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Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken

Slow cooker creamy tomato basil chicken simmers low and slow until chicken breasts are fall-apart tender and coated in a silky tomato basil cream sauce. Built for hands-off weeknights, it finishes with cream and Parmesan for a smooth, spoonable texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless chicken breasts
Tomato basil base
  • 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil, chopped
Creamy sauce
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken
  1. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker.
  2. Pour the crushed tomatoes over the chicken and add the minced garlic, dried basil, and Italian seasoning.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
Shred and thicken the sauce
  1. Remove the chicken and shred or slice, then set aside.
  2. Stir the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese into the sauce in the slow cooker until smooth.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the sauce and stir to coat.
  2. Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: Stir the cream in during the final stage so the sauce stays smooth rather than separating. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days in an airtight container; reheat gently to keep the cream texture. Freezing is not recommended because cream-based sauces can break after thawing. For a dairy-free swap, use full-fat coconut cream and a dairy-free Parmesan-style topping (add gradually to taste).