Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Chicken (Print Version)
Juicy chicken simmered in tomato and basil sauce, cooked low-and-slow for effortless weeknight meals.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
→ 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 a creamier sauce)
→ Herbs and Seasonings
06 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon 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 olive oil
12 - 10-12 fresh basil leaves, roughly torn (for garnish)
# How-To Steps:
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 their juices, chopped onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes if using. Pour the sauce 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 using heavy cream, stir it into the sauce during the last 10 minutes of cooking and allow it to warm through.
06 - Transfer the chicken breasts to serving plates, spoon the tomato basil sauce over the top, and garnish with freshly torn basil leaves.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce practically builds itself while you are off doing literally anything else.
- It tastes like you stood over a stove for hours even though the slow cooker did every bit of the work.
02 -
- Opening the slow cooker lid repeatedly adds about 15 minutes of cooking time each time because all the trapped heat escapes.
- Chicken breasts can dry out if left too long on the high setting so check at the 4 hour mark to be safe.
03 -
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness before adding it to the slow cooker so everything finishes at exactly the same time.
- Reserve a few tablespoons of the tomato liquid before cooking to deglaze the slow cooker insert if anything sticks.