Crock Pot Marry Me Chicken cooks chicken breasts in a garlic cream sauce with chopped sun-dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Parmesan and basil finish the plate after cooking. The slow cooker provides a gentle cooking method, but the breasts still need a temperature check so they are not left cooking longer than necessary.
The broth and cream make a spoonable sauce. Without a starch thickener, it is lighter than gravy and works well over separately cooked pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
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Why This Recipe Works
Sun-dried tomatoes add concentrated flavor as they soften in the liquid. Keeping the cooker covered limits evaporation, which is why the finished sauce is fairly loose. Parmesan added at serving gives a savory finish without requiring the cream mixture to boil.
Ingredients for Crock Pot Marry Me Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, prepared and chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
- fresh basil, for garnish
How to Make Crock Pot Marry Me Chicken
1. Mix and pour the sauce. Put thawed chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Stir the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, cream, broth, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a bowl, then pour over the meat. If using dry-packed tomatoes, prepare them according to their package before measuring; oil-packed tomatoes should be drained.
2. Check early enough to protect the breasts. Cover and cook on low for about 5–6 hours or high for 2–3 hours. Begin checking at the early end, and sooner for small breasts or a cooker that runs hot. The thickest part of each breast must reach 165°F. Remove pieces as they finish instead of continuing to simmer them simply to reach the longest listed time.
3. Serve the sauce as it is. Stir the sauce gently before spooning it over the chicken. Cream can look slightly separated after a long cook; gentle stirring may bring it together, but boiling harder will not reliably fix it. Keep the chicken out of the sauce if you warm or adjust it further. Add Parmesan and basil at the table, and divide one breast and a share of sauce into each of four servings.
How to Serve
Place the chicken and a spoonful of its sauce over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. Steamed vegetables or garlic bread complete the meal without competing with the creamy tomato flavor. Those sides are prepared separately from the four chicken portions.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftover crock pot marry me chicken in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour if the room is above 90°F. Keep refrigerated at 40°F or below and use within 3 days. Reheat portions on the stove or in the microwave until 165°F, adding a little water or broth if needed to restore moisture. Reheat in a saucepan or microwave rather than using the slow cooker to warm chilled leftovers. See federal cold-storage guidance for additional details.
Tips and Variations
- Use thawed breasts of similar size when possible; uneven pieces can finish at different times.
- Sun-dried tomatoes and broth can be salty, so season gradually.
- Yogurt is not a direct substitute for cream during a long cook. A dairy-free cream alternative may change the texture and should be checked for suitability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen chicken?
Thaw the breasts before putting them in the cooker. Extra cooking time is not a substitute for starting with thawed poultry.
Should this sauce be thick like gravy?
No, there is no starch slurry or flour in the ingredient list. It is intended as a light sauce to spoon over the meat and sides.
Can I prepare the ingredients the night before?
Chop and measure them, then refrigerate in covered containers. Assemble the cooker and start it promptly when you are ready to cook.
More Recipe Ideas
Crock Pot Marry Me Chicken
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts thawed
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes prepared and chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese for serving
- fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
Cook and Serve
- Place the four thawed breasts in the slow cooker. Mix the prepared chopped sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, broth, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and pour over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on low for about 5–6 hours or high for 2–3 hours until each breast reaches 165°F in its thickest part. Start checking at the early end or sooner for small breasts; remove each piece when ready.
- Stir the sauce gently and spoon it over the chicken. Serve one breast per portion with Parmesan and basil; add cooked pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes if desired.
Notes
- Refrigerate promptly at 40°F or below; use within 3 days.
- Reheat cooked leftovers to 165°F on the stove or in the microwave.
- Thaw chicken before slow-cooking; reheat chilled leftovers outside the slow cooker.
