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Easy, fresh, and flavorful Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Chicken is a healthy and versatile dinner option. With only five main ingredients, you can toss it together in just minutes. When you come home you’ll be ready to serve it with your favorite sides. It’s a great crockpot recipe for busy nights!
Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Chicken – Easy Crockpot Chicken Recipe!
Crockpot chicken recipes don’t have to be heavy and rich. This pulled chicken is a light and healthy dish with flavors everyone in the family loves. It is a fabulous way to use up garden tomatoes and the summer abundance of fresh basil. Or it can add a bit of brightness to a cold winter day.
And when you use your slow cooker, it’s super fast and easy to make. The crockpot truly does most of the work. Just toss everything in and come home to delicious aromas throughout the house. Right before you serve it, shred the chicken and toss in basil to add that freshness!
Stewing the chicken in balsamic vinegar infuses it with moisture and sweet, bold flavor. And the addition of the tomatoes and basil makes this comforting dish light and bright. If you want a little more punch, drizzle it with syrupy reduced balsamic just before serving.
Speaking of serving, you have every option from hearty pasta or sandwiches to light salads or cauliflower rice. You can truly make it your own!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is not your mama’s crockpot chicken recipe. Well, it’s not MY mama’s crockpot chicken recipe, since hers usually include canned cream of mushroom soup or a box of stuffing mix or cream cheese. I love this tomato basil chicken because it’s MY type of slow cooker chicken recipe, and I think you’ll love it too. Here’s why…
- Fresh flavors. So many crockpot recipes are weighed down with heavy ingredients. Not this one! Everything is fresh, simple, and healthy.
- Dump and go. Even though this isn’t an old school slow cooker meal, it’s still one where you just have to toss everything right into the crockpot and let it cook. No fussy prepping or pre-cooking anything.
- Super versatile. The recipe itself is naturally gluten free, low carb, and paleo. So your choice of sides can make it super light, keep it keto, or even turn it into a comfort food meal. Keep ready for my Make it a Meal ideas.
Crockpot Chicken Ingredients
With only five main ingredients, you can throw this together even on the busiest mornings and still come home to a fabulous dinner. Here is a quick list of what you’ll need. See the recipe card for the full amounts.
- Olive oil. Just a little for the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can keep them whole, but if they are really large, you may want to cut them into chunks.
- Salt and pepper.
- Balsamic vinegar. Use a good quality balsamic, and make sure it is gluten free.
- Garlic. I like to use a clove of fresh, but you can use the kind from a jar.
- Grape or cherry tomatoes. Keep them whole – no need to take the time to cut them since that will make them turn to mush.
- Fresh basil. Here, fresh truly is best for that bright flavor. You can use dried in a pinch, but you’ll need to add it before cooking.
How to Make Tomato Basil Chicken
Add, cook, shred, enjoy! That’s really all there is to it. Let’s briefly go over the steps.
Add the ingredients. Drizzle the olive oil into the bottom or the slow cooker. Add the chicken, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and tomatoes.
Cover and cook. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
Shred and stir. Remove the cooked chicken to a plate. Use forks or tongs and shred it. Then return it to the crockpot with the fresh basil, and gently toss everything together, trying not to crush all of the tomatoes.
Make it a Meal
Based on your side dish choice, you can decide if you want to enjoy this slow cooker tomato basil chicken as a hearty comfort food dish, or a keto or even Whole 30 meal. We often enjoy it with Parmesan Polenta, but it would be equally tasty over over pasta or rice. You can also get more creative with these ideas.
- Keep it keto. Serve your balsamic chicken over over cauliflower rice or whipped cauliflower.
- Make sandwiches. Spoon it onto gluten free hamburger rolls or gluten free ciabatta rolls and melt some fresh mozzarella
- Add more flavor. If you have two crockpots, try it with Slow Cooker Parmesan Quinoa. Or get out the pressure cooker for Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto.
- Serve a salad. Enjoy it alongside an Italian Wedge Salad or Greek Zoodles Salad.
- Please the kids. They would love it if you also served Gluten Free Air Fryer Pizza Rolls and a little Marinara Sauce for dipping.
Things You’ll Need
- Slow cooker – I have made this often in my larger Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker because it was the only one I had. But an inexpensive 4-quart slow cooker will be fine too.
- Garlic press – with so few ingredients, I definitely recommend using fresh garlic for the best flavor. A garlic press ensures you don’t end up with any big chunks of garlic.
- Tongs – these are very helpful for shredding the chicken and serving it. I have multiple sizes on my kitchen.
Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic crushed or finely minced
- 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes left whole
- 1/4 cup basil leaves cut into chiffonade (fine ribbons)
- Homemade or store-bought balsamic reduction if desired.
Instructions
- Coat the bottom of your slow cooker with oil. Add the chicken, salt, pepper, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and tomatoes.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and falls apart easily.
- Gently shred the chicken with two forks, add the basil, and toss together to gently combine the chicken, tomatoes, juices and basil.
- Serve over pasta, polenta, or rice, or alongside roasted vegetables and drizzle with balsamic reduction, if desired.
Did you make this?
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More crockpot chicken recipes
- Orange Saffron Slow Cooker Roast Chicken brings exotic flavors to classic comfort food.
- Start Slow Cooker Orange Sesame Chicken and you won’t have to wait for takeout, plus it’s healthier.
- Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken is a classic dish that you can cook without even being home.
- It’s Indian food made easy with Lightened Up Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken and Black Beans make Taco Tuesday super easy.
- Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken from Family Food on the Table has intoxicating sweet-savory flavors and aromas.
- Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken with Artichokes from Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen is also a flavor-packed option.
Made this today and I’m happy to report there are ZERO leftovers. The kids ate theirs over noodles, I ate mine with a salad. I did make a balsamic reduction and I loved it (the kids preferred without it). Easy to make, delicious to eat. Thanks for posting.
Congrats on your growing success!
Recipe looks really yummy 🙂
Thanks Paul
Thank you, Paul!
Ok, I think I have an issue here. I’m seeing all kinds of recipes made using a slow cooker and still don’t have one. I know what I’m adding on my shopping list… As for the recipe itself, tomatoes and basil will automatically add some flavor to anything. If it’s pulled chicken, you definitely have a winner!
I hope you’re able to get a slow cooker soon. I think you will love how convenient it is for making meals… especially on busy days!
This was a great dish. Didn’t use any sugar at all and still came out great. Even for a bunch of picky eaters!
I’m so happy to hear that your family of picky eaters enjoyed the pulled chicken, Eleanor!
Hmm these look delicious, thanks for posting up this recipe, looks quite simple to make.
Simon
It’s really easy!
This looks absolutely wonderful! I need to go get some chicken!
You do! Thanks!
This sounds perfect over polenta! Yum!
Yes, it absolutely is!
Sounds delicious Brianne. I love the idea of shredding it and serving over polenta. I’ll have to try this for my GF hubs!
Thanks Amee! I love using polenta where people would typically use pasta.
I think in your instructions you meant to say add – lol
Ooops!
That is so exciting about your ‘mater plants! I bet the kids loved watching them grow. Tomatoes and basil make such a classic flavor combo. What a great idea to pair it with the pulled chicken. It sounds absolutely delicious!
Yes, the kids enjoyed playing in the tomato jungle 🙂
What a yummy garden-to-table recipe! Mmmmm
Yes, I was quite proud to actually have something from my garden to bring to my table!
How do we “ass the chicken” in the first instruction?
Ugh! Typing too late at night. Who put the “d” next to the “s”?!
Pork shoulder is on sale this week, and I have an empty slow cooker just waiting to go to work!
I love finding new combos for chicken to shred in the slow-cooker. This is a wonderful combo! I can’t wait to try this!
Yes, can never have enough chicken or slow cooker recipes. Combining the two is even better!
What’s your secret? I can’t get tomatoes to grow to save my life! Luckily most of my kids love tomatoes and I know they’ll love this dish! Pinned! oxox
I wish I had a secret – we are all still in shock 🙂
in yiur tomato basil pulled chicken.. in the directions you say ass chicken instead of add chicken. might wanna change that
Who put the d and s next to each other on the keyboard? Sorry! Fixed!
Huh, great minds think alike as I did a tomato basil themed recipe also. This looks amazing and with a few ingredients it is a winner of a recipe!!
Tomatoes and basil is always a winning combination in any form!
I would happily take Bug’s share of your tomato crop…lucky you! Your pulled chicken looks divine…can’t wait to make it for the family!
He’d be thrilled to “share” 😉
I must make this tonight! I am drooling over the pictures.
Thanks! Hope you enjoy it!
YUM! What a great crockpot idea. I also had a fabulous tomato season this year and still have some beautiful tomatoes to use. And even though my basil plant went through a hail-acious hail storm a couple of weeks ago, there’s still some leaves. Reading the title of this recipe made me instantly hungry, thanks for sharing and nice cooking with you for #SS.
I hope your basil resuscitates a bit! And it is nice to still have a little summer produce in the fall.
Congrats on your tomato growing success! And glad you got to use them for this great recipe.
Thanks Renee. I’m proud of us!
Thsi sounds like a delicious and healthy entree to cook in the slow cooker. Love the addition of tomatoes and basil.
Thanks Heather. It really is a lighter flavor than many slow cooker comfort food recipes.