Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken in rich tomato basil sauce with Italian herbs. Easy, comforting meal ready when you are.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1.5–2 lbs)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Sauce

04 - 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
05 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
06 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
07 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1 teaspoon sugar
12 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
15 - ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half

→ To Serve

16 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Generously season both sides of each chicken breast with salt and black pepper, ensuring even coverage for maximum flavor penetration.
02 - Place the seasoned chicken breasts in a single layer at the bottom of your slow cooker, avoiding overlap for uniform cooking.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chopped onion, minced garlic, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, sugar, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
04 - Pour the tomato mixture evenly over the chicken breasts, ensuring each piece is well-coated with the aromatic sauce.
05 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 6 hours or HIGH setting for 4 hours, until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F and becomes fork-tender.
06 - During the final 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the chopped fresh basil and heavy cream (if using) to create a rich, velvety sauce consistency.
07 - Taste the sauce and add additional salt or pepper if desired to balance the flavors.
08 - Plate the chicken with generous sauce, garnish with additional fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan. Accompany with rice, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The chicken becomes impossibly tender, practically shredding at the mere mention of a fork
  • Your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day
  • The sauce develops a depth that tastes like it simmered all afternoon on the stove
02 -
  • The cream should be stirred in during the last 30 minutes, otherwise it can separate and look curdled
  • Chicken thighs work beautifully here and stay even juicier through the long cooking process
  • The sauce will look quite thin initially but thickens beautifully as it reduces in the slow cooker
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving so the juices redistribute
  • Always add basil last because prolonged heat turns it bitter and brown

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