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This super simple recipe for Crockpot Pesto Chicken only requires two ingredients – pesto and chicken. For this recipe you can use a favorite store-bought pesto or make your own at home.
A Quick Look: Crockpot Pesto Chicken
- Cooking time: Under 5 minutes of prep time and 3-4 hours in the slow cooker.
- Servings – This will serve 4 people as a main dish, or more with pasta.
- Ingredients: Only chicken and pesto! With just two ingredients, this recipe is budget-friendly and affordable.
- When to serve: A high protein meal for weeknights.
- Dietary information: This recipe fits a Heal Your Headache diet and Mediterranean diet, low carb and keto friendly, as well as gluten free and dairy free with edits.
- Why you’ll love it: Pesto chicken in the crockpot is one of those recipes you save for busy weeknights or days you don’t feel like cooking. The chicken infuses with the garlic and herbs as it cooks, and the sauce leftover is flavorful and perfect over pasta.
Serve this alongside pasta tossed with the leftover sauce, Boursin mashed potatoes, or roasted mashed cauliflower for a low carb option. You can make this all from scratch with my sunflower seed pesto.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Only two ingredients are needed for this slow cooker pesto chicken!
- Chicken – I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts that were about 1 1/2 inches thick. You can also use bone-in chicken breasts but they will take a bit longer to cook. Boneless chicken thighs will work as well.
- Pesto – Homemade or store-bought will work for this recipe. I either use the homemade pesto with sunflower seeds or my pepita pesto from page 76 in my cookbook The Dizzy Cook.
Recipe Variations
- Dairy free – Use a pesto without parmesan like Le Grand.
- Creamy – Add 1/3 cup of heavy cream in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Migraine diet – it can be tricky to locate one without parmesan cheese. Sometimes I like to use Le Grand, which can be found at Whole Foods. But for those who are citrus-sensitive, you will need to do a homemade version.
Step by Step Process
Step 1: Place the chicken in the slow cooker and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
Step 2: Cover the chicken completely with 1 cup of pesto, spreading around the bottom and sides.
Step 3: Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 3-4 hours on low heat, or about 2-3 on high heat. For shredded pesto chicken, cook for longer until the chicken shreds easily – closer to 4 hours. As you can see, the color will brown a bit from oxidation. Don’t worry – we fix this!
Step 4: Add about 1/2 cup of pesto to the top of the chicken to brighten the green color and add more flavor! Top with fresh basil, if desired.
Why Does The Pesto Turn Brown in the Crockpot?
As the pesto cooks, the bright green color will dull quite a bit, or even become dark and brown. Basil oxidizes as it’s exposed to heat and air, which can happen with slow cooking because of the longer cooking time. I’ve tested this recipe many times and it doesn’t affect the flavor, but it does make the recipe visually look less appealing (as you can see in step 3). We fix this by adding more pesto to the top once the chicken has cooked through.
Slow Cooker Tips
Crockpot is just a brand name for a slow cooker, but there are many different types that can be good! For this recipe I used a 6 quart crockpot. Here are a few tips.
- Low heat – I highly recommend cooking the pesto chicken on low heat, which will produce a more tender chicken. On high heat, it does tend to get a bit rubbery. However, I have fully enjoyed both ways for dinner. Sometimes just having dinner on the table is the best thing.
- Cooking time will vary texture – The longer this cooks, the more easily shredded it will be – so around 3-4 hours. This recipe is also very good as tender, shredded chicken over rice. But if you want to serve it as a whole chicken, go with the shorter cooking time and check it. Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, which you can check with a meat thermometer.
- Do not use the slow cooker setting on the instant pot pressure cooker unless you’re extremely familiar with it. The instant pot slow cooker function is NOT the same as a crockpot. It only heats from the bottom versus heating from all sides. and therefore can produce disappointing results. I have not tested this recipe in the instant pot yet, so give me your feedback if you try it!
- Slow cookers heat differently. The first few times you use it, you’ll know if yours cooks slow or fast. It’s the same as an oven, some run a little warm. Unfortunately unlike an oven, there’s no way to check the temperature without making a few recipes. I’ve had this pesto chicken recipe take around 2 hours to be fully cooked on low heat, but generally 3 hours is standard.
Serving Suggestions
This pesto chicken is best served with something to soak up the sauce. I have a few of my favorite suggestions below.
- Most delicious – Try easy mashed potatoes or pasta for the best results. You can keep the chicken breast whole, or use it shredded as pictured below. For a more creamy pasta, pair with this Boursin cheese pasta, mascarpone pasta, or cream cheese pasta.
- Low carb – Pair the chicken on top of roasted mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice.
- Extra quick – Use microwavable rice packets – either brown or white rice.
- Garlic bread is always a great idea! This would pair really well with my whipped ricotta dip.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs for this pesto chicken recipe. I find chicken breasts that are thicker take a bit longer to cook than boneless chicken thighs, which take about 2 hours on low in my slow cooker.
The pesto provides all the liquid needed and as the chicken cooks, it will release juices. If the chicken dries out it is because it was either cooked too long or at too high of a heat. Using too high of heat can also sometimes make the chicken breast rubbery. This is why low heat and slower cooking is the best way to go. The first time making this, check the chicken after 2 hours to just see if it’s drying out. If there’s still liquid in the bottom, you’re fine. If not, add 1/4 cup of vegetable broth, or enough to just coat the bottom of the crockpot.
To make a chicken pesto pasta, simply pre-cook the pasta according to package directions. Stir the pasta into the sauce in the crockpot after the chicken has finished cooking.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
If you’re looking for some great crockpot chicken recipes, try this crockpot Tuscan chicken or slow cooker apricot chicken – both will be a huge hit and very family friendly!
For more of a one-pan 30 minute meal, you’ll love this Boursin chicken or rosemary chicken – both with lots of herbs and flavor similar to this pesto chicken recipe.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Crockpot Pesto Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1½ cups pesto (homemade or store-bought)
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Cover with 1 cup of pesto, spreading it all around the chicken. Place the lid on top.
- Cook chicken on low heat for about 3-4 hours, or until fully cooked through. If using boneless chicken thighs, these typically cook in about 2-3 hours on low heat, depending on thickness. Some of the basil pesto may darken and turn brown from oxidation. This is ok and will taste fine, we fix the color once it is finished cooking!
- Once cooked, top the chicken with the remaining 1/2 cup of pesto. Serve over pasta, mashed cauliflower or potatoes.
Notes
- The first time making this, check about 2 hours in to see if you still have enough liquid. If it looks dry, add 1/4 cup of vegetable broth. For reference, I’ve never had to do this, but different slow cookers can cook differently. This is especially possible if you don’t use as much chicken or pesto as the recipe calls for. I’ve also had my chicken completely cooked through after 2 hours.
- I prefer using low heat for this recipe as it tends to preserve the color of the pesto better.
- Shredded chicken tends to require a longer cooking time, so if you want this to shred easily over pasta, stick with closer to 3 1/2 to 4 hours of cooking time.
- For those needing nut-free, citrus-free, or parmesan-free pesto, try this sunflower seed pesto. Good for those on a low-sodium diet too!
- I have found different types of pesto turn different colors after cooking! Using a bright green one tends to produce the best visual results, versus ones that are more yellow, but use your favorite for the best flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sounds brilliant but I don’t have a slow cooker. How would you adapt this? Do it in the oven or on the stove-top?
Hey – I would try 375F for 25-30 minutes. I would also probably add mozzarella on the top too. 🙂
Easiest and tastiest dinner that I’ve made in a while.