Crockpot Marry Me Chicken
Slow cooker marry me chicken is an easy, mostly hands-off comfort food dinner made with chicken in a creamy Parmesan, garlic, and sun-dried tomato sauce. This family-friendly chicken dinner has tons of flavor that makes busy weeknights feel a little more special.
Servings 5
Calories 513kcal
Equipment
- Immersion Blender optional
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 4 teaspoons fresh garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- fresh basil optional for garnish
Instructions
Chicken
- Into the slow cooker, add the chicken, stock, garlic, seasonings, and butter.2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup chicken stock, 4 teaspoons fresh garlic, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the top of the chicken.1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours. (Alternatively, cook on HIGH for 3 hours).
Sauce
- 30 minutes before serving, remove the chicken to a plate and set aside while you finish the sauce.
- Warm the heavy cream in the microwave for 45 seconds, then stir it into the crockpot. (This helps to keep the cream from curdling.)1 cup heavy cream
- In a small bowl, combine cold water with the cornstarch to make a slurry. Slowly drizzle the slurry into the hot slow cooker. Stir in the cheese.1/2 cup cold water, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Return the chicken to the slow cooker, cover, and let the sauce and chicken rest for 10 minutes with the slow cooker on the WARM setting.1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- Serve with fresh basil, if desired, over pasta, rice, risotto, creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or with a side salad.
Notes
For best results, do not add the sauce ingredients until the last 30 minutes of cooking!
Do not dump dry cornstarch directly into your sauce. Mix it with cold water first, then stir the slurry into the hot liquid. Add the slurry gradually.
Ang’s Recipe Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken
- Use similarly sized chicken breasts so they cook at roughly the same rate.
- Freshly grated Parmesan is better than bagged shredded cheese, which often contains anti-caking ingredients that can keep it from melting smoothly.
- Taste before adding extra salt. Parmesan, stock, and sun-dried tomatoes can already bring plenty of salt.
- For extra flavor, add a spoonful of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar to the sauce.
- Keep the lid closed while the chicken cooks. Opening your slow cooker repeatedly releases heat.
- If your slow cooker runs hot, start checking the chicken earlier. Slow cookers can vary widely.
Recipe Variations
- Add in frozen baby spinach or kale with the chicken, or fresh baby spinach or kale after you add the cream. You can also stir in artichoke hearts or mushrooms if you like.
- Instead of heavy cream, use the same amount of light cream and add 1 tablespoon cream cheese.
- For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce in the crockpot before adding the chicken back. This usually results in a slightly thicker sauce because it incorporates the sun-dried tomatoes into the sauce.
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover chicken and sauce together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. (These are my favorite airtight containers.)
- For the best texture, reheat leftovers gently on the stovetop over low heat. Add a splash of chicken stock or cream if the sauce becomes too thick.
- You can also microwave individual portions. Use shorter intervals and stir between each to avoid overheating.
Cream sauces can separate when they get too hot, so reheat gently for the best results.
Nutrition
Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 736mg | Potassium: 1178mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1107IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 2mg
