Description
This Crock Pot Marry Me Chicken recipe features tender, seasoned chicken breasts slow-cooked in a creamy, garlicky sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. It’s an easy, comforting dish perfect for a hassle-free dinner with rich flavors and a velvety texture.
Ingredients
Scale
For the chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
For the sauce:
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ⅓ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, drained
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the seasoning: In a small bowl, combine ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to create the seasoning mix. Season both sides of the 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts evenly with this mix.
- Sear the chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Once the butter melts, sear the chicken breasts on both sides until golden brown. Remove the pan from heat but keep the butter and oil mixture in the pan; set the chicken aside. Note that the chicken is not fully cooked in this step.
- Mix the broth and cornstarch: In a bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups chicken broth and 3 tablespoons cornstarch until smooth and free of lumps.
- Combine sauce ingredients: Add the cornstarch mixture to the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Whisk in 1 cup heavy cream, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon paprika until well incorporated.
- Add chicken and toppings: Place the seared chicken breasts into the slow cooker and pour the reserved olive oil and butter from the skillet over the chicken. Top each chicken breast with the chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Avoid opening the lid during cooking to maintain temperature and tenderness. If chicken breasts are very large, the long cooking time ensures they become tender without drying out.
- Finish the sauce and serve: Remove the chicken breasts briefly and whisk ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese into the sauce in the slow cooker until melted and smooth. Return the chicken back into the sauce, sprinkle the chopped fresh basil over the top, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Do not cook on high to prevent the sauce from scorching or curdling. If short on time, try the stovetop version of Marry Me Chicken.
- If your slow cooker runs hot and tends to boil, add the heavy cream during the last 30 minutes of cooking to prevent curdling.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Adjust seasoning and red pepper flakes based on your heat preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
