Marry Me Chicken stays juicy with savory glaze or seasoning—an easy anchor for dinner with simple sides.
Slow‑Cooked Creamy Sun‑Dried Tomato Chicken
A hands‑off slow‑cooker dinner that turns braised chicken thighs into a silky, tomato‑kissed sauce perfect for weeknights.
This is the kind of recipe that answers the nightly question, “What’s for dinner?” with very little drama. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay juicy in the slow cooker and taste far richer than their fuss-free prep suggests. Browning the thighs first gives them golden color and a layer of caramelized flavor—an easy extra step that makes the final dish feel deliberate, not thrown together.
Sun‑dried tomatoes (drained if packed in oil) bring concentrated tang and savory depth, while garlic and onion melt into the cooking liquid to form a cozy base. Italian seasoning and a pinch of crushed red pepper add warmth without stealing the show; kosher salt is used judiciously so the finishing cheeses can shine.
Cream, cream cheese, and grated Parmesan are the secret to the signature silky glaze: they turn the broth into a clingy, lusciously rich sauce that coats each thigh. Cook on LOW for about 4 hours (or HIGH for 2–2½) until the chicken is very tender, then stir in the dairy to finish—no whisking marathon required.
This feeds six and travels well into leftovers—sauce thickens and flavors deepen after a day in the fridge. Serve it spooned over pasta, mashed potatoes, polenta, or with crusty bread and a simple green vegetable. Trim excess fat and pat the thighs dry before seasoning, and you’ll have a dependable, low‑effort centerpiece that feels like company dinner even on a weekday.
Ingredients
How to Make Marry Me Chicken
- Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and pat dry; season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the thighs 2–3 minutes per side until golden (they will finish in the slow cooker); transfer to a plate.
- Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the slow cooker insert along with the drained sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and the chicken broth; stir to combine.
- Nestle the browned chicken thighs into the tomato-broth mixture, cover, and cook on LOW for 4 hours (or HIGH 2–2½ hours) until chicken is very tender.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board, shred with two forks, and skim any excess fat from the surface of the slow cooker liquid; return the shredded chicken to the cooker.
- In a bowl whisk together heavy cream, softened cream cheese, and grated Parmesan until mostly smooth, then stir the mixture into the slow cooker; add the baby spinach and chopped basil and cook on LOW uncovered 10–15 minutes until the spinach wilts and the sauce is hot.
- Whisk cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, stir into the slow cooker and simmer 3–5 minutes to thicken; finish with lemon juice, taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve the Marry Me Chicken stew spooned over cooked pasta, rice, or with crusty bread, garnished with extra basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.
Recipe Card
Marry Me Chicken
Marry Me Chicken stays juicy with savory glaze or seasoning—an easy anchor for dinner with simple sides.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 4 hr
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and pat dry; season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the thighs 2–3 minutes per side until golden (they will finish in the slow cooker); transfer to a plate.
- Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the slow cooker insert along with the drained sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and the chicken broth; stir to combine.
- Nestle the browned chicken thighs into the tomato-broth mixture, cover, and cook on LOW for 4 hours (or HIGH 2–2½ hours) until chicken is very tender.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board, shred with two forks, and skim any excess fat from the surface of the slow cooker liquid; return the shredded chicken to the cooker.
- In a bowl whisk together heavy cream, softened cream cheese, and grated Parmesan until mostly smooth, then stir the mixture into the slow cooker; add the baby spinach and chopped basil and cook on LOW uncovered 10–15 minutes until the spinach wilts and the sauce is hot.
- Whisk cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, stir into the slow cooker and simmer 3–5 minutes to thicken; finish with lemon juice, taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve the Marry Me Chicken stew spooned over cooked pasta, rice, or with crusty bread, garnished with extra basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 11
- Saturated Fat
- 25
- Sodium
- 1100
- Fiber
- 2.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 36.3
- Protein
- 49
- Fat
- 61
- Cholesterol
- 300
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 796
- Sugar
- 3