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This Crockpot Tuscan Chicken is the ultimate easy weeknight dinner! With artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and cream cheese, this very simple recipe takes 5 minutes to put together.
Chicken breasts are slow cooked with all the vegetables in a light and creamy sauce – without using heavy cream! Just pour everything into the crock pot and dinner is ready in about 3 hours.
You’ll love this creamy crockpot Tuscan chicken paired with brown rice, Boursin mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower to soak up the flavorful sauce. It’s a hearty meal that’s cozy and is sure to be the next family favorite!
Table of Contents
The Best Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
This is a recipe I started working on while I was trying to find simple meals that I could prep with a new baby. I wanted a recipe that would pack a lot of veggies, but still feel cozy and comforting. Most of all, it had to be easy to make!
That’s why I love this easy crockpot Tuscan chicken. It’s flavorful and delicious without being too heavy and rich. You’ll love it because:
- Packed with veggies – While most recipes have a base of sun-dried tomatoes and spinach, I love the addition of artichoke hearts here. They add a great, tangy flavor!
- No heavy cream – You still get creaminess from the cream cheese, but it’s a much lighter recipe.
- Family friendly – A creamy chicken recipe is usually a hit with families and this one fits the bill!
- Slow cooked – While you can make this recipe much faster on the stove, this is ideal for weeknights when you just want to throw everything in a pot and have it be ready.
This recipe fits a migraine diet, Mediterranean diet, gluten free, and can be dairy free with edits.
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – You could also use chicken thighs here, or bone-in. Keep in mind bone-in will require a longer cooking time! I highly recommend air-chilled chicken for the best flavor.
- Broth – Chicken or vegetable broth will work here. Either use rotisserie chicken broth or check out my pantry staples for store-bought suggestions.
- Shallot – Don’t substitute this with onion! It really elevates the flavors.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – Look for a brand without sulfites or sulfur dioxide. I prefer mine fresh, which I can get locally, but packed in oil is also ok. Mezzetta is a commonly found brand.
- Artichoke hearts – Look for a brand with artichoke hearts packed in water. Thoroughly rinse before using.
- Spinach – Fresh spinach works well here. Added at the end, it wilts down just enough.
- Cream cheese – Look for a brand without carrageenan like Philadelphia or Organic Valley. You can also omit this for dairy free. It’s much lighter than using heavy cream like other recipes, but just provides a hint of creaminess.
- Dried oregano – Use Mediterranean oregano and not Mexican.
How to Make
Step 1: Add chicken and vegetables to the slow cooker
Quick note – If you’d like the chicken to have a brown, seared exterior, heat a cast iron pan with olive oil over medium high heat. season chicken with salt and pepper then add to a cast iron pan with a little bit of olive oil. Cook over medium-high heat just 2 minutes or until you get a golden brown sear. This is not necessary for great slow cooker Tuscan chicken! I personally just like the flavor and appearance better.
Add chicken to the slow cooker then top with broth, garlic, oregano, shallots, artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes.
Step 2: Slow cook
Slow cook the chicken on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. About 30 minutes before serving, add the cream cheese and spinach.
Allow those to warm through and wilt, then stir everything together before serving. Add more kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
If you’d like, you can shred the chicken using two forks to pull it apart, or serve as a whole chicken breast.
Recipe Tip
- Sear the chicken – This is absolutely not a necessary step, but it does give the chicken a little extra flavor and texture. You do not want to cook it all the way through, just enough to brown.
- Drain the artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes – Artichoke hearts are best rinsed and drained, then thoroughly pat dry. If using sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drain them as well to prevent excess oil. You can also use the leftover oil for cooking in other dishes.
- Add cheese and spinach at the end – Because the long cook time, you don’t want to add the cheese and spinach too early or the cheese may become grainy. Adding at the end will soften it and make it easy to mix in without overcooking.
- Cooking times vary – You know your crockpot best! With mine, I find this recipe can actually be cooked through on high heat in about 2.5 hours and on low in about 3. Yours may take a little bit longer! So use the cooking times as suggestions, but know they may vary.
Slow Cooker Information
A good slow cooker can make a big difference when cooking chicken, especially with timing. Mine cooks very fast! I use the Crockpot Programmable Cooker.
Depending on how fast or slow yours cooks, you may only need 3-4 hours on low heat or 2-3 on high heat. I’ve used both settings for this and felt they both turned out good!
Serving Suggestions
This Crockpot Tuscan Chicken pairs well with anything that soaks up the sauce. Here are some of my favorites:
- Boursin mashed potatoes
- Pasta – Penne, orzo, or linguine would be great with this!
- Roasted Mashed Cauliflower
- Warm Bread
Because this does already have some greens in it, I feel all it needs is a base for the sauce. But if you’re looking for a light salad I highly recommend the apple fennel salad or Bibb lettuce salad.
Recipe FAQ
In this recipe you could use Boursin cheese or dairy free Boursin, especially the black pepper or garlic and herb. You could also use heavy cream, although I prefer the cheese!
You can easily make Tuscan chicken without a crockpot. Just use the stovetop and a large pan with a lid. Add olive oil to a pan over medium high heat. Season the meat and sear on both sides, but for longer, about 6-8 minutes depending on the size of your chicken breasts (I recommend starting with thin ones or pounding them to about 1/2 inch thick). Doesn’t have to be totally cooked through, but almost, then remove them from the pan. Add in garlic and shallots then broth and bring to a simmer, then add the vegetables and cover, cooking till they soften. Add in the cheese, spinach, and chicken and cook till chicken has cooked through.
Yes, this recipe will work in an instant pot as well. Follow the directions the same, and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Then add the spinach and cream cheese at the end. The residual heat should be enough to cook them down but you can also use the sauté function.
This recipe is delicious even without the cream cheese added. For those cooking migraine-friendly, leave out the cream cheese entirely or add 1/4 cup of a creamy substitute like oat milk. For those not following a migraine diet, add your favorite dairy free cream cheese or Boursin cheese.
Storage Information
- Refrigerator – This chicken will last 2-3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. It reheats well on the stove or in the microwave.
- Freezer – Place in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months! Defrost overnight in the fridge or in a ziplock bag placed in warm water.
Crockpot Chicken Recipes
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Best Crockpot Tuscan Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped small and drained (if packed in oil)
- 14 oz quartered artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, packed
- Olive oil or olive oil spray
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Season chicken on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Lightly spray or drizzle olive oil on the inside of the slow cooker. Add chicken to the slow cooker then top with broth, garlic, oregano, shallots, artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Slow cook the chicken on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. About 30 minutes before serving, add the cream cheese and spinach on top.
- Allow those to warm through and wilt, then stir everything together before serving. Sometimes it's easier to remove the chicken breasts to make sure everything comes together evenly. Add more kosher salt and black pepper to taste. If you'd like, you can shred the chicken using two forks to pull it apart, or serve as a whole chicken breast.
Notes
- If you’d like the chicken to have a brown, seared exterior, heat a cast iron pan with olive oil over medium high heat. season chicken with salt and pepper then add to a cast iron pan with a little bit of olive oil. Cook over medium-high heat just 2 minutes or until you get a golden brown sear. This is not necessary, I personally just like the flavor and appearance.
- Serve over top brown rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or cauliflower.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely delicious!
I’m about to make this. Why only 3 stars if it was “Absolutely Delicious?”
Any changes you would recommend to make it 5 stars?
Thanks!
It was supposed to be 5 stars but somehow when I clicked submit it ended up as 3 stars. Must have fat fingered it. 🙁 Definitely 5 stars!
Too funny – thanks, Natalie!
This is a great recipe and I’m so glad that we tried it. It’s super easy to throw everything in the crockpot and go about your day. We ended up shredding the chicken at the end and putting it over rice! This will be one of our workday go to meals!
Thank you, Michelle!
Everyone loved this – I meant to have leftovers but it was gone in a flash!
Thanks, Angela. That makes me happy!
This is a family favorite! We have it at least once a week. I use my Instant Pot – 9 minute pressure cook.
Thanks so much, Ayala!
This was so good! It was light and fresh tasting. I honestly Wasn’t sure how I would Feel about it but I’m so glad I tried it out. Makes plenty of food and is great to have for left overs/meal prep!
I love this recipe. Flavorful and easy! I left out the cream cheese for my dairy free family members and it was fine. One of my new favorites. And it freezes perfectly!
This was excellent! I love that it didn’t require a lot of chopping/prep. It was literally just throw it all in the crock pot and come back later. We cooked it enough that the chicken was just falling apart (which we like) so we stirred it up and served it over brown rice. Very tasty!