Tasty, tender chicken in a succulent parmesan cream sauce, Tuscan Style Crock Pot Chicken Thighs will impress any dinner guest!
With just 10 minutes of prep work, this easy, elegant recipe for Tuscan Style Crock Pot Chicken Thighs is truly tantalizing! Featuring meaty thighs seasoned with Italian spices and simmered with succulent ingredients like spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic, the star of this show is the thick, luxurious parmesan cream sauce. This mouthwatering masterpiece offers gourmet-quality that’s incredibly easy to make in the slow cooker!
How to Serve Tuscan-Inspired Chicken
Crockpot Tuscan Chicken Thighs are loaded with savory ingredients and a rich, heavy sauce, so side dishes should be simple. It can be served with slices of hearty, crusty garlic bread or over pasta or roasted potatoes to soak up every drop of that savory sauce! Italian-inspired salads make great options as well as any roasted green veggie like broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts or haricot verts.
Other Recipes to Serve with Tuscan Crockpot Chicken
- Parmesan Truffle Roasted Potatoes are a quick, easy, and hands-off side dish for soaking up the creamy Tuscan sauce.
- A flavorful favorite, our Italian Ceci Bean Salad is the perfect side dish for Tuscan Chicken!
Ingredients
Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs make this elegant recipe economical as well! Chicken breasts can substitute, but don’t have as much flavor.
Veggies: This Italian dish depends on sweet sundried tomatoes and spinach for its delicate balance of flavors!
Sauce: Heavy cream and parmesan + cornstarch (for thickening) bring the indulgent, decadent texture to this creamy classic chicken dish.
Seasonings: Tasty Tuscan chicken is loaded with Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, cracked black pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and minced garlic.
How to Make Tuscan-Style Chicken Thighs in a Crockpot
STEP ONE: Arrange the uncooked chicken thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker in a single layer, as best you can, for the size of the crock you have. Then sprinkle the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes all over the chicken.
STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, add the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic, and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth, then pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker.
STEP THREE: Cover the crockpot with its lid and set it to HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 5-6 hours. The chicken should be cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees F) and the sauce should be thick and creamy once it’s done.
STEP FOUR: Stir in the spinach and allow it to wilt in the sauce for about 10 minutes. You can add water as needed to help loosen the sauce. Stir after each addition until your desired consistency is reached.
STEP FIVE: Serve the chicken over your favorite cooked pasta, rice, or with potatoes and vegetables. Spoon extra sauce over the top and dig in!
Tips for Success
- In the summer, cherry tomatoes from the garden can substitute for the sun-dried tomatoes – less sweet, but fresh and fabulous!
- A splash of white wine really enhances the cream sauce!
- Ideally, use a crockpot size that will allow the chicken to be completely covered with the sauce while cooking.
- With 5 extra minutes, try searing the meaty side of the thighs in a skillet with a little butter for a rich flavor the crockpot can’t mimic.
What is Tuscan Chicken?
Tuscan-Style Chicken is an Italian dish that gained fame several years ago on Olive Garden’s menu. It has held on to that popularity because it’s honestly SO ridiculously delicious! With Tuscan-inspired ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, onion, garlic, spinach, parmesan, and Italian seasonings, this crockpot recipe is a twist on traditional Chicken Florentine and is also quite similar to Marry Me Chicken.
Tuscan Crockpot Chicken is one of those rare recipes that’s simple enough to throw together on a Thursday night for family dinner but is also elevated enough to serve on extra-special occasions or date nights at home.
How Do You Store Leftover Tuscan Crockpot Chicken?
Remove any leftovers from the slow cooker and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat slowly in the microwave.
If you made extra for a second meal, seal the chicken and sauce airtight, then double-wrap with a layer of foil to stave off freezer burn, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then rewarm in a skillet or the microwave, adding a touch more cream if needed.
Other Champion Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Mediterranean Crock Pot Chicken Thighs
- Cheesy Skillet Ranch Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
- French Onion Chicken Thighs
- Baked Pineapple Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan grated
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 cups baby spinach chopped
- Water as needed
Instructions
- In the bottom of a slow cooker, arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer (as best you can). Sprinkle the chicken with the salt, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and cornstarch until smooth. Pour the mixture all over the chicken thighs.
- Place the lid on the crock pot, and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 5-6 hours. It's ready when the chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the sauce has thickened.
- Stir in the spinach and cook it in the sauce for 10 minutes, until wilted. Add water to the sauce as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Serve the chicken over cooked pasta, rice, or potatoes and veggies with extra sauce spooned over the top.
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