Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken

This is the slow cooker dinner I make when I want something that feels a bit special without a lot of effort. Rich, creamy, packed with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, the same combination that made Marry Me Chicken famous, and finished with parmesan and a little butter so the sauce ends up absolutely divine!

There are a few steps before the slow cooker lid goes on. They take about ten minutes but they are what makes this taste like more than just creamy chicken.

Why the steps before the slow cooker matter

Searing the chicken first. If you have time, do not skip this. The golden colour on the chicken and the browned bits left in the pan both add richness to the sauce, helping it taste deeper and more savoury. The slow cooker cannot create that on its own. Two to three minutes each side is all it takes.

A light dusting of flour on the chicken is optional but worth doing. It helps create extra golden colour in the pan and gives the finished sauce a slightly silkier texture.

Cooking the garlic in the sun-dried tomato oil. This does two things at once. The garlic infuses into the oil and the tomato oil adds another layer of flavour before anything else goes in.

Frying the tomato paste and herbs. Raw tomato paste stirred straight into a slow cooker can taste acidic and flat. A minute or two in the pan caramelises it slightly and removes that raw tinned tomato flavour. The paprika and herbs bloom in the oils at the same time.

No onion. I tested this several times with onion and decided to leave it out. It softened the overall flavour and competed with the garlic, parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes. Without it those flavours come through much more clearly.

About the cream and why it goes in at the end

Adding cream at the start of a slow cooker recipe is the most common mistake with dishes like this. During testing, cooking the cream for the full four to five hours made the sauce heavier and slightly flat. Adding it at the end with the parmesan and butter gives you a much smoother, fresher-tasting sauce that stays glossy rather than splitting or becoming dull.

The stock amount is also small for a reason. Chicken thighs release quite a lot of moisture as they cook. Too much liquid during testing made the sauce really thin and diluted the flavour.

Ingredient notes before you start

Chicken thighs stay tender and juicy through the full cooking time. I tested this with chicken breasts and while lovely thighs really are better. If you do use breasts, keep the pieces large and check from the four hour mark.

Sun-dried tomatoes should be the oil-packed jar variety. The oil is part of the recipe so the dry-packed version will not give you the same result.

Lemon juice here is optional but you will know if you make my slow cooker recipes I use it often to finish my dishes. Rich slow cooker sauces can taste slightly heavy once done because slow cooking softens acidity. A small squeeze at the end wakes everything up without making it taste lemony. Taste first and add from there.

What to serve with creamy Tuscan chicken

My preference is mashed potato or pappardelle. The sauce soaks in beautifully and it is hard to beat. I have also served leftovers over hot chips from the fish and chip shop which was such an easy delicious dinner!

Penne or rigatoni work well too, or rice for an easy weeknight option. Otherwise a simple green salad or steamed greens on the side with some crusty bread is so good.

Can I substitute the spinach

Spinach is the default addition here because it wilts in a few minutes and needs no preparation. It is the easiest option by a long way.

Silverbeet works well as a substitute. Remove the inner stem first and give it a little longer to wilt through.

Kale is firmer. Strip the leaves from the stems and give it two to three minutes in the sauce. The flavour is more earthy but it works.

How to make slow cooker creamy Tuscan chicken, step by step

Step 1 — Sear the chicken

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour if using. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and sear for two to three minutes each side until lightly golden. You are building colour and flavour here, not cooking it through. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Step 2 — Build the base in the pan

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the reserved sun-dried tomato oil and cook the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, oregano, thyme and chilli flakes and cook for one to two minutes until the paste deepens in colour and smells rich rather than raw. Add the Worcestershire sauce and stock, stirring to lift everything from the pan.

Step 3 — Into the slow cooker

Pour the pan mixture over the chicken. Scatter over the sun-dried tomatoes, cover and cook on LOW for four to five hours until the chicken is tender and pulls apart easily.

Step 4 — Thicken before finishing

Mix the cornflour with cold water until smooth. Stir into the slow cooker, cover and cook for a further ten to fifteen minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. This step before the cream goes in keeps the finished sauce smooth and glossy.

Step 5 — Finish the sauce

Stir in the cream, parmesan and butter until smooth and glossy. Add the spinach and stir gently until wilted. Taste and add a small squeeze of lemon juice if needed. Finish with fresh basil if using.

Storing and reheating

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The sauce thickens as it cools so add a small splash of cream or milk when reheating and stir well. Reheat gently until piping hot.

Freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Questions about this recipe

Is this the same as Marry Me Chicken? Very similar. Marry Me Chicken is a popular creamy chicken dish with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and parmesan that has taken off on social media in recent years. This slow cooker version uses the same core flavours but is adapted for the slow cooker with a few extra steps to build a properly developed sauce. If you have been searching for a slow cooker Marry Me Chicken recipe, this is the one to try.

Can I skip the searing step? Yes but the sauce will taste noticeably lighter. The searing is what separates this from a basic creamy chicken. If you are short on time it is the step most people skip, just know the sauce will taste lighter without it.

Can I use chicken breast? Yes. Keep the pieces large and check from the four hour mark. Breast has less margin for overcooking than thighs so pull it as soon as it is done.

Can I cook this on HIGH? Two and a half to three hours on HIGH will work. LOW gives a more tender result and a better developed sauce if you have the time.

My sauce looks thin. What do I do? Make sure the cornflour slurry has had the full ten to fifteen minutes to thicken before you add the cream. If it still needs help, mix another half teaspoon of cornflour with a teaspoon of cold water, stir through and give it another ten minutes.

Can I make this dairy free? I have not tested a dairy free version. A plant-based cream would be the closest substitute for the texture. Coconut cream would work but will change the flavour of the sauce.

Can I add capers or artichokes like some Marry Me Chicken versions? Yes. Capers stirred through at the end add a lovely briny note. Artichoke hearts from a jar work well added in the last hour of cooking.

More slow cooker chicken dinners worth trying

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken is the most popular recipe on this site. Rich, creamy and very good over rice.

Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken uses three mustards for a sauce that is sweet, tangy and well balanced. Really good over mashed potato.

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken if your family loves a sweet sticky sauce. No frying, very easy and ours never lasts long at the table.

Mexican Shredded Chicken A versatile weeknight dish that works in soft tacos, over rice or in a bowl with all the toppings.

Slow Cooker Tomato Chicken Curry sits somewhere between a butter chicken and a fresh tomato curry. A mild, comforting weeknight dinner that tastes even better the next day.

Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe

This one has become a regular in our house. Leave a comment below and let me know what you served it with and whether you added the lemon at the end.