Marry Me Chicken Slow Cooker Edition is the version you make when you want the creamy sun-dried tomato sauce and the tender chicken but not the hovering over a skillet. The slow cooker does the braising; you do about fifteen minutes of actual work, most of it opening jars.
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The finished result is chicken that pulls apart under a fork, sitting in a sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, with sun-dried tomatoes and garlic doing the heavy lifting. If you have ever had a slow cooker sauce come out watery, read the cornstarch step twice. That is the failure point and it is the one thing people skip.
This makes six generous portions over pasta or rice, which is more than it sounds like once the sauce is counted. Leftovers reheat better than they have any right to.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
2.5 lb (1.1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Thighs stay moist through a long braise where breasts dry out. If you only have breasts, use them but check at 2.5 hours on low and pull them early.
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
Any neutral oil works; use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar if it is packed in oil for extra flavor.
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup / 160g)
Yellow onion gives the sweetest base; a red onion will work but turns the sauce slightly pink.
4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp)
Fresh garlic only here; jarred garlic tastes flat after a long cook. Buy a head and mince it yourself.
1/2 cup (about 85g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
Oil-packed tomatoes are softer and more flavorful than dry-packed; if using dry-packed, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes first.
1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
Low-sodium matters because the tomatoes and Parmesan are already salty. Water plus a bouillon cube is a fine substitute.
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
Add it at the end, not the start, or it can split. Half-and-half works but the sauce will be noticeably thinner.
1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
Buy a block and grate it; pre-shredded Parmesan has anti-caking starch that makes the sauce grainy.
1 tbsp cornstarch whisked into 2 tbsp cold water
This is the slurry that thickens the sauce at the end. Do not add it dry or it clumps instantly.
1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp black pepper
Oregano is the backbone; if you have fresh, use 1 tbsp and add it at the end instead.
2 cups (about 60g) fresh baby spinach, optional
Stirred in at the end for color and bulk. Frozen spinach works if squeezed very dry first.
12 oz (340g) pasta or 3 cups cooked rice, for serving
Penne or rigatoni hold the sauce best. Cook it just shy of al dente so it finishes in the sauce.
Tips & Tricks
Do Not Skip the Slurry
Whisking cornstarch into cold water before adding it is what separates a creamy sauce from a broth. Add it in the last 30 minutes and stir.
Add Cream Late
Heavy cream added at the start of a long cook can split and turn grainy. Stir it in during the final 20 to 30 minutes on low.
Pat the Chicken Dry
Moist chicken steams instead of browning. If you sear first, dry the thighs thoroughly and work in batches so the pan stays hot.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Gather and prep
Set out a 6-quart slow cooker, a skillet, a whisk, and a measuring cup. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, slice the tomatoes, and pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels.
2. Sear the chicken
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 375F (190C), and sear the thighs 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown. They will not be cooked through, which is correct. Work in two batches.
3. Build the base
Scatter the onion, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes across the bottom of the slow cooker, then nestle the seared chicken on top. Pour in the broth and sprinkle the oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper over everything.
4. Cook low and slow
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2.5 hours. The chicken is done when it shreds easily with a fork and reaches 200F (93C) internally, which is where thighs go tender rather than just safe.
5. Thicken the sauce
Whisk the cornstarch into 2 tbsp cold water until smooth, then stir it into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 20 to 30 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and bubbles gently at the edges.
6. Finish with cream
Reduce to low or turn off the heat, stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan, and add the spinach if using. Stir until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes, and the sauce is uniform in color.
7. Rest and serve
Let it sit uncovered for 5 minutes to settle, then shred or leave the thighs whole and spoon over hot pasta or rice. Taste and adjust salt only after the Parmesan has gone in.
Delicious Variations
Spicy Arrabbiata Version
Double the red pepper flakes and add 1 tbsp Calabrian chili paste with the broth for a sharper, hotter sauce.
Mushroom and Thyme
Add 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms with the onion and swap oregano for 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves.
Dairy-Free Take
Replace the cream with full-fat coconut milk and the Parmesan with 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, adding both off the heat.
How to Store Marry Me Chicken Slow Cooker Edition 🍗
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The sauce thickens considerably when cold; loosen with a splash of broth when reheating.
Freezer
Freeze the chicken and sauce without the pasta for up to 3 months in portioned containers. Cream sauces can separate slightly, so whisk vigorously after thawing.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave at 50 percent power, stirring every 30 seconds, until steaming but not boiling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I put raw chicken in the slow cooker for marry me chicken?
Yes, you can add raw chicken thighs directly to the slow cooker and skip the sear. The tradeoff is a paler sauce and less depth of flavor, so searing is worth the extra ten minutes if you have them.
Q: Why did my slow cooker marry me chicken sauce turn out watery?
The sauce is watery because the cream and cornstarch were added too early or the lid was opened repeatedly, letting steam escape and condensation back in. Add the slurry in the last 30 minutes and keep the lid on until then.
Q: Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes, but reduce the cook time to about 2.5 hours on low and check early, because breasts dry out and shred stringy. Thighs are the better choice for a long braise.
Q: How do I keep the cream from curdling in the slow cooker?
Stir the heavy cream in at the very end, after the heat is reduced or off, and never let it boil hard. Cream that is cold when added to a hot sauce is more likely to split, so let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes first.
Q: Can I make marry me chicken ahead of time?
Yes, make it up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate the chicken in the sauce, then reheat gently and stir in a splash of broth. Add the pasta fresh rather than storing it mixed in.
If you make this, tell me whether you seared the thighs or went straight into the pot, because the two versions are genuinely different dishes. Measure twice, then measure again.
Marry Me Chicken Slow Cooker Edition 🍗
Marry Me Chicken Slow Cooker Edition gives you tender chicken in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with zero stovetop stress and one pot to wash.
🧂 Ingredients
- 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup / 160g)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp)
- 1/2 cup (about 85g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp cornstarch whisked into 2 tbsp cold water
- 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups (about 60g) fresh baby spinach, optional
- 12 oz (340g) pasta or 3 cups cooked rice, for serving
📋 Instructions
- 1Gather and prep — Set out a 6-quart slow cooker, a skillet, a whisk, and a measuring cup. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, slice the tomatoes, and pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels.
- 2Sear the chicken — Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 375F (190C), and sear the thighs 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown. They will not be cooked through, which is correct. Work in two batches.
- 3Build the base — Scatter the onion, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes across the bottom of the slow cooker, then nestle the seared chicken on top. Pour in the broth and sprinkle the oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper over everything.
- 4Cook low and slow — Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2.5 hours. The chicken is done when it shreds easily with a fork and reaches 200F (93C) internally, which is where thighs go tender rather than just safe.
- 5Thicken the sauce — Whisk the cornstarch into 2 tbsp cold water until smooth, then stir it into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 20 to 30 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and bubbles gently at the edges.
- 6Finish with cream — Reduce to low or turn off the heat, stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan, and add the spinach if using. Stir until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes, and the sauce is uniform in color.
- 7Rest and serve — Let it sit uncovered for 5 minutes to settle, then shred or leave the thighs whole and spoon over hot pasta or rice. Taste and adjust salt only after the Parmesan has gone in.
