Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner Made Easy

Chicken breasts don’t need to spend all day in the crockpot to become tender. This Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner uses a shorter cooking time, plenty of fresh garlic, Parmesan, and heavy cream to make juicy chicken with a silky sauce that’s perfect over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

A quick sear gives the chicken golden color before it goes into the slow cooker. From there, LOW heat does the work. The biggest secret is simply checking the chicken early instead of assuming more time will make it more tender.

Why Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner Works

Chicken breast behaves differently from chuck roast and other meats made for all-day slow cooking.

For Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner, about three hours on LOW is a good starting point. The exact time depends on the thickness of your chicken and how hot your slow cooker runs, so use 165°F as the real finish line.

Searing helps too. You’re not cooking the chicken completely in the skillet. You just want some golden color and flavorful browned bits that can become part of the garlic cream sauce.

Fresh garlic, broth, cream, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning do the rest.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 4 medium breasts
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, finely minced
• ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional

Why Use Fresh Garlic and Garlic Powder?

Six cloves might sound generous, but garlic is supposed to stand out in this creamy crockpot chicken.

Fresh garlic gives Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner its main garlic flavor, while a little garlic powder spreads that flavor more evenly through the cream sauce.

I also prefer heavy cream instead of regular milk. It gives the finished sauce more body and richness.

How to Make Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner

1. Sear the Chicken First

Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and black pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken without overlapping the pieces.

Sear for roughly 3 minutes per side, or until you have a good golden surface.

Don’t worry about cooking the chicken through yet. That happens in the slow cooker.

Transfer the browned chicken to the crockpot.

2. Make the Garlic Cream Sauce

Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low and add the minced garlic.

Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

Don’t let it become dark brown. Garlic can turn bitter surprisingly quickly.

Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits from the skillet. Stir in the heavy cream, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.

Let everything warm briefly, then pour the sauce over the chicken.

Using the same skillet is a simple way to bring more flavor into Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner without adding extra ingredients.

3. Slow Cook Until the Chicken Is Tender

Cover and cook Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner on LOW for about 2½ to 3½ hours.

Start checking around the 2½-hour mark, particularly if the chicken breasts are on the smaller side.

The chicken is ready when the thickest part reaches 165°F.

Don’t keep cooking it for several extra hours just because it’s in a slow cooker. Once chicken breast is done, extended cooking can make it dry rather than more tender.

4. Thicken the Creamy Garlic Sauce

Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and keep it covered.

Stir the Parmesan into the liquid in the crockpot.

Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl, then stir the smooth slurry into the sauce.

Switch the slow cooker to HIGH and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the creamy garlic sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon.

Return the chicken to the crockpot and spoon the sauce over it.

Your Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner is ready once that sauce is creamy enough to cling to the chicken but still loose enough to spoon over your favorite side.

Don’t Overcook Your Creamy Crockpot Chicken

The easiest way to ruin this recipe is leaving chicken breasts in the slow cooker for too long.

Tough cuts of beef can benefit from hours of additional cooking. Chicken breast doesn’t work the same way.

Use an instant-read thermometer and stop cooking Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner once the chicken reaches 165°F.

Another mistake is adding dry cornstarch directly to the hot sauce. Always mix it with cold water first so you don’t end up with little white lumps throughout the cream sauce.

What to Serve with Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner

This is one of those dinners where the sauce deserves something underneath it.

Mashed potatoes are my first choice. Spoon the chicken over the potatoes and let that garlic cream sauce settle around everything.

Other good options include:

• Buttered egg noodles
• Steamed rice
• Roasted broccoli
• Green beans
• Roasted asparagus

If you use noodles, slice the chicken before serving so you can get chicken, pasta, and creamy garlic sauce in the same forkful.

Easy Garlic Chicken Variations

A few simple changes work particularly well with Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner:

• Use chicken thighs: Boneless skinless thighs are a little more forgiving in the slow cooker.
• Add spinach: Stir 2 packed cups of baby spinach into the finished hot sauce and let it wilt.
• Add some heat: Mix ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes into the sauce.
• Brighten the sauce: Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice after cooking.
• Try half-and-half: It works for a lighter sauce, although it won’t be quite as rich as heavy cream.

Storing Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner

Refrigerate leftover Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner in a covered container for 3 to 4 days.

For reheating, place the chicken and sauce in a covered skillet or small saucepan over low heat. Add a tablespoon or two of chicken broth if the refrigerated sauce has become too thick.

Gentle reheating matters. High heat can make the chicken tougher and isn’t ideal for the creamy Parmesan sauce.

You can also freeze the chicken and sauce for up to 3 months, although dairy-based sauces may separate slightly after thawing.

Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner FAQ

Can I put raw chicken directly into the slow cooker?

Yes. Searing isn’t required for safety. I use it in Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner because it gives the chicken better color and leaves browned flavor behind for the sauce.

Can I cook creamy garlic chicken on HIGH?

You can, but boneless chicken breasts have a smaller window between cooked and overcooked. LOW gives you more control. Whichever setting you use, cook the chicken until it reaches 165°F.

Why is my creamy garlic sauce too thin?

Chicken releases liquid as it cooks, and slow cookers trap that moisture. That’s why Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner gets its Parmesan and cornstarch slurry near the end rather than relying on the sauce to thicken during the entire cooking time.

Can I use half-and-half instead of heavy cream?

Yes, but expect a lighter, somewhat thinner sauce. Let the finished sauce thicken before deciding whether it needs additional cornstarch.

Can I make Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner with chicken thighs?

Absolutely. Boneless skinless thighs work well and tend to be more forgiving than breasts. Use temperature rather than cooking time alone to determine when they’re ready.

Creamy Garlic Chicken Without an All-Day Cook

The best part of Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner is that you still get the convenience of the crockpot without sacrificing the texture of the chicken.

Give the breasts a quick sear, let them cook gently in that garlicky cream sauce, and pull them once they reach the right temperature. Finish with Parmesan and a quick slurry, and Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Dinner comes out tender, creamy, and ready for whatever side you want soaking up that sauce.

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