recipe:
- Real-life recipe: it’s easy to prep, mostly hands-off, and the family loves. We all need more of that!
- Slow cooker win: with a lot of slow cooker recipes, I find you sacrifice either flavor or texture or both. With this chicken, you dump and go, and the sauce is the perfect consistency when it’s done, and the flavor is awesome!
- Quick to prep: being a dump-and-go slow cooker, you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen, which is a plus on busy weeknights!
Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Chicken Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts: we always use chicken breasts for this recipe, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs would also work well. If you choose bone-in chicken, the cook time will increase significantly.
- Tomato pasta sauce: this is simply a tomato sauce that you would use on pasta with herbs and seasonings, i.e., a marinara or something similar. This is not tomato paste. Choose your favorite well-seasoned brand!
- Diced tomatoes: If you don’t like the chunks of tomato, you can sub this out with an additional cup of tomato pasta sauce.
- Garlic and seasonings: I’ve kept things simple, but feel free to experiment if you prefer. Add some red pepper flakes if you like things spicy!
- Cream: I recommend heavy cream or evaporated milk in this recipe. I find that they have the lowest chance of curdling when cooked with the acidic tomatoes. I do not recommend low-fat cream or milk, but you are always welcome to try!
- Corn starch: A little corn starch helps to thicken our sauce. You can swap this out with flour if you don’t have any.
- Fresh basil: Fresh basil can be hard to find in the cooler months. Basil pesto is my favorite swap because it adds more of that fresh flavor than dried basil.
How to make Creamy Tomato Basil Crockpot Chicken Breast:
This is a simple overview to help guide you! Scroll down to find the detailed recipe in the pink recipe card.
- Stir together sauce, tomatoes, and herbs.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the cream.
- Add the cream to the slow cooker and stir.
- Add the uncooked chicken and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
How long to cook chicken breasts in the crockpot?
Not overcooking slow cooker chicken breasts is the key to having juicy and flavorful chicken.
I usually recommend 3 hours on low — this might be a little less if your chicken breasts are small or a little more if your chicken breasts are large.
If you’re cooking on high, check the internal temperature at 2-2.5 hours and add time as needed.
Can I use half and half or milk?
Low-fat dairy has more of a tendency to curdle.
For that reason, with the addition of the tomatoes and the long cook time, I prefer not to take the chance. My exception is low-fat evaporated milk, which I find works really well in slow cooker recipes.
You are always welcome to try it!
What kind of tomato pasta sauce do I need?
Choose your favorite brand of tomato-based pasta sauce, i.e., marinara sauce or something similar.
You’re looking for a relatively smooth and well-seasoned tomato sauce, rather than a can of plain crushed tomatoes.
Tips for making this slow cooker chicken recipe:
- Don’t overcook it — I find 3 hours is plenty for the usual size of my chicken breasts. I recommend checking the temperature at 2.5 hours for smaller breasts and 3 hours for larger breasts, and adding time as needed.
- I made this recipe in a 4-quart slow cooker — if you want to double it, I suggest a 6-quart slow cooker (I have both, and use them for different things!).
- I really, really love using slow cooker liners. I will gladly pay the 50 cents or whatever they cost to not have to wash that beast!
- Please always, always check the temperature of your chicken with a meat thermometer before serving, just to be safe! All slow cookers cook differently.
Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs with juice (14oz or 398ml)
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Add the tomatoes, sauce, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, basil, and pepper to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and cornstarch and add to the slow cooker.
- Add the chicken and press down into the sauce.
- Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Stir in the basil, taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve with the Parmesan.
Notes
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Chicken: This recipe will also work with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or try it with chicken meatballs, sausages, or another cut for something unique!
- Tomato pasta sauce: choose any tomato marinara-style sauce you like. The more flavor in the pasta sauce, the more flavor your chicken will have.
- Diced tomatoes: if you don’t like the chunks of diced tomatoes, I recommend just swapping with additional tomato sauce.
- Cream or evaporated milk: Heavy cream or evaporated milk works best because it doesn't curdle. Please do not use regular milk or a light cream.
- Herbs & seasonings: Feel free to adjust the herbs and seasonings to your tastes. Like it spicy? Add some cayenne or red pepper flakes!
- Fresh basil: We make this recipe all year round, but fresh basil can be impossible to find. I like to swap with basil pesto for that fresh basil flavor.