Description
This Tuscan Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs recipe offers tender, flavorful chicken simmered in a creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and Italian herbs. Perfect for an easy, comforting meal, this recipe uses the slow cooker for effortless preparation and rich taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt (divided)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (divided)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- ½ cup chopped shallots (or ½ cup chopped sweet yellow onion as substitute)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 3 cloves garlic for extra flavor)
- ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
Liquids and Thickener
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth (or 1 ½ cups for more sauce)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (or coconut milk for dairy-free)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Optional Toppings
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Brown the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken thighs seasoned with salt and pepper. Brown on each side for 2-4 minutes until golden. Transfer the browned chicken to the slow cooker.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium, add chopped shallots to the skillet and sauté, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add minced garlic and continue to sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour chicken broth into the hot skillet and cook for 1 minute, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. This adds deep flavor. Turn off the heat.
- Add to Slow Cooker: Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow cooker with the chicken thighs.
- Season and Add Tomatoes: Add dried Italian seasoning, remaining salt and pepper, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes into the slow cooker with the chicken.
- Cook in Slow Cooker: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 2.5 hours, or on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together heavy cream and cornstarch. Stir the mixture and chopped spinach into the slow cooker. Let cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and spinach is wilted.
- Final Seasoning and Serve: Taste the sauce and add extra salt and pepper if needed. Serve the chicken topped with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute ½ cup chopped sweet yellow onion for the shallots if preferred.
- For more sauce, increase chicken broth to 1 ½ cups and heavy cream to ½ cup. Adjust Italian seasoning to 1 ½ teaspoons, salt to ½ teaspoon, and garlic to 3 cloves.
- Use coconut milk instead of heavy cream for a dairy-free option.
- Chicken thighs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F for safety and juiciness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
