Crockpot Italian Chicken Healthy One Pan Meal Wellplated Com

For those nights when the act of even thinking about cooking is exhausting, and all you want to do is call Papa John’s for pizza, this crockpot Italian chicken is here to rescue you. While I adore cooking, some nights I barely have the energy to put together a peanut butter sandwich, let alone an entire meal (which is interesting considering that I always have the energy for these One Bowl Brownies, but I digress). This feeling strikes most often on Monday nights, so I try to anticipate the agony with easy one-pot meals like this Italian chicken for the slow cooker.

It’s simple—literally just mix, dump, cook, and eat (this Slow Cooker Greek Chicken is equally easy and delicious).It’s filled with classic Italian flavors of ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and creamy mozzarella.AND made with everyday ingredients you probably have in your pantry to make this dish right this second!

How to Make Crockpot Italian Chicken

This crockpot Italian chicken will transport you straight to Naples with its classic caprese salad flavors of basil, balsamic, tomato, and mozzarella (you know it, Caprese Pasta Salad). To add an extra nod to the Italian flavors, begin the meal with this Mozzarella Sticks recipe

The Ingredients

Chicken. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are my go-to for this recipe. However, you may also swap for boneless, skinless thighs if you prefer dark meat.

Diced Tomatoes. Canned tomatoes provide bold flavor and essential cooking liquid to keep the chicken moist as it cooks. Balsamic Vinegar. As it cooks, the balsamic sweetens like a reduction, with less effort (and one less pan to wash).Garlic. Provides that quintessential Italian flavor to the dish.Red Onion. Adds a little bite, color, and zip to accent the flavors.Bay Leaf. Contributes an extra layer of flavor and makes this sauce smell simply divine. Basil. With a combination of both dried and fresh basil, this dish is certainly not lacking any fresh, summery basil flavor. And that’s a good thing!

Mozzarella. A sprinkling of fresh mozzarella on each serving melts over the warm sauce and provides this dish with just the right amount of satisfying gooey cheese.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.To Reheat. Warm gently, in a microwave-safe container, until heated through.To Freeze. This recipe may be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, let thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave until heated through.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Knife Set. I like their durable stainless steel blades and ergonomic handles.Mixing Bowls. Perfect for tossing together recipe ingredients every day. Microwave- and dishwasher-safe too!Kitchen Tongs. I enjoy the locking feature to take up less space in my kitchen drawer.

Do not place frozen chicken in a slow cooker. From a food safety standpoint, frozen chicken breasts or thighs will sit at room temperature inside a crockpot for too long and become a breeding ground for foodborne illness. Always fully defrost raw chicken prior to adding it to a slow cooker. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts should cook in 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on LOW.I don’t recommend cooking chicken breasts on HIGH in a slow cooker since they tend to dry out easier than their dark meat counterparts.

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

Two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs should cook in 3 to 4 hours on HIGH or 5 to 6 hours on LOW.

Bone-in Chicken

If using bone-in chicken, I suggest removing the skin first. Chicken skin in the slow cooker will not become crispy, but become soggy and rubbery.Cook the bone-in chicken legs or thighs on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or on LOW for 5 to 6 hours.

For more chicken slow cooker tips, see my Crock Pot Shredded Chicken post.