This Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Breast is SO easy and flavorful, you wouldn’t believe it only has just a few ingredients! The perfect easy crockpot chicken recipe for busy weeknights!
If you’re looking for more crockpot chicken breast recipes, check out this Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken or this Crockpot Tuscan Chicken!
Table of Contents
- Reader Rating
- Why we love this Slow Cooker Chicken Breast recipe:
- Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Chicken Ingredients:
- How to make Creamy Tomato Basil Crockpot Chicken Breast:
- How long to cook chicken breasts in the crockpot?
- Can I use half and half or milk?
- What kind of tomato pasta sauce do I need?
- Tips for making this slow cooker chicken recipe:
- Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Recipe
Life is busy and I’m busting out all the easy slow cooker, one pot and Instant Pot recipes to keep us sane! This Crockpot Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken is well-loved here around the dinner table.
Chicken is such a versatile protein so we always have a stash in the freezer!
This slow cooker chicken recipe 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, 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!
Reader Rating
“So easy and delicious! Followed the recipe exactly. 3 hours and was so moist. Served over spaghetti with fresh green beans Picky husband and foodie son went back for seconds!” — Liz
If you love this recipe, you might enjoy this Slow Cooker Chicken Breast or this Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings — they are both easy Crockpot meals!
Why we love this Slow Cooker Chicken Breast recipe:
- it’s a Real Life recipe: it’s easy to prep, mostly hands off and the family loves. We all need more of that!
- it’s a slow cooker win: with a lot of slow cooker recipes, I find you sacrifice either flavor or texture or both. With this chicken you dump and go, and the sauce is the perfect consistency when it’s done and the flavor is awesome!
- it’s quick to prep: being a dump and go slow cooker, you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen, which is a plus on busy weeknights!
Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Chicken Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts: we always use chicken breasts for this recipe but boneless, skinless chicken thighs would also work well. If you choose bone-in chicken the cook time will increase significantly.
- Tomato pasta sauce: this is simply a tomato sauce that you would use on pasta with herbs and seasonings, i.e., a marinara or something similar. This is not tomato paste. Choose your favorite well-seasoned brand!
- Diced tomatoes: If you don’t like the chunks of tomato you can sub this out with an additional cup of tomato pasta sauce.
- Garlic and seasonings: I’ve kept things simple, but feel free to experiment if you prefer. Add some red pepper flakes if you like things spicy!
- Cream: I recommend heavy cream or evaporated milk in this recipe. I find that they have the lowest chance of curdling when cooked with the acidic tomatoes. I do not recommend low fat cream or milk, but you are always welcome to try!
- Corn starch: A little corn starch helps to thicken our sauce. You can swap this out with flour if you don’t have any.
- Fresh basil: fresh basil can be hard to find in the cooler months. Basil pesto is my favorite swap because it adds more of that fresh flavor than dried basil.
How to make Creamy Tomato Basil Crockpot Chicken Breast:
This is a simple overview to help guide you! Scroll down to find the detailed recipe in the pink recipe card.
- Stir together sauce, tomatoes and herbs.
- Whisk the corn starch into the cream.
- Add the cream to the slow cooker and stir.
- Add the uncooked chicken and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
How long to cook chicken breasts in the crockpot?
Not overcooking slow cooker chicken breasts is the key to having juicy and flavorful chicken.
I usually recommend 3 hours on low — this might be a little less if your chicken breasts are small or a little more if your chicken breasts are large.
If you’re cooking on high, check the internal temperature at 2-2.5 hours and add time as needed.
Can I use half and half or milk?
Low fat dairy has more of a tendency to curdle.
For that reason, the addition of the tomatoes and the long cook time, I prefer not to take the chance. My exception is low fat evaporated milk, which I find works really well in slow cooker recipes.
You are always welcome to try it!
What kind of tomato pasta sauce do I need?
Choose your favorite brand of tomato-based pasta sauce, i.e., marinara sauce or something similar.
You’re looking for a relatively smooth and well-seasoned tomato sauce, rather than a can of plan crushed tomatoes.
Tips for making this slow cooker chicken recipe:
- Don’t overcook it — I find 3 hours is plenty for the usual size of my chicken breasts. I recommend checking the temperature at 2.5 hours for smaller breasts, and 3 hours for larger breasts, and adding time as needed.
- 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 love 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 (398 ml)
- 1 cup tomato pasta sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup evaporated milk or heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Add tomatoes, pasta sauce, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, basil and pepper to a 3-6 quart slow cooker. Stir.
- Whisk together cream and corn starch and add to the slow cooker.
- 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!
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Ava says
Hi! Can I use potato starch instead of cornstarch? Same amount?
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m not sure Ava. I really do not have much experience with potato starch, so it would be an experiment for you.
Jaime McCracken says
This is one our favorite meals and is now in our regular rotation! Thank you for the recipe!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Yay! Thank you Jaime!
Margot says
My family doesn’t care for big chunks of tomato. The substitution I use for anything that might end up still chunky is PETITE diced tomatoes. The smaller chunks break down more quickly and I haven’t had a complaint yet. I take that back. I forgot to clue my son in about that substitution in a recipe he requested – and it was different. 🫤
The Recipe Rebel says
Well I hope you enjoy this recipe, Margot!
Linda Aiello says
I haven’t made this yet but it sounds delicious. Can I substitute half n half for the heavy cream. Thanks
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Linda, I do not normally recommend it. There have been a few readers who have tried it with success. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Alex hunter says
We don’t like chunky tomatoes, so should we just use more paste? Or substitute paste for that in general?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Alex, there is no tomato paste in this recipe, it’s tomato pasta sauce, meaning a pasta sauce that is tomato based. But yes, you could use more of the pasta sauce.
kellie says
Can I use tomato sauce instead of tomato pasta sauce? Not sure the difference. And it says 3-4 chicken breast. I have 2 but almost 3 pounds. Does that work?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Kellie, both should work. Enjoy!
Stacy says
Can you make this as a freezer meal to be cooked later?
Brenda says
I made this recipe in a medium sized crockpot. The sauce came out great but my chicken breasts came out rubbery.
I cooked the recipe for 4 hours at a low temperature.
Next time I will try cutting my chicken breasts into smaller chunks, and checking the meat at 3 hours. (I’m guessing I overcooked the chicken)
Suggestions are appreciated!
Brenda
The Recipe Rebel says
It sounds like it might have been a little overcooked.
Sara says
Could this be prepared in the evening, placed in the fridge overnight, to be cooked the following day?
The Recipe Rebel says
I haven’t tried but I think it could work! If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Jean S says
I made this recipe for my daughter and granddaughter and they loved it. It was so simple and quick to put together.
The Recipe Rebel says
Yay! Thanks Jean!
Jessic says
Can I add cheese, maybe Parmesan? If so would I do that once it’s done cooking?
The Recipe Rebel says
Sure, I would add it right before you serve it.
Megan says
The recipe list notes “tomato pasta sauce” is that a typo?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi! Nope that is not a typo. You’ll want to use a sauce that is tomato based for pasta. Enjoy!
Liz says
So easy and delicious! Followed the recipe exactly. 3 hours and was so moist. Served over spaghetti with fresh green beans Picky husband and foodie son went back for seconds!
The Recipe Rebel says
Yay! Great to hear!
Donna says
This is one of my new favorite recipes! I serve it over angel-hair pasta… SO good! Thank you for sharing a fantastic recipe!
Sarah says
I would love to use this as a freezer meal. Have u ever made this ahead and froze it? Thank you so much!
The Recipe Rebel 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)
Patricia Leuthauser says
Would this work using boneless chicken thighs instead?
The Recipe Rebel says
It should, yes.
Sam says
Can I put it on high for less time?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sam! Yes you can! I would recommend using high fat cream as lower fat dairy is more prone to curdling at high temperatures.
Kate says
Have you ever tried this in an instapot instead?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Kate! I have not but I do have a stovetop version: https://www.thereciperebel.com/creamy-tomato-basil-chicken-breasts/ Enjoy!
Michala says
Could I use frozen chicken breast? How long do you think it would need to cook?
The Recipe Rebel says
Frozen chicken in the slow cooker isn’t really recommended.
Beka Tamagne says
Have you made this using a non-dairy substitute?
Megan says
Country Crock plant cream is a great substitute for the heavy cream. I’ve used it in many recipes and can’t even tell the difference with regular cream!
The Recipe Rebel says
Great to hear! Thank you Megan!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Beka, No I haven’t. You could possibly try a full fat non dairy milk? But I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so I can’t say for sure how it will work. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Leah says
I just made this with full-fat coconut cream (skimmed off the top of settled coconut milk) and it is delicious.
Gigi says
Do I need to drain the tomatoes first?
Jessica says
We didn’t drain them and it came out great still! Loved this recipe. It also tasted good with stewed tomatoes.
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks Jessica!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Gigi! No, you do not drain the tomatoes first. Enjoy!
Serene Faulk says
Delicious! I tweaked it a little by adding a splash or two of balsamic vinegar, couple sun dried tomatoes, and served with goat cheese on top. I am obsessed with this meal!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Serene! Love that! Thank you!
Sheila Jones says
Made it – delicious. I had fresh tomatoes that needed to be used so replaced diced. Just delicious with mashed potatoes!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sheila! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!