Recipe: Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken
Creamy slow cooker chicken with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach that's made even easier with store-bought Alfredo sauce.
Serves4 to 6
Prep5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook2 hours
You’ve likely stopped in the pasta sauce aisle a million times to grab a jar of marinara, but I’m guessing you skipped over the Alfredo sauce section. Well, I’m here to tell you to go back and grab a jar. It’s the secret to this creamy Italian chicken flecked with sweet sun-dried tomatoes and wilted spinach, which comes together easily in the slow cooker and begs to be served over pasta.
This is just the kind of homey dinner that we all need a little more of as the days get shorter and colder.
A Creamy, Garlicky Chicken Dinner That Starts with a Jar of Sauce
While we love a good homemade Alfredo sauce, a little assistance from the grocery store is always appreciated on a busy weeknight. Since the chicken is going to soak up lots of flavor from the sauce as it cooks, opt for a good-quality one, such as Rao’s or Bertolli.
Sun-dried tomatoes add sweetness and texture, and they’ll plump up nicely while they simmer in the slow cooker. Feel free to use either the oil-packed or dry ones — just be sure to pat them dry if they’re in oil. Finish the chicken with baby spinach and a big squeeze of lemon juice for brightness and serve it over pasta for one seriously effortless dinner.
Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo
Creamy slow cooker chicken with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach that's made even easier with store-bought Alfredo sauce.
Prep time 5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook time 2 hours
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 pounds
boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4)
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves
garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) jar
Alfredo sauce, such as Rao’s or Bertolli’s
- 1/2 cup
water
- 1 cup
thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry if oil-packed
- 4 cups
packed baby spinach leaves (4 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon
freshly squeezed lemon juice
Serving suggestion:
Cooked pasta, such as fettuccine or pappardelle
Instructions
Place 1 chicken breast inside a gallon zip-top bag and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet or rolling pin to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Set aside and repeat with remaining chicken breasts. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with the salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Working in two batches, place the chicken in the pan and sear until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.
Transfer the chicken seared-side up to a 5-quart or larger slow cooker in an even layer, overlapping slightly as needed. Scatter the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes over the chicken. Pour in the Alfredo sauce and water; gently stir to make sure the sun-dried tomatoes are submerged.
Cover and cook on the LOW setting until the chicken is cooked through, tender, and registers an internal temperature of 165°F, about 2 hours. Uncover and stir in the spinach. Cover and cook until just wilted, about 5 minutes.
Turn off the slow cooker and stir in the lemon juice. Serve the chicken over cooked pasta, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.