Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken (Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach)

Slow cooker creamy Tuscan chicken takes the restaurant favorite and makes it a hands off weeknight dinner. Chicken simmers gently in garlic, broth and sun dried tomatoes, then a quick stir of cream cheese, heavy cream, Parmesan and fresh spinach turns the cooking liquid into a rich sauce.

The trick is timing. Dairy goes in at the very end so it stays silky instead of curdling over a long cook, and the spinach wilts in the last few minutes so it keeps its color. Everything else happens while you are doing something else.

Serve it over pasta, mashed potatoes or rice with plenty of sauce. The recipe card has exact amounts and both LOW and HIGH times.

Why this recipe works

• Dairy added late stays smooth. Cream cheese and heavy cream go in for the final 20 to 30 minutes, which is long enough to melt and blend but not long enough to break.
• Sun dried tomatoes flavor the broth. They release concentrated sweetness and a little of their oil during the cook, seasoning the chicken from the start.
• A small amount of broth means a big flavor payoff. Chicken releases its own juices, so only 1/2 cup of broth is needed and the sauce is not diluted.
• Cream cheese thickens without flour. It gives body and a slight tang so the sauce clings to the chicken without a separate slurry.
• Fresh spinach wilts in minutes. Stirring it in at the end keeps the color bright and the texture tender.

Ingredients you’ll need

Full amounts are in the recipe card below. Here are the ingredients that carry the dish and what each one does.

Chicken breasts or thighs both work. Breasts are traditional for this dish and slice neatly. Thighs are more forgiving if your cook time runs long. Either way, the chicken must be fully thawed before it goes in.

Sun dried tomatoes packed in oil bring sweet, concentrated tomato flavor. Drain them but do not rinse, because a little of that seasoned oil is welcome in the sauce. Garlic, Italian seasoning and a pinch of smoked paprika season the chicken as it cooks.

Cream cheese, heavy cream and Parmesan make the sauce. Cream cheese provides body, heavy cream provides richness and Parmesan provides salt and savory depth. Baby spinach goes in at the end for color and freshness.

Ingredient notes and smart substitutions

Chicken

Boneless skinless breasts and thighs swap one for one by weight. Thighs take about 30 minutes longer on LOW than breasts. Bone in thighs with the skin removed also work and need roughly 30 to 45 more minutes than boneless. Always cook to 165°F measured in the thickest part.

Sun dried tomatoes

If you only have dry packed sun dried tomatoes, soak 1/3 cup in hot water for 10 minutes, drain and chop, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the cooker. In a pinch, 1/2 cup of drained roasted red peppers gives a similar sweetness with a different flavor.

Cream cheese

Mascarpone replaces cream cheese one for one and gives an even richer sauce. For a lighter version, use 4 ounces of Neufchatel, which has less fat and still melts smoothly. Skip the tub style whipped cream cheese, which contains more water and can thin the sauce.

Heavy cream

Half and half works one for one but the sauce will be thinner, so let it cook 10 extra minutes with the lid off. Full fat canned coconut milk can stand in for a dairy light version, using 1/2 cup and skipping the cream cheese in favor of 2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with cold water.

Spinach

Frozen chopped spinach works if fresh is not available. Thaw 1 cup, squeeze out as much water as you can and stir it in with the cream. Chopped kale is another option but needs about 15 extra minutes to soften.

How to make it

1. Season the chicken

Pat the chicken dry and rub it all over with olive oil, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Drying the surface first helps the seasoning stick and keeps the cooking liquid from getting watery.

2. Build the base

Place the chicken in a single layer in a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker. Scatter the minced garlic, chopped sun dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes over the top, then pour the chicken broth around the edges so you do not wash off the seasoning.

3. Cook without peeking

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Leave the lid alone. Each time it comes off, you lose heat and add about 15 minutes to the total. The chicken is ready when it reads 165°F on a thermometer.

4. Make the sauce

Move the chicken to a plate and cover it loosely. Whisk the softened cream cheese into the hot liquid until no lumps remain, then stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan. Add the spinach by the handful and stir until it wilts.

5. Finish and serve

Return the chicken to the sauce, cover and cook on HIGH for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce is hot and slightly thickened. Taste for salt. Slice or shred the chicken and serve it with plenty of sauce over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

The sauce looks grainy or curdled. The dairy was added too early or the cooker was too hot when it went in. Add the cream cheese and cream only at the end, and use softened cream cheese so it blends quickly. If it has already split, whisk in 2 tablespoons of warm cream off the heat to bring it back together.

The sauce is too thin. Breasts can release a lot of liquid. Cook the finished sauce with the lid off for 10 to 15 minutes on HIGH, or whisk in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water.

The chicken is dry. It cooked too long. Check at the 3 hour mark on LOW and pull the chicken as soon as it hits 165°F. Thighs are the safer choice for a flexible schedule.

The spinach turned dark and mushy. It went in too early. Stir in fresh spinach only during the last 15 to 20 minutes, right after the cream.

The dish tastes flat. Sun dried tomatoes and Parmesan carry a lot of salt, so add salt in stages and taste at the end. A squeeze of lemon juice or a pinch more red pepper flakes wakes it up quickly.

Timing and make ahead plan

Active time is about 10 minutes at the start and 15 minutes at the end. The unattended cook fits neatly into a workday when started on LOW around lunchtime, or into an afternoon on HIGH.

Season the chicken and chop the garlic and tomatoes up to 2 days ahead. Store the chicken covered in the refrigerator and the aromatics in a small container. In the morning, add everything to the insert and turn it on.

The raw chicken, seasoning, garlic and tomatoes can be frozen together in a zip top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours before cooking. The chicken must be fully thawed when it goes in the cooker.

Keep the cream cheese, cream, Parmesan and spinach separate until you are ready to finish the dish. Set the cream cheese out 30 minutes before you need it so it softens and whisks in smoothly.

Tips for the best creamy Tuscan chicken

• Cut the cream cheese into small cubes before adding it. Smaller pieces melt faster and leave fewer lumps.
• Grate the Parmesan yourself. Bagged shredded cheese is coated with starch that can make the sauce gritty.
• Warm the cream on the counter while the chicken cooks. Cold cream hitting hot liquid is one more chance for the sauce to seize.
• Chop the sun dried tomatoes into small pieces so they spread through every bite instead of landing in one spot.
• Skim excess fat from the liquid before adding the dairy for a cleaner, glossier sauce.
• Finish with a few grinds of black pepper and torn fresh basil if you have it.

If you want more sauce for pasta, add an extra 1/4 cup broth at the start and an extra 1/4 cup cream at the end. The recipe as written is generous for chicken alone but can feel scant when tossed with a full pound of pasta.

Variations

Tuscan chicken with mushrooms

Add 8 ounces of sliced cremini mushrooms to the cooker with the garlic and tomatoes. They release liquid as they cook, so reduce the broth to 1/4 cup.

Tuscan chicken pasta

Shred the finished chicken and stir it into the sauce with 12 ounces of cooked penne or rigatoni. Add a splash of pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.

Lighter Tuscan chicken

Use breasts, Neufchatel cheese and half and half. The sauce will be a little thinner but still creamy. Reduce the Parmesan to 1/3 cup and finish with lemon zest for brightness.

Tuscan chicken with artichokes

Stir in one drained 14 ounce can of quartered artichoke hearts with the cream. They add a briny bite that pairs well with the tomatoes and spinach.

Equipment that makes this easier

A 5 to 6 quart slow cooker suits 2 pounds of chicken in a single layer. A larger cooker works if the chicken still covers most of the bottom, but the liquid will spread thin and the chicken may cook a little faster.

An instant read thermometer is essential for pulling chicken breasts at exactly 165°F. It is the difference between juicy and stringy.

A silicone whisk is handy for blending the cream cheese into the hot liquid without scratching the insert. A microplane makes quick work of the Parmesan and gives fine shreds that melt on contact.

Scaling up or down

To double the recipe, use a 7 to 8 quart cooker and double the chicken, seasoning, garlic, tomatoes and dairy, but increase the broth only to 3/4 cup. The chicken will stack two deep, so add 30 to 45 minutes to the LOW time and check the lowest pieces first.

To halve it, use a 3 to 4 quart cooker and halve everything. The cook time stays about the same, though check at the early end of the range since a smaller amount of food heats faster.

Whatever the batch size, add the dairy only at the end and taste for salt after the Parmesan goes in. The sauce needs about the same 15 to 20 minutes to heat through no matter how much chicken is in the pot.

For a crowd, consider cooking a double batch of chicken but making the sauce in two rounds, finishing half the chicken at a time. It keeps the sauce hot and smooth instead of stretching it thin across a deep insert.

What to serve with it

Pasta is the natural choice, and a short shape like penne or rigatoni catches the sauce well. Creamy mashed potatoes or a simple mushroom risotto also make a rich base. Roasted broccoli or a crisp green salad with lemon dressing cuts through the cream.

If you love this flavor profile, marry me chicken pasta is the stovetop cousin with a very similar sauce, and chicken alfredo is another creamy option for the rotation. For more pairings, the fall side dishes roundup has plenty of vegetable ideas.

How to store, freeze and reheat

Refrigerator

Cool within 2 hours and refrigerate the chicken in its sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The sauce thickens as it chills and loosens again when warmed.

Freezer

Cream sauces can separate slightly when frozen, but this one holds up reasonably well because of the cream cheese. Freeze in portions for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and whisk while reheating to bring the sauce back together.

Reheating

Warm gently in a covered skillet over medium low heat with a splash of cream or broth, stirring often, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Avoid high heat, which can cause the sauce to separate. In the microwave, use medium power in 1 minute bursts, stirring between each.

Leftover ideas

Shred leftover chicken and stir it with the sauce into cooked pasta for a quick baked pasta. Top with mozzarella and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until bubbling.

Spoon warm chicken and sauce over toasted sourdough or a split baked potato for a fast lunch. It also makes a rich filling for stuffed bell peppers topped with breadcrumbs.

Thin the leftover sauce with a cup of chicken broth, add the shredded chicken and a handful of small pasta, and simmer for a creamy Tuscan style soup in about 15 minutes.

Nutrition notes

One serving, based on 6 servings of chicken and sauce without pasta, comes to roughly 400 to 470 calories with about 35 grams of protein, 6 to 9 grams of carbohydrate and 26 to 32 grams of fat. Most of the fat comes from the cream cheese, cream and Parmesan.

These are estimates and will vary with the cut of chicken, the brand of sun dried tomatoes and how much sauce you serve. Using breasts and Neufchatel cheese trims the calories and fat noticeably without changing the method.

Frequently asked questions

Can you put cream in a slow cooker?

Yes, but add it near the end. Cream and cream cheese can curdle or separate over a long cook, so stir them in for the final 15 to 20 minutes on HIGH once the chicken is done.

How long does Tuscan chicken take in the slow cooker?

Boneless breasts take 3 to 4 hours on LOW or 2 to 2 1/2 hours on HIGH. Thighs need about 30 minutes more on LOW. Then allow 15 to 20 minutes to finish the sauce. Check for 165°F with a thermometer.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?

Absolutely. Use the same weight of boneless skinless thighs and add about 30 minutes to the LOW time. Thighs stay juicy longer and are a good choice if your schedule is unpredictable.

Why did my creamy sauce curdle in the slow cooker?

Dairy was added too early or the cream cheese was cold and lumpy. Add softened cream cheese and cream at the end, whisk well and keep the heat gentle. If it splits, whisk in a little warm cream off the heat.

What pasta goes with creamy Tuscan chicken?

Short shapes like penne, rigatoni and farfalle hold the sauce well. Fettuccine also works. Cook the pasta separately and toss with the sauce or serve the chicken and sauce on top.

Can I use frozen chicken?

No. Thaw the chicken completely in the refrigerator before it goes in the slow cooker. Frozen chicken stays in the unsafe temperature range too long as the cooker heats up.