Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken

This Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken is rich, cozy, and packed with tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, spinach, Parmesan, and a smooth cream sauce. Everything cooks together in the crockpot until the chicken is juicy and the sauce is full of savory Italian-style flavor.

It is an easy dinner for busy weeknights because most of the work happens in the slow cooker. Serve it over pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or with crusty bread to soak up every spoonful of the creamy sauce.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

The combination of creamy garlic sauce, salty Parmesan, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh spinach makes this dish taste much more involved than it really is. The chicken cooks gently in the sauce and stays tender, while the spinach is stirred in near the end so it keeps its color and texture.

You can also customize the recipe with mushrooms, extra garlic, bacon, or a little crushed red pepper for heat.

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, fully thawed and cut into large chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Ingredient Notes

Chicken: Chicken breasts work well, but boneless thighs are especially forgiving in the slow cooker and stay very juicy. Always start with fully thawed poultry.

Sun-dried tomatoes: Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes give the sauce a rich, slightly tangy flavor. Drain them before adding so the sauce does not become overly oily.

Heavy cream and cream cheese: These create the thick, silky texture. The cream cheese also helps stabilize the sauce.

Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly and provides better flavor than many pre-shredded varieties.

How to Make Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Lightly grease the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
Place the chicken pieces in the crockpot.
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt.
Add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
Pour in the chicken broth.
Add the cubed cream cheese over the top.
Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours or High for 2 to 3 hours.
Begin checking the chicken near the earlier end of the cooking range.
The chicken is ready when the thickest pieces reach at least 165°F.
Reduce the slow cooker to Low or Warm.
Stir in the heavy cream.
Add the Parmesan gradually, stirring until the sauce is smooth.
Fold in the fresh spinach.
Cover and let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the spinach is wilted.
Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper if needed.
Serve hot with parsley and extra Parmesan.

How to Keep the Sauce Smooth

For the best texture, add the heavy cream and Parmesan near the end rather than cooking them aggressively for several hours. High heat can sometimes cause dairy sauces to separate.

Once the chicken is cooked, reduce the slow cooker to Low or Warm and stir the cheese in gradually.

If the sauce becomes too thick, add warm chicken broth a few tablespoons at a time. If it is too thin, leave the lid slightly open for 10 minutes and let the sauce reduce.

How to Keep Chicken Tender

Chicken breasts can dry out if they stay in the slow cooker too long. Start checking them early and remove the dish from active cooking once the meat reaches 165°F.

If you prefer a more forgiving option, boneless chicken thighs work beautifully in this recipe.

Easy Variations

For mushroom Tuscan chicken, add eight ounces of sliced mushrooms at the beginning of cooking.

For bacon Tuscan chicken, stir in six slices of cooked, crumbled bacon just before serving.

For extra heat, increase the crushed red pepper flakes or add a spoonful of chili flakes.

For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, although the sauce will be thinner.

You can also add artichoke hearts for another savory Mediterranean-style variation.

What to Serve with Creamy Tuscan Chicken

This chicken is excellent over fettuccine, penne, or egg noodles because the pasta catches plenty of creamy sauce.

Mashed potatoes, white rice, risotto, cauliflower mash, or roasted potatoes also work well.

For something lighter, serve it with roasted broccoli, asparagus, green beans, or a crisp garden salad.

Warm garlic bread or crusty bread is especially good for soaking up the extra cream sauce.

Storage and Reheating

Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three to four days.

Reheat gently over low heat or in the microwave in short intervals until steaming hot. Avoid boiling the sauce because cream and Parmesan can separate under very high heat.

If the sauce thickens in the refrigerator, add a splash of chicken broth or cream while reheating.

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