Sun dried tomato crockpot chicken is a creamy slow cooker dish of seared chicken breasts simmered in chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, and chopped sun dried tomatoes, often called marry me chicken for its rich, romantic sauce. It takes ten minutes to prepare, cooks for four hours, and serves four.
The tomatoes turn the cream a soft rosy color and add a sweet, tangy depth, the garlic gives savory warmth, and the long, gentle heat leaves the chicken tender enough to cut with a fork. The sauce is made for dipping, so serve it over pasta, rice, or with warm bread to catch every drop.
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What Makes Sun Dried Tomato Crockpot Chicken Special
Six ingredients make a rich cream sauce in the slow cooker.
Sun dried tomatoes add concentrated sweetness and tang.
The sauce is thick enough to coat pasta, rice, or potatoes.
What Goes into Sun Dried Tomato Crockpot Chicken
- The chicken is sixteen ounces of boneless, skinless breasts, seasoned with a half teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of black pepper.
- The sauce is one cup of chicken broth, one cup of heavy cream, four minced garlic cloves, and a half cup of chopped sun dried tomatoes, with a teaspoon of Italian seasoning if you like.
Chicken breasts. They cook gently and soak up the sauce.
Heavy cream. It makes the sauce rich and silky.
Chicken broth. It gives savory depth.
Sun dried tomatoes. They add sweetness and tang.
Garlic. It adds a bold aroma.
How to Make Sun Dried Tomato Crockpot Chicken
1. Sear. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear it in a hot skillet for three minutes per side until browned.
2. Mix the sauce. Stir the broth, cream, garlic, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning in the crockpot.
3. Add the chicken. Set the seared chicken in the sauce and spoon some over the top.
4. Cook. Cover and cook on high for four hours or on low for six to seven hours, until the chicken reaches 165 F.
5. Serve. Stir the sauce, shred or slice the chicken, and serve over pasta or rice.
Sear the chicken first if you have five extra minutes. The browned crust adds a deeper flavor to the sauce, and the pan drippings can be scraped up with a splash of broth and poured into the crockpot. Skipping the sear still gives a good dish, only a little paler.
Add the cream at the start only if your cooker runs low and slow. In a hot cooker, cream can separate, so stir it in during the last thirty minutes if your lid sits tight. If the sauce looks thin at the end, simmer it on high with the lid off for fifteen minutes.
Serving Ideas for Sun Dried Tomato Crockpot Chicken
Serve the chicken over buttered pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes, with crusty bread to mop up the sauce and a green salad. For more creamy slow cooker chicken, try crockpot chicken alfredo, crockpot cream cheese chicken alfredo, slow cooker chicken spinach pasta, or garlic parmesan crockpot chicken potatoes.
Tips and Variations for Sun Dried Tomato Crockpot Chicken
Flag the allergens. This dish contains milk in the cream, so check every label on the broth and tomatoes.
Do not taste raw juices. Do not taste sauce that touched raw chicken, and wash your hands, board, and tools after handling it.
Check the temperature. Chicken is safe at 165 F, so use a thermometer in the thickest piece.
Drain the tomatoes. Oil packed ones add extra fat.
Add parmesan. A handful stirred in thickens the sauce.
Use fresh basil. Add it at the end.
Slice thin. Thin slices soak up more sauce.
Check trusted guidance. Read the FDA safe food handling guidance for cooking and holding poultry safely.
For a spicier version, add a pinch of chili flakes to the sauce. For a lighter one, replace half the cream with whole milk, though the sauce will be thinner. A spoonful of tomato paste deepens the color and flavor, and a squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the cream.
You can use chicken thighs, which stay juicier and cook the same time on low. If you only have large breasts, slice them in half horizontally so they cook evenly. Add a handful of fresh spinach in the last ten minutes for a green boost and a little more color in the sauce.
Making Sun Dried Tomato Crockpot Chicken Ahead
Store leftovers in an airtight container with the sauce in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of broth, since cream sauces can separate at high heat. You can mix the sauce ingredients a day ahead, and freeze the cooked chicken in its sauce for up to two months.
Questions About Sun Dried Tomato Crockpot Chicken
Why is sun dried tomato crockpot chicken called marry me chicken?
The creamy sauce is so rich that it is said to inspire proposals.
Can you make sun dried tomato crockpot chicken ahead of time?
Yes. It reheats well from the refrigerator.
Can you freeze sun dried tomato crockpot chicken?
Yes, for up to two months, though the cream may separate.
Can I use milk instead of cream?
The sauce will be thinner and may curdle.
Do I need to sear the chicken?
No, but it adds flavor.
Sun Dried Tomato Crockpot Chicken
Equipment
- Crockpot
- Skillet
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 16 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
Cooking
- Sear. Sear the seasoned chicken 3 minutes per side.
- Mix. Stir the broth, cream, garlic, tomatoes, and seasoning in the crockpot.
- Add. Set the chicken in the sauce.
- Cook. Cook on high 4 hours to 165 F.
- Serve. Stir the sauce and serve over pasta or rice.
