Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Chicken (Printable)

Slow-cooked chicken breasts in a tomato-basil sauce, ready for rice, pasta, or zucchini noodles.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Vegetables

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

→ Dairy

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

→ Herbs & Seasonings

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

# Directions:

01 - Lightly coat the inside of the slow cooker with olive oil to prevent sticking.
02 - Place the chicken breasts in a single layer at the bottom of the slow cooker.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine the diced tomatoes with 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 and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - If a creamier sauce is desired, stir in the heavy cream during the last 10 minutes of cooking and allow it to warm through.
06 - Transfer the chicken breasts to plates and spoon the tomato basil sauce over the top. Garnish with freshly torn basil leaves.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce basically builds itself while you go about your day, and you come home to something that tastes like it took hours of hands on work.
  • It is genuinely difficult to mess this up, which makes it perfect for those evenings when you barely have the energy to stand at the stove.
02 -
  • Resist the urge to lift the lid and peek during cooking because every lift adds roughly 15 to 20 minutes to your cook time.
  • If your chicken breasts are very thick, consider pounding them slightly so they cook evenly and absorb more sauce flavor.
03 -
  • Let the finished dish rest for about 5 minutes before serving so the sauce has time to settle and thicken slightly on its own.
  • If you want a thicker sauce without cream, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes and let some of the liquid cook off naturally.

Go Back