Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Chicken (Printable)

Slow-cooked chicken breasts in tomato-basil sauce, creamy option; serve over rice, pasta or zucchini noodles.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

05 - 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional, for a creamier sauce)

→ Herbs & Seasonings

06 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped)
10 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 10-12 fresh basil leaves, roughly torn for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Lightly coat the interior of the slow cooker insert with olive oil to prevent sticking.
02 - Place the chicken breasts in a single layer across the bottom of the slow cooker.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine the diced tomatoes with their juices, chopped onion, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes if using. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken breasts.
04 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 6 to 8 hours, or on the high setting for 4 hours, until the chicken is fork-tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - If using heavy cream, stir it into the sauce during the last 10 minutes of cooking and allow it to gently incorporate.
06 - Transfer the chicken breasts to serving plates and spoon the tomato basil sauce generously over the top. Garnish with freshly torn basil leaves and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce practically builds itself while you are off living your life, and the chicken turns impossibly tender without any babysitting.
  • It is genuinely versatile enough to pair with pasta, rice, or vegetables, so it never gets boring no matter how often you repeat it.
02 -
  • Resist the urge to lift the lid and peek during cooking because each opening releases enough heat to add roughly thirty minutes to your total cook time.
  • If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, consider pounding them to an even thickness beforehand so the thinner ends do not dry out before the center finishes.
03 -
  • Dried basil works fine, but if you have fresh basil available add half during cooking and save the rest for garnish so you get both depth and brightness in the same dish.
  • A light dusting of Parmesan right at the end melts into the sauce and adds a salty umami kick that no one will guess came from such a simple step.

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