This recipe for crockpot marry me chicken combines ingredients from your pantry with chicken breasts and then ends with a rich and creamy sauce. With less than 10 minutes of hands-on time, this amazing dinner is perfect for busy weeknights.
Marry me chicken is known for its creamy Parmesan sauce with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and a little kick from red pepper flakes – so good you may end up with a proposal. It’s an easy stovetop dinner perfect weeknight meal. But if you’d like to make it even easier, you can make it in the slow cooker!
This quick and simple dinner takes a favorite and makes it even easier, swapping out making a roux and cream sauce for cream cheese to thicken the base. Plus there is no need to sear the chicken. This recipe has layers of flavors made with simple ingredients from your pantry and ends with the creamiest sauce and moist chicken that is perfect over pasta.
Ingredients
- Chicken broth: Creates the base of your sauce and adds a savory flavor. I’d suggest using low-sodium broth because we’re adding Parmesan, which is already quite salty, and that way you can control the amount of added salt when seasoning.
- Garlic: A necessary aromatic for even more great flavor. I recommend using fresh garlic for this recipe.
- Seasonings: Thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. The kick from the red pepper flakes is minimal, but you can always adjust it to your liking.
- Chicken breasts: Cook right in the sauce in the slow cooker. If your chicken breasts are really thick, cut them into cutlets.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: These come in a jar packed in oil, usually near the jarred olives or pasta sauce at your grocery store. Pat them with a paper towel if they’re very oily to prevent too much oil from going into your sauce. Give them a rough chop before adding to the slow cooker.
- Cream cheese: Instead of heavy cream, this recipe uses cream cheese to create the rich sauce. I love using it in the slow cooker because it makes the sauce thick and creamy without needing to make a roux on the stove.
- Parmesan: Grating Parmesan cheese from a block gives the best flavor, even if not as convenient as buying pre-shredded Parmesan.
- Cornstarch: Adding this is an optional addition if the sauce isn’t thick enough at the end.
How to Make Crockpot Marry Me Chicken
- Combine the chicken broth, garlic, thyme, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and pepper in the base of the slow cooker. Then add the chicken breasts and cook on low for three hours or on high for one to two hours, until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. After the chicken is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and then add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Close the slow cooker and turn the heat to high for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir until smooth. If the sauce isn’t thick enough, make a slurry with cornstarch by removing a small amount of the sauce and whisking 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into it. Whisk that back into the sauce in the crockpot. Then return the chicken and spoon the sauce over.
Tips for the Best Crockpot Marry Me Chicken
- Use similarly sized chicken breasts. This will allow them to cook more evenly. If they are especially thick, you can cut them into chicken cutlets.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. Check the chicken with an instant-read thermometer. I love this one because you can leave it in the chicken as it cooks. Remove the chicken when it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit at the thickest part of the breast.
- Add the dairy at the end. The cream cheese and Parmesan go in at the end ensuring a perfectly smooth and creamy sauce.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Cheese grated fresh from the block melts best, and this will help guarantee you a silky smooth sauce.
- Thicken the sauce with cornstarch. If after you have added the cream cheese and Parmesan the sauce is too thin, make a cornstarch slurry. Remove about 1/2 a cup of the hot sauce. Whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into that until it is smooth. Then return that to the sauce in the slow cooker and then add the chicken back in.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover marry me chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in the microwave or a small saucepan over low heat. Be sure to reheat slowly to reduce separation of the sauce. Always use your best discretion with reheating and eating leftovers.
What to Serve with Marry Me Chicken
If you make this marry me chicken recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think! Reading your comments makes my day.
Crockpot Marry Me Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (113 grams or 118 ml)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 2 pounds or 907 grams
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes finely chopped (50 grams)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (227 grams)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (25 grams)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch optional
Instructions
- Pour the chicken broth into the base of the slow cooker (see note). Then whisk in the garlic, thyme, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper.1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Add the chicken and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or on high for 1 to 2 hours or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit as measured with an instant read thermometer.4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Remove the chicken, tent it with foil, and set aside. Add the cream cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese to the liquid. Turn the slow cooker to high, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Whisk the sauce until smooth. If the sauce hasn't thickened enough, whisk in a tablespoon of cornstarch, see note for specific directions. Return the chicken to the crockpot, spooning the sauce over it. Serve over pasta and enjoy.1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 8 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Notes
Equipment
- 1 6 quart slow cooker 6 quarter slow cooker
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