- We Learned to Cook
Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken
This Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken is the perfect union of creamy, delicious flavors. Sun dried tomatoes, paprika, garlic and heavy cream are just a few of the ingredients that'll have you renewing your vows with this recipe time after time!
The slow cooker can be dangerous. Especially if you work from home. This recipe falls smack dab in the slow cooker danger zone. Why? Honestly because the smell will make you hungry ALL DAY LONG! When we make this dish we're always chomping at the bit to eat dinner since we've had to smell the delicious flavors slow cooking all afternoon. Even the kids ask to eat dinner early when we make this recipe.
Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken is a delicious twist on traditional Marry Me Chicken (which you should totally try) but it's designed to be a dump-and-go meal. You can meal prep this dish on the weekend, thaw it out in on a weekday morning and dump it in the slow cooker after lunch.
This recipe turns out best when cooked on low for 4-5 hours, depending on how much chicken you're using. If you're in a hurry, you can cook on high for 2-3 hours, but slower is always better to make the chicken tender and juicy.
One of the ingredients that make this meal stand out are the sun dried tomatoes. We buy bottled, julienne cut sun dried tomatoes from the grocery store. If you don't like the julienne cut you can get them halved as well, which makes for a beautiful presentation. Either way they steal the show as far as flavor in this dish.
Heavy cream is the other ingredient that really makes Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken special. It makes for a thick, creamy sauce that coats every bite and balances the flavor from the sun dried tomatoes, garlic and Italian spices.
Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken can be eaten as a stand-alone dish or served over virtually any pasta, including spaghetti noodles, linguini, fettuccini or even gnocchi. We made this dish recently and served it over steamed white rice with great results.
Our recipe calls for the chicken breasts to be cooked and served whole. But feel free to skip the pan searing step and just dump the chicken into the slow cooker with the sauce. When the cooking time is up the chicken breasts will shred like butter!
What we like about this recipe!
Nicole - I'm a huge fan of Italian food. This dish reminds me of our honeymoon in Rome. The authentic Italian flavors always take me back to the rich, flavorful dinners we enjoyed each night on that trip.
Mike - I love how hearty and flavorful this recipe is. The sun dried tomatoes give the chicken a flavor that's not found in many other slow cooker chicken meals.
Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
How to make Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken.
Finely chop all 4 cloves of garlic.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Sear the chicken breasts in a non-stick frying pan for 1-2 minutes per side. (You can skip this step if you're going to shred the chicken at the end.)
Place seared chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Add all ingredients except the Parmesan cheese.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Add Parmesan cheese 30 minutes before serving.
Serve as a stand alone dish or over pasta, rice or your starch of choice.
Garnish with parsley and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
If you're in a hurry, you can skip pan searing the chicken breasts and just shred them with a fork when the cook time is complete.
Make certain you're using heavy cream. Light cream or half and half won't thicken the sauce enough and you'll end up with a soupy dish.
You can dredge your chicken in a seasoned flour mixture before you sear it in the pan to form a thin crust.
If your sauce is too rich, try adding some lemon juice. You'll be surprised at how much a little citrus flavor can add to this dish.
FAQs
What should I serve with Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken? The options are virtually endless. This dish is often served over pasta, but can be served over rice, mashed potatoes or veggies.
How long will Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken last in the refrigerator? This dish will last up to 3 days refrigerated. Just make sure you store it in an airtight container.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Absolutely! Just make sure to get boneless, skinless chicken thighs and increase the cooking time since the thighs take a bit longer than the breasts.
