This Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken is SO easy and flavorful, you wouldn’t believe it only has just a few ingredients! The perfect easy dinner recipe for busy weeknights!
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Fall is on its way and I’m busting out all the easy slow cooker, skillet and Instant Pot recipes!
We have been kind of obsessed with chicken this summer, so I always have a ton in the freezer.
This slow cooker chicken comes together in no time with just a handful of ingredients that we usually have on hand — which makes it a win in my books!
The creamy tomato flavor combo is always a hit over here, and we love this chicken over a plate of spaghetti but it can really be a stand alone meal with a side salad if that’s your thing!
My goal this fall (really, every fall) is to bring you more recipes for Real Life. Because summer is over and life goes back to Crazy, dinner time is rushed and spending hours in the kitchen is often the last thing on our minds.
The other reason, obviously, is that I need easy recipes like this too!
With a lot of slow cooker recipes, I find you sacrifice either flavor or texture or both. Browning meat beforehand can really help with that, but often even after that the juices need to be spiced up because after cooking for so long, the flavors just become muted.
With this chicken, though, there are no issues like that! You dump and go, and the sauce is the perfect consistency when it’s done and the flavor is awesome! So creamy and comforting, and yet only a small amount of cream or evaporated milk.
Tips for making this slow cooker chicken recipe:
- I made this recipe in a 4 quart slow cooker — if you want to double it, I suggest a 6 quart slow cooker (I have both, and use them for different things!).
- I really, really, REALLY recommend using slow cooker liners. I will gladly pay the 50 cents or whatever they cost to not have to wash that beast!
- Please always, always check the temperature of your chicken with a meat thermometer before serving just to be safe! All slow cookers cook differently.
Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
- 3/4 cup tomato pasta sauce
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Add tomatoes and pasta sauce to a 3-6 quart slow cooker.
- Whisk together cream and corn starch and add to the slow cooker. Stir in garlic, salt, basil and pepper.
- Add chicken breasts and press down into the sauce.
- Cook on low for 3-5 hours, until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F. The exact cook time will depend on your slow cooker — a fuller slow cooker will take longer to cook, so a larger one will cook faster.
- Stir in fresh basil and serve over pasta, rice, or with a salad and veggies!
Nutrition Information
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K Andrews says
Delicious & Super Easy!!! This one will definitely be added to our dinner rotation 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad!
Amy says
What’s the measurements for uk please
Ashley Fehr says
The measurements are the same for the UK 🙂
Grace says
Bahahahahahaha perfect
Melissa says
Recipe is simple and turned out perfectly! I used heavy cream and the sauce turned out exactly how I hoped it would. Not watery or runny at all. My husband also loved it! I served over zoodles. Will definitely make again.
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you Melissa!
Erin.B says
I loved this recipe I’m considering on making it again. My cousin said her kids polished it all off.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Erin!
Chelsea says
How much is considered a serving? 1 peice of chicken & how much sauce over it?
Ashley Fehr says
1/4 of the sauce
Sadie says
Do you thaw your chicken first or would this work with frozen chicken breast?
Ashley Fehr says
It is not recommended to cook frozen chicken breasts in the slow cooker because they stay at an unsafe temperature for too long. I always thaw first
Charlie says
My crockpot only have options to cook on high for high 4 or 6 hours and low 8 or 10 hours ? Will cooking it on high for 4 hours suffice ?
Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
I wouldn’t cook it on high for 4 hours as it will be overcooked. The best option would be to start it on low for 8 hours and then turn it off when done
JCM says
Family loved it! I cut my chicken breast in half because I think they are too large these days. The consistency was perfect. It was a win! Thank you!!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m glad you liked it!
Michaela says
If I’m cooking this before work, to ensure the milk doesn’t curdle, should I add the evaporated milk at the end of the recipe, when I get home?
Ashley Fehr says
Evaporated milk is usually pretty stable and shouldn’t curdle, but you can easily add it in when you get home to be safe
Kayla Green says
Does this have to be made in the Crock-Pot or can it also be made just in a skillet?? I messed up and waited 😩
Ashley Fehr says
It can be made in a skillet no problem! I would just simmer for 15-20 minutes (low heat, slight bubble) until done
Xenia says
Hi there!
Do you possibly know how long this would be in an instant pot?
Thank you.
Ashley Fehr says
I haven’t tried in an Instant Pot, but I would probably leave out the tomato and cream based ingredients and add them at the end so they don’t scorch during pressure cooking.
Marie says
The recipe says 14oz of diced tomatoes, however in the recipe video it looks like you used a big 28oz can of diced tomatoes? Can you please clarify??
Ashley Fehr says
The recipe is correct at 14 oz
Erin B says
I was nervous about making this for dinner but it came out PERFECTLY 👌🏻
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so happy to hear that Erin!
Becky says
I’m about to make this recipe for dinner, but I feel like I might have too much chicken. You said 4 chicken breasts, but are they 4 thin sliced chicken breasts, or 4 normal chicken breasts? Which at my grocery store are huge. I guess I could never have too much chicken, but I don’t think I’d have enough sauce. Do you by chance have a total weight for the chicken rather than the amount of breasts? It may be easier to determine how much chicken to buy.
Ashley Fehr says
4 of my chicken breasts are usually just over a pound, between 1-1.5 lbs. They are not thin, but average. I think it would be easy to add a little extra cream and tomato sauce at the end if you find you need more sauce!
Melissa says
If you don’t have heavy cream, substitute sour cream to give it the creaminess. I always add sour cream to my pasta sauce – how much depends on your taste of tomato vs creaminess flavor you’re looking for in the recipe (we like ours creamier).
Ashley Fehr says
That’s a great tip!
Kim says
What is tomato paste sauce?
Ashley Fehr says
tomato pasta sauce is a tomato-based pasta sauce
Lolo says
Made this a few weeks ago and making it again tonight, it is so GOOD! I’m going to add some sundried tomatoes to it and I make it with whole wheat spaghetti. One of the best slow cooker recipes!!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Lolo!
judy says
what can i use in place of heavy cream or evaporated milk?
Ashley Fehr says
Any other cream or milk could work
Krystle Simpson says
The flavor is amazing. I followed the recipe exact (used evaporated milk) and I’m a little disappointed that it is not Creamy as the title suggests. So technically I have Tomato Basil Chicken SOUP.
Krystle Simpson says
Ps I cooked it on low for 5 hours.
Andrea says
I just made this and mine came out soup like consistency as well. I added more cornstarch and it was perfect! Also added mushrooms and it was delish!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Andrea!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Krystle. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it! The recipe turns out as pictured when I make it. There is usually lots of sauce as we serve over pasta.
Shannon Ruse says
I made this for the first time for my husband which by the way is an amazing cook and I’m average at best and he was satisfied. Said it was delicious! I used tomato paste instead of sauce for a thicker consistency, sautéed mushrooms in olive oil and added to the sauce and had to double the sauce recipe because there wasn’t enough to cover the chicken but the flavor is spot on!! Love it💕
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing Shannon!
Kay Clarke says
Really good recipe but incredibly disappointing that it isn’t 134 calories per serving as suggested.
600 calories in 3/4 cup of heavy cream
75 calories in 1 cup of tomato sauce
61 calories in 14oz diced tomatoes
1136 calories in 4 chicken breasts
= 1872 calories (468 calories per portion)
…and that’s without the pasta/rice! Very misleading nutritional information.
Ashley Fehr says
67 Calories in 14 oz diced tomatoes
59 calories in 1 cup tomato sauce
150 calories in 3/4 cup evaporated milk
515 calories in 4 chicken breasts, although I am finding resources that say 660 now.
= 936 calories (234 calories per person)
Hardly misleading. The automatic nutrition calculator may have calculated the chicken breasts on the lower end.
Marlene Ramirez says
My meal came out extremely watery, basically a soup. What should I do for next time to make it creamy?
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Marlene! I’m not sure what happened. I would make sure you give the corn starch a chance to thicken the sauce, as it can take some time in the slow cooker. Other than that, you could drain the diced tomatoes for an even thicker sauce
Stacey says
My came out a bit watery too. It’s been 3 and half hours. My chicken is cooked. Should I keep it on low for longer in hopes for it to thicken up a bit?
Ashley Fehr says
It won’t thicken further, but you can always add additional corn starch slurry if you prefer and let it cook for 20 minutes on high to thicken.
Kristina says
Very flavorful and super easy to make. Loved it!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Kristina!
Linda Czerwinski says
I would give this recipe a 10 if available. Delicious, easy, economical and looks nice when plated.
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you so much Linda!
Kristin says
This recipe was great. I did not use the crockpot, I just used my Dutch oven. I lightly browned some chicken in olive oil, added the tomatoes and the marinara, salt and basil and cooked those til the chicken was done. Added some vegan sour cream at the end (I’m dairy free ) and served over spaghetti. Really easy, quick and tasty dinner.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Kristin!
[email protected] says
Sept 2020 – Excellent, easy to make, tastes delicious, it’s guest-worthy! Highly recommended.
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you so much!
Lauren says
I used half the amount of cream because I was running low, tripled the garlic bc it’s my fav and shredded fresh mozzarella over the chicken in the crockpot to melt before serving. Delicious. I also used a large can of seasoned sauce – any kind of good tomato sauce will do.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Lauren! Love the mozzarella addition!
[email protected] says
This recipe was amazing. I used Zoodles and it was awesome. The only thing is I didn’t like the fresh basil at the end. I am definitely doing this again.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for your feedback!
Lynn Mahanna says
How big are the chicken breasts?
I have Perdue perfect potions and I’m
Wondering if they will be too small and over cook
Ashley Fehr says
My chicken breasts are usually around the 150 grams/5 oz mark. I would just check your chicken at the lower 3 hour mark and they should be cooked.
Karissa says
Cook on low or high? Cannot wait to try!
Ashley Fehr says
Cook on low for 3-5 hours
Catherine says
Is kcal the same as calorie? So it’s 134 calories per serving?
Ashley Fehr says
kcal is the same as calories
Jaclyn says
I made this with tomato basil pasta sauce and it was perfect. I also accidentally used the whole jar instead of a cup but I’m glad I did because it made a lot of extra sauce which we like. We ate it over jasmine rice with some veggies it was perfect! This is a good weeknight meal to put in the rotation.
Jaclyn says
I forgot to say I also added Italian seasoning to it from the beginning when it started cooking it was a good addition.
Joanie says
This was excellent and extremely easy! I used Trader Joe’s Pasta sauce, I think any good tomato based pasta/spaghetti sauce would work well. I added a splash of vodka, some red pepper flakes, and a tsp of chicken bullion in place of the salt. Thank you for this recipe ❣️
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Joanie! And thanks for sharing your swaps!
Audrey says
Can you cook this with frozen breasts or must you thaw them first?
Ashley Fehr says
I would recommend thawing first just because the extra liquid will dilute the sauce
Shannon Stafford says
Can you use coconut milk instead of heavy cream? Mind you – I so want the heavy cream, just trying to be good. LOOKS AMAZING!! Putting in the week plan this week! TIA!!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Shannon! I haven’t tried with dairy free milk unfortunately! It will work, I’m just not sure how it will alter the flavor.
Devon says
I used low fat evaporated milk and it worked really well
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Devon!
Trn says
Did it work with coconut milk? Did you can coconut milk/cream or refrigerator coconut milk?
Tasneem says
I have a electric nutripot so what is the cook time for this recipe?
Ashley Fehr says
Sorry, I don’t have any experience cooking with one of those
Lisa says
I hate to sound dumb but what exactly is “tomato pasta sauce”? Do you mean spaghetti sauce?
Lauren says
I wondered that too. “Tomato pasta sauce” is extremely vague.
Pj says
Didn’t see a reply about the tomato paste sauce clarification.
Tomato pasta and tomato sauce are two very separate things. Would like to know the answer to this. Thanks!
Daniel says
Yes, if you read the front of the jar or can it’s called pasta sauce not spaghetti sauce and they make cream and cheese flavored instead of tomato flavored
Ashley Fehr says
When you are a grocery shopping, you will look for a jar of tomato based sauce that reads “pasta sauce”, and then you know you have tomato pasta sauce.
Allison says
Can you make this as a freezer meal? Anyone tried?
Ashley Fehr says
I haven’t tried but I think it could work! It’s not usually recommended to freeze dairy, but the higher the fat content the better it will freeze (so heavy cream could be fine)
Barbara Manouselis says
I do not have the cream or evaporated milk but found a can of coconut milk wondering if this will be ok to use a as substitution?
Ashley Fehr says
It will work but it will change the flavor somewhat
Melissa says
This was so good. I’m always looking for new recipes my family loved it.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Melissa!
Lisalia says
SO delicious and flavorful and so easy to make. My family loved it!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Lisalia!
Stephanie says
The sauce in this recipe was unbelievable! Great recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Stephanie!
Meagen says
This is such a great and easy recipe. The whole family loves it. Will definitely be making it again soon! Yum!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Meagen!
Betsy says
So good! I love the creaminess paired so perfectly with the rich tanginess of the tomato! Over pasta is the perfect thing for this…that and some lovely crusty bread to soak up any extra sauce. 😉 These blazingly hot days the slow cooker is my most trusted friend. Great recipe to use with my slow cooker! 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Betsy! I’m so glad you liked it!
kim says
I am totally making this tonight
Ginny says
This looks delicious. The can of diced tomatoes shown in the video looks a lot bigger than 14 oz. as stated in the recipe. Is it actually 28 oz? Just want to make sure before trying. Thanks.
Ashley Fehr says
The recipe as written is correct. Thanks for checking!
LeeAnne Snead says
Can this be done in a pressure cooker??
Ashley Fehr says
Maybe, but I have not tested the recipe that way
Brianne says
I am going to try in my Insta Pot. I would add the cream at the end and cook for 25 min with a quick release. The chicken may shred apart but that would be yummy on pasta.
Ashley Fehr says
I’d love to hear how it goes Brianne!
Quirky Homemaker says
Sounds yummy! I love my slow cooker. You’re so funny. “doomed for some big fails sometime soon.” Ha! Aren’t we all? In fact I’ve already had a couple this week. 😉 But nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? All part of the creative process. This sounds and looks SUPER yummy! Enjoy your week.
Ashley Fehr says
That’s exactly right! It’s all a process. But when you stick with just a few ingredients it seems there’s less that can go wrong! Lol
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
Chicken breasts and my slow cooker are like staples around here! I love a little experimentation with low risk of it becoming a disaster. 🙂 This recipe looks incredible!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Well if this creamy tomato basil chicken is what real life looks like, count me in! Seriously, I don’t know what it is about fall, but i’m freggin’ exhausted, so 5 ingredient dinners that taste amazing sounds fabulous to me!! This looks absolutely delicious, Ashley! Keep the easy meals coming girlfriend! Cheers!
Jen | Baked by an Introvert says
I am loving this, Ashley! I turn to my slow cooker often because I am busy enough as it is. I can’t believe this recipe is only 5 ingredients. You can bet it’s going on the menu soon!!
wtc says
Ex
Sarah @Whole and Heavenly Oven says
You make the BEST dinners, Ashley! I kinda want to come over for dinner at your place every single night. 😉 Seriously digging how EASY this chicken is plus it totally looks like fall comfort food!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
Only five ingredients!! Big claps from me – this looks SO good, and my dad has been asking me for tomato-y slow cooker chicken, so I’ve got to make this ASAP 🙂 deliciousness!
E. Williams says
This sounds so good I will have to try it for sure.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
You are definitely on a roll with those easy dinner ideas! And you really can’t beat 5 ingredients, especially when it’s in the slow cooker. Love the creamy sauce on this chicken! And that basil….yuuuum. My kinda meal, especially since the weather is getting cooler!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Gayle! They are the only thinking keeping my kids fed these days, easy dinner recipes! Lol.