Crockpot Marry Me Chicken
Crockpot Marry Me Chicken combines tender chicken in a creamy sauce full of sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. It’s a fancy dish that even the kids will eat and ask for seconds. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and the leftovers reheat beautifully! The slow cooker does most of the work and it’s ready in 4 to 6 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high. The recipe uses simple ingredients with minimal prep. Serve it over rice, angel hair pasta, or with a salad for a full meal.
Chicken can get pretty boring when you’re trying to think of dinner. Am I right? How about something new the whole family will love?
Tender chicken in creamy sun-dried tomato sauce sounds like something I can get behind. A fancy dish on a regular Tuesday that’s not too hard to make. It’s also great for those romantic dinners with your special someone.
Don’t worry if you’re super busy like me, the slow cooker handles everything!
Serve it with some Italian green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts, an easy salad, and some garlic knots to soak up any extra sauce you have on the plate.
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Instead of using boneless skinless chicken breasts, try boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenders.
- Heavy Cream: Substitute with half-and-half, coconut milk, or evaporated milk.
- Parmesan Cheese: Try using Pecorino Romano, Asiago, or Grana Padano.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Substitute them with roasted cherry tomatoes, diced fresh tomatoes, or roasted red peppers.
- Chicken broth: Swap out for chicken stock or vegetable broth.
- Spices: Italian Seasoning and red pepper flakes. You can also use equal parts oregano, basil, and rosemary in a pinch.
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How To Make Crockpot Marry Me Chicken
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large, oven safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Cook the chicken breasts for roughly 5 minutes on one side to brown it. Flip and brown the other side for a couple of minutes more. Remove and place in the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, add the cornstarch. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth to make a slurry. Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, heavy cream, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Fourth: Pour this mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 2 ½ – 3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours.
- When it’s done cooking, spoon the sauce over the chicken to coat them.
- Sprinkle with cheese and stir to mix. Garnish and serve.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage
Refrigerator: Cool completely and store and leftovers in airtight container in fridge up to 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze in airtight, freezer safe container up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating.
How to Reheat
Stovetop (Best Method):
Place the chicken in a skillet or saucepan. Heat over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of chicken broth or water if the sauce needs thinning. Cook until warmed through.
Microwave (Quick Method):
Reheat individual portions in a microwave safe dish. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and heat on medium power in 1 minute intervals, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Oven (Large Portions):
Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer the chicken to a oven safe dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Heat 20 to 30 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly heated.
Pro tip: The stovetop method keeps the sauce the creamiest and prevents the chicken from drying out the best.
Variations
Different Proteins:
- Chicken tenders (use unbreaded ones, these cook faster)
- Chicken cutlets (thinner, quicker cooking)
- Chicken thighs (juicier, more flavor, longer cook time)
- Boneless skinless works the best in my opinion.
Add Vegetables:
- Sliced bell peppers add more color.
- Mushrooms add some earthiness. Cook beforehand or use canned ones.
- Fresh spinach add color. Stir in at the end.
- Cherry tomatoes are great but I roast these ahead of time so they’re not watery.
Spice It Up:
- Add cayenne pepper for heat
- More red pepper flakes for extra kick
- Chipotle powder for a smoky flavor.
Why Slow Cooker Makes This Easy
- Minimal prep. You can brown the chicken if you want. (it adds flavor but is optional). Or dump everything in and turn on the crockpot.
- Slow cooker does the work. No hovering over the stove. No stirring every few minutes. Less clean up. You can set it and forget it!
- Great for busy nights. Prep in the morning, come home to dinner ready! Perfect for working parents.
- Kids actually eat it. The creamy sauce, and tender chicken are favorites and it’s not too spicy.
- Fancy without effort. It tastes like you spent hours when you didn’t. Use a crockpot liner for easier cleanup.
Marry Me Chicken Versions
I love these flavors so much I’ve made multiple versions:
- Skillet Marry Me Chicken: A delicious one pan meal! It’s faster than the crockpot and ready in 30 minutes.
- Marry Me Chicken and Tortellini: I’m a sucker for pasta with my chicken so this version has my heart.
- Marry Me Chicken Soup: All those same yummy flavors but in soup form. Comforting, cozy, perfect for cold nights. I eat soup all year long!
- Crockpot Marry Me Chicken (this recipe!): An easy slow cooker version. Set it and forget it, and dinner is ready when you are.
Pick your favorite! They all feature that creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with Parmesan cheese but ready to fit your cooking style and time crunches.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, but it adds extra flavor and texture. If you’re short on time, you can skip this step and it’s still delicious!
Yes! Chicken thighs stay juicier and are more flavorful and are a more budget friendly option.
You can swap in equal parts of oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary.
Make a cornstarch slurry and add a little at a time to the warm sauce in the crockpot.
Sure! You can add bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and squash if you like. You might need to cook the some vegetables ahead of time to release some water or your sauce will be runny.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Brown the chicken first: Sear or brown it before transferring to the slow cooker for extra flavor and texture. It’s optional but highly recommended.
- Spice it up: Add cayenne pepper or more red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Protein options: Use chicken tenders, cutlets, or thighs instead of breasts.
- Add vegetables: Sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, or spinach add color and more veggies.
- Thicken sauce: Add a little cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken a thin sauce.
- Fresh herbs: Garnish at the end of cooking with freshly chopped basil or parsley for color.
- Stir in Parmesan at end: When you’re ready to serve, stir in the Parmesan cheese. It adds tons more flavor and who doesn’t love extra cheese?!?!
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Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ⅔ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped or sliced thin
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- In a large, oven safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken breasts and cook for roughly 5 minutes on one side to brown it. Flip and brown the other side for an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breasts and place in the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, add the cornstarch, slow whisk in the chicken broth to make a slurry. Pouring the liquid into the cornstarch helps keep the lumps to a minimum.
- Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, heavy cream, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Pour this mixture over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 ½ – 3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours.
- When ready, stir in the parmesan cheese.
- Serve with rice, angel hair pasta, or a mixed green salad.
- Garnish with sliced fresh basil or chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Brown the chicken first: Sear or brown it before transferring to the slow cooker for extra flavor and texture. It’s optional but highly recommended.
- Spice it up: Add cayenne pepper or more red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Protein options: Use chicken tenders, cutlets, or thighs instead of breasts.
- Add vegetables: Sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, or spinach add color and more veggies.
- Thicken sauce: Add a little cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken a thin sauce.
- Fresh herbs: Garnish at the end of cooking with freshly chopped basil or parsley for color.
- Stir in Parmesan at end: When you’re ready to serve, stir in the Parmesan cheese. It adds tons more flavor and who doesn’t love extra cheese?!?!
Nutrition
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