Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Crockpot Marry Me Chicken is one seriously delicious dinner. I am talking juicy, fall-apart tender chicken thighs in a creamy Parmesan sauce loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, basil, and just enough red chili flakes to give it a little kick.

Of course, I’ve already made the famous Marry Me Chicken back in 2023. And Jason did, in fact, marry me long before that.

Coincidence? I’m not saying.

Now that the marriage part has been taken care of, I figured I might as well see what happens when Marry Me Chicken meets the crockpot.

Turns out, very good things happen. Now we are simply going to eat very, very well.

You get all that creamy, garlicky, cheesy goodness that made the original recipe so popular, but this time the slow cooker takes care of most of dinner. The chicken gets incredibly tender, the sauce is downright addictive, and your house starts smelling like you’ve been working much harder than you actually have.

I can’t promise this Crockpot Marry Me Chicken will get you a proposal. But Jason has stuck around for seconds, so I’d say its success rate is still looking pretty good.

What is Marry Me Chicken?

Marry Me Chicken is a creamy chicken dish with sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, garlic and herbs. The playful name comes from the idea that the dish is so good, someone might propose after eating it.

I make no such guarantees.

What I can guarantee is a pan, or in this case a crockpot, full of juicy chicken and one seriously delicious sauce.

My original Marry Me Chicken is made on the stovetop, where the chicken finishes cooking right in the creamy sauce. This Crockpot Marry Me Chicken takes those same irresistible flavors and adapts them for slow cooking.

It’s especially handy when I want dinner mostly taken care of well before dinnertime.

Ingredients Needed

You will find exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the end of this post. Here are the things you need:

• Chicken thighs – I prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs for this slow cooker version. You can use bone-in thighs, or even breast or whole cut up chicken if you like.
• Paprika and dried parsley – These, along with salt and pepper, make up the simple seasoning for the chicken before browning.
• Butter – For searing the chicken and getting that beautiful golden color.
• Shallot – I love the slightly sweet, delicate flavor of shallot here. It works so well with the creamy sauce without overpowering it. You can use regular onion if that’s all you have.
• Garlic – I use plenty. Four cloves may sound like a lot, but once everything cooks together, it’s just right.
• Red chili flakes – They give the sauce a little warmth and help cut through the richness.
• Thyme and oregano – A simple combination of dried herbs that adds plenty of flavor to the sauce.
• Sun-dried tomatoes – These are essential to that signature Marry Me Chicken flavor. They’re tangy, slightly sweet and intensely tomatoey.
• Heavy cream – This is Marry Me Chicken. Today is not the day for counting calories.
• Chicken stock – It thins the cream enough to give the chicken plenty of sauce to cook in.
• Parmesan – Freshly grated Parmesan is best here. It melts beautifully into the cream and gives the sauce loads of savory, cheesy flavor.
• Fresh basil – I add the basil right into the sauce so its flavor works its way through the entire dish.

How to Make Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Season chicken: First, I combine the paprika, dried parsley, salt and pepper, then season the chicken thighs well on both sides.

Sear chicken: Next comes one step I really don’t recommend skipping: browning the chicken.

I melt some butter in a skillet and sear the thighs on both sides until they’re nicely golden. We’re not trying to cook them through here. That’s the crockpot’s job.

Sauté aromatics and spices: Then, I reduce the heat and add the shallot and garlic, sauté them for a minute or two, then stir in red chili flakes, thyme, oregano sun-dried tomatoes.

Build the sauce: Now I add the chicken stock, stirring well to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Then goes the heavy cream, parmesan and basil.

Slow cook: Add the chicken thighs to the crock pot and pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the crockpot, and let it do its thing.

Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is beautifully tender and cooked through.

And that’s it. Your slow cooker Marry Me Chicken is ready for its grand entrance.

Do I Really Need to Brown the Chicken First?

Need to? No.

Should you? I think so.

I know the whole appeal of a crockpot recipe is throwing things in, walking away, and pretending dinner magically appeared several hours later.

But browning the chicken only takes a few extra minutes and adds so much flavor. You also get all those browned bits in the skillet, which end up becoming part of the sauce.

If you’re really pressed for time, you can put the seasoned chicken directly into the crockpot and continue with the recipe. It will still be tasty, but I prefer the extra depth you get from searing it first.

Can I Use Chicken Breasts?

Absolutely. You can make Crockpot Marry Me Chicken with boneless skinless chicken breasts instead.

Just keep in mind that chicken breasts are leaner than thighs and can dry out more easily in a slow cooker. Start checking them earlier and cook just until they reach 165°F internally.

Personally, I really like thighs for this recipe. They’re forgiving, juicy, and practically made for soaking up creamy sauces.

What to Serve with Marry Me Chicken

The sauce makes this an especially fun dinner to pair with all kinds of sides. Whatever you choose, I highly recommend something capable of soaking it up.

Pasta is probably the most obvious choice. Spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine or even some cute little shapes like orecchiette and pearl cous cous would all be great.

Mashed potatoes are fantastic too. Spoon the chicken right over a big pile and let that creamy Parmesan sauce become the gravy.

Rice is another easy option and one we have often when there’s a saucy chicken dinner happening in our house.

For something lighter, serve it with roasted or steamed vegetables, green beans, asparagus, broccoli, or a simple green salad.

And then there’s crusty bread.

If there’s still sauce on the plate after the chicken is gone, you know exactly what to do.

Alpana’s Tips

• Use freshly grated Parmesan: It melts into the sauce much better than pre-shredded cheese and gives you a smoother result.
• Keep those pan drippings: Don’t wipe out the skillet after browning the chicken. All that goodness belongs in the sauce.
• Adjust the spice: I like a little kick in mine, but you can reduce the red chili flakes for a milder dish or add more if you want some serious heat.
• Know your crockpot: They don’t all cook at exactly the same speed. The first time you make this, start checking your chicken toward the earlier end of the cooking range.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

The sauce will thicken considerably once chilled, so don’t be alarmed when you open the refrigerator the next day and things look a little less saucy.

Reheat it gently in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a small splash of chicken stock or cream if needed to loosen the sauce back up.

I actually love having leftovers of this one because that means lunch the next day is already handled.

Some recipes become internet famous and then quietly disappear. Marry Me Chicken seems determined to stick around, and I can understand why.

Creamy Parmesan sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, basil, juicy chicken… there really isn’t much to argue with here.

Making it in the crockpot just gives me another excuse to put it on the dinner table, this time with most of the cooking happening while I’m off doing something else.

So whether you’re cooking this for your spouse, your family, a date, or just yourself, get some pasta or crusty bread ready.

The proposal is optional.

Cleaning your plate probably isn’t…

More creamy chicken dishes:
Creamy Lemon Chicken
Chicken Stroganoff
Tarragon Chicken
Smothered Chicken
Chicken Paprikash
Crockpot Tuscan Chicken

Recipe Video

Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Crockpot Marry Me Chicken features tender chicken thighs in a rich, creamy Parmesan sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and basil. An easy slow cooker dinner the whole family will love!

5.0 Stars (4 Reviews)

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Ingredients

Chicken Seasoning

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• 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (see note 1)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter

Marry Me Chicken Sauce

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• 1 large shallot, diced small
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes, strips or chopped (see note2)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup chicken stock
• ¾ cup parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup basil leaves, more for garnishing
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Season the chicken thighs well on both sides.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and sear for 4-5 minutes per side, until nicely browned. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point.
3. Transfer the browned chicken thighs to the crockpot.
4. Reduce the heat and add the shallot and garlic, sauté them for a minute or two, then stir in red chili flakes, thyme, oregano sun-dried tomatoes.
5. Add the chicken stock, stirring well to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Then add the heavy cream, parmesan and basil.
6. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the crockpot.
7. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
8. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning like salt if needed. Garnish with additional fresh basil and Parmesan, if desired, and serve immediately with plenty of the creamy sauce spooned over the chicken.

Notes

1. You can use boneless, skinless breasts here. If they are very large, you can cut them in half, making them into chicken cutlets or flatten them a bit by using meat mallet. This tenderizes them a bit, and they cook faster without becoming tough. We personally love chicken thighs for this recipe. Bone-in chicken thighs work really well too. (You can remove the skin as it would get soggy in crockpot)
2. Sun-Dried Tomatoes: We love the ones packed in oil for this recipe but you can use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes if that is what's available. If you use the ones packed in oil, add a little of the tomato oil while sautéing the tomatoes. This gives the dish another layer of rich delicious flavor.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 658Total Fat 40gSaturated Fat 19gUnsaturated Fat 21gCholesterol 340mgSodium 910mgCarbohydrates 14gFiber 3gSugar 7gProtein 63g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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