Slow cooker creamy tomato basil chicken is tender chicken breast in a rich, rosy tomato cream sauce with garlic, Italian herbs and fresh basil stirred in at the end. It is a five-minute-prep dinner for busy weeknights, and it is at its best spooned over pasta or rice.
How to make slow cooker creamy tomato basil chicken: Put thawed chicken breasts, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours. Whisk heavy cream with cornstarch and stir it in for the last 30 minutes. Add fresh basil just before serving.
Why You’ll Love It
- Five minutes of prep. Everything but the cream and basil goes into the pot at once.
- Pantry cans. One can of diced tomatoes and one of tomato sauce make the base.
- A creamy finish. Heavy cream and a little cornstarch turn the tomatoes into a thick sauce.
- Feeds six. Five chicken breasts and plenty of sauce for pasta or rice.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken breasts. Five, boneless and skinless. Thaw them before they go into the slow cooker.
Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. One 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes and one 8-ounce can of tomato sauce.
Garlic and Italian seasoning. Two teaspoons of minced garlic and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning.
Salt and black pepper. One teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
Heavy cream. One cup. Use heavy cream, not a low-fat substitute. With acidic tomatoes, low-fat dairy has more tendency to curdle.
Cornstarch. One tablespoon, whisked into the cream to thicken the sauce.
Fresh basil. Two tablespoons, finely chopped, added at the end.
Ingredients
- 5 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and thawed
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 ounces)
- 1 can tomato sauce (8 ounces)
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
How to Make Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
1. Add the chicken and tomatoes. Put the thawed chicken breasts, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper in the slow cooker.
2. Cook covered. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.
3. Whisk the cream. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the heavy cream and cornstarch until smooth.
4. Finish the sauce. Stir the cream mixture into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Check that the chicken reaches 165°F with a food thermometer.
5. Add basil and serve. Stir in the finely chopped fresh basil just before serving. Serve warm over pasta or rice if you like.
When Should the Cream Go In?
In this recipe, at the end. The chicken and tomatoes cook by themselves first. The cream, whisked smooth with cornstarch, is stirred in for the last 30 minutes only.
That is this recipe’s method, not a law. You will find creamy tomato chicken recipes that put the cream in at the very start, and they are written to work that way. Do not mix the two approaches. Follow the timing of the recipe you are cooking.
| Ingredient | When it goes in |
|---|---|
| Chicken, tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, seasonings | At the start |
| Heavy cream whisked with cornstarch | The last 30 minutes of cooking |
| Fresh basil | Just before serving |
Whisk the cornstarch into the cold cream until no lumps are left before it goes near the pot. Then stir it through the hot sauce so it is spread evenly around the chicken.
Tips for Success
What are some common mistakes with slow cooker chicken?
Starting with frozen chicken and overcooking the breasts are the two to watch for. Thaw the chicken first, and check its temperature toward the early end of the cooking time so it does not dry out.
How do I know the chicken is done?
A food thermometer in the thickest part of a breast reads 165°F. Go by that reading, not by the hours alone.
Can I use a lighter cream?
Heavy cream is what the recipe calls for. Low-fat dairy is more likely to curdle against the tomatoes. Evaporated milk is the other dairy that is recommended with acidic tomatoes, though this recipe is written for heavy cream.
When does the basil go in?
At the very end. Stir the chopped fresh basil into the sauce just before you serve it.
LOW or HIGH?
Either: 4 to 6 hours on LOW or 3 hours on HIGH. In both cases the cream goes in for the final 30 minutes.
How to Serve It
Serve the chicken and sauce warm over pasta or over rice. Neither is in the ingredient list, so cook the amount your family eats while the cream is finishing in the pot. Leave the breasts whole or slice them, and spoon plenty of sauce over the top.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and to use them within 3 to 4 days. The general freezer time for leftovers is 3 to 4 months, but FSIS notes that cream sauces may separate after freezing, so the texture may change.
Reheat leftovers to 165°F on the stove, in the microwave or in the oven. Do not reheat them in the slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
If creamy slow cooker chicken is a hit at your house, try slow cooker creamy ranch chicken or creamy crockpot chicken spaghetti next. For the stovetop and oven, there is creamy garlic chicken, oven baked 3-ingredient creamy chicken and the creamy chicken rice casserole. For the simplest pot of all, make 4-ingredient slow cooker chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients for creamy tomato basil chicken?
Chicken breasts, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, heavy cream, cornstarch and fresh basil.
How do I make creamy chicken in a slow cooker?
Cook the chicken in its sauce first, then stir in heavy cream whisked with cornstarch for the last 30 minutes.
Can I put frozen chicken in the slow cooker?
No. Thaw poultry before it goes into a slow cooker.
How many does it serve?
Six.
Final Notes
I set a timer for 30 minutes before the end so I do not forget the cream, and I chop the basil while it finishes. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
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Ingredients
- 5 chicken breasts boneless, skinless and thawed
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14 ounces
- 1 can tomato sauce 8 ounces
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil finely chopped
Instructions
- Put the thawed chicken breasts, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the heavy cream and cornstarch until smooth.
- Stir the cream mixture into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Check that the chicken reaches 165°F with a food thermometer.
- Stir in the finely chopped fresh basil just before serving. Serve warm over pasta or rice if you like.
