Description
A comforting slow cooker recipe featuring tender boneless skinless chicken breasts simmered in a creamy tomato basil sauce made with diced tomatoes, marinara, garlic, and fresh basil, finished with Parmesan cheese for a rich and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs with juice (14 oz or 398 ml)
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: Add the canned diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, marinara sauce, finely minced garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, dried basil, and pepper into a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir them together to combine all the flavors.
- Mix cream and cornstarch: In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy whipping cream and cornstarch until smooth and well combined. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker with the tomato sauce.
- Add the chicken: Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts into the slow cooker, pressing them gently down into the sauce to ensure they are mostly submerged.
- Cook the chicken: Cover and cook on the low setting for 3 to 4 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breasts reads 165°F (74°C).
- Finish and season: Stir in the fresh chopped basil, then taste the sauce and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve the creamy tomato basil chicken topped with grated Parmesan cheese for an extra savory finish.
Notes
- Cooking times may vary slightly depending on your slow cooker model.
- For thicker sauce, you can remove the lid during the last 30 minutes to allow some liquid to evaporate.
- This dish pairs well with pasta, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the creamy tomato sauce.
- Fresh basil added at the end gives a bright, fresh flavor; dried basil is used earlier for deeper infusion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 0 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
