Slow Cooker Italian Chicken
Posted Jan 26, 2025
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In this slow cooker Italian chicken recipe, chicken breasts are cooked in the crock pot with diced tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, herbs and spices for a flavorful, healthy dinner perfect for busy nights!
This slow cooker Italian chicken recipe is a healthy dinner that’s easy to make. It’s made from scratch (no bottled dressings) and is so delicious you’ll make it on repeat.
In this recipe, chicken breasts are cooked in a flavorful sauce that contains diced tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, herbs and spices. It takes 5 minutes to prepare, then cooks in the crock pot while you go about your day!
Serve this crock pot Italian chicken on top of pasta or rice with a delicious green salad (like this burrata salad) or roasted veggies.
Slow Cooker Italian Chicken: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chicken breasts. you can substitute legs or thighs if you’d like.
- Diced tomatoes. I suggest plain tomatoes, but an Italian-flavored variety or fire-roasted are both great choices.
- Onion. white, yellow and red onions all work well.
- Balsamic vinegar. Make sure to use a high quality balsamic vinegar in this recipe. It should be thick (not watery), naturally sweet and pour like molasses.
- Italian seasoning. You can substitute fresh herbs for the dried italian seasoning, if you prefer. I suggest fresh basil, fresh oregano, and fresh parsley.
How to Make Slow Cooker Italian Chicken
Let’s walk through how to make Italian chicken in the slow cooker, step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by combining all ingredients except for chicken in the container of a slow cooker.
Then, add chicken breasts and turn to coat.
Cook the Italian chicken on low for 6 hours (recommended) or on high for 3 hours. Or until the chicken is tender.
Serve
You can serve this slow cooker Italian chicken in one of two ways:
- Serve as whole chicken breasts. Simply remove the breasts from the slow cooker and serve it with some of the sauce from the container.
- Shred the chicken in the last hour of cooking, then let it continue cooking in the sauce until cook time is over and you’re ready to serve.
I suggest serving it over your favorite pasta noodles or rice. We serve it with vegetables or a salad on the side.
Store/Freeze
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a covered pan.
Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Recipe FAQS
Yes, you can double the recipe and cook it in a large slow cooker, or two medium size slow cookers.
Yes, you can cook raw chicken in the slow cooker. Make sure it reaches at least 165 degrees F before serving.
I always try to cook chicken breasts on low heat, but sometimes life happens and you need to cook it faster. If that’s you, you can cook this recipe on high with great results. The sauce keeps the chicken moist as it cooks.
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Slow Cooker Italian Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts* (boneless, skinless)
- 30 oz diced tomatoes
- ½ cup onion (finely chopped)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil)
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Serve with parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil (Optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except for chicken in the container of a slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Add chicken breasts and turn to coat.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
- You can serve it two ways:
- Whole chicken breasts. Simply remove the breasts from the slow cooker and serve with extra sauce from the slow cooker.
- Shred the chicken in the last hour of cooking, then let it continue cooking in the sauce until cook time is over and you’re ready to serve.
- Top with parmesan cheese and serve over noodles.
Video
Notes
- Chicken breasts. you can substitute legs or thighs if you’d like.
- Diced tomatoes. I suggest plain tomatoes, but an Italian-flavored variety or fire-roasted are both great choices.
- Onion. white, yellow and red onions all work well.
- Balsamic vinegar. Make sure to use a high quality balsamic vinegar in this recipe. It should be thick (not watery), naturally sweet and pour like molasses.
- Italian seasoning. You can substitute fresh herbs for the dried Italian seasoning, if you prefer. I suggest fresh basil, fresh oregano, and fresh parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
