Creamy, glossy Tuscan chicken-done the no-stir way. You build it in layers, spoon pesto over the chicken, then finish with mascarpone and Parmesan for a silky sauce that actually shines and tastes great.
It's the kind of dinner that feels a little fancy, but the slow cooker is doing all the work and you can go, relax or do something else.
At a glance
- Recipe: Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken With Pesto Cream
- 🕒 Cook time: 2½-3 hours (LOW) or 1½ hours (HIGH) ⏲️ Prep: 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serves: 4
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🥘 Slow cooker: Fits a 3 ½ quart (also fine in a 6 quart)
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Creamy Tuscan Chicken Slow Cooker Dinner
Here's what you get: tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes with that deep savory-sweet bite, green beans that stay pleasantly snappy, and a rich pesto cream sauce that coats the chicken and gives a delicious flavor.
A lot of page-one recipes dump everything in, stir, and thicken with cornstarch. This one skips the starch and nails the texture by finishing the sauce the smart way with mascarpone and cheese-right at the end.
Why this works
- Layer, put the lid on, leave it. Aromatics, liquids and vegetables go under, chicken sits on top. No stirring while it cooks.
- The finish matters. Mascarpone and Parmesan go in at the end so the sauce stays smooth and glossy.
- Pesto. The pesto melts on the chicken, drips of and flavoring the sauce evenly.
- The green beans stay fresh. They keep structure and a gentle sweetness through the slow cook.
What You'll Need
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken breast: Cut into thick strips so it stays tender and doesn't fall apart.
- Onion and garlic: The base layer that makes everything taste flavorful.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Big flavor, slightly sweet, deeply savory.
- Frozen green beans: Easy, reliable, and they hold their shape. No mushy spinach situation.
- Heavy cream and chicken stock: Cream makes it rich, stock keeps it from feeling heavy. I use my homemade chicken stock for this recipe. Together they build the sauce.
- Green pesto: Your shortcut to major flavor. Fresh pesto tastes best here.
- Mascarpone: This is your "silky finish." It thickens naturally and makes the sauce glossy. Add it at the end.
- Parmesan: Salty, nutty, and it helps the sauce come together. Add at the end for the smoothest texture. You could also use Pecorino cheese.
- Italian seasoning, salt, pepper: Season lightly up front, then adjust after the cheese goes in (pesto and Parmesan bring salt).
How to Make It
You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe card below.
- Step 1: Put onion and garlic into the slow cooker. Add the the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, chicken stock, green beans, and cream.
- Step 2: Place the chicken strips on top of the base. Spoon the pesto over the chicken. Put the lid on.
- Step 3: LOW: 2½-3 hours HIGH: 1½ hours Do not stir. Keep the lid closed.
- Step 4: Stir in mascarpone and Parmesan until the sauce is silky and glossy. Taste and adjust with pepper, or a touch more pesto if you like. Serve right away.
Optional stovetop method (same ingredients, no slow cooker)
- Soften onion and garlic in a wide pan with a little oil over medium heat. Nestle chicken strips on top and fry golden brown.
- Spoon pesto over the chicken.
- Add stock, cream, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and green beans. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and simmer softly 20 minutes.
- Don't stir-if needed, gently nudge pieces to keep them submerged. Lower heat and stir in mascarpone and Parmesan until silky and glossy.
- Taste and serve.
Top Tips
- No stirring really matters. Stirring can shred the chicken and mess with the dairy. Let it cook undisturbed, then stir only at the end.
- Gloss over clock: Times are guidelines. Your real signal is a sauce that lightly coats a spoon and looks glossy after the mascarpone and Parmesan cheese is added.
- Salt last: Pesto and Parmesan are both salty. Adjust after the cheese goes in.
- Troubleshooting
- Sauce too thin: Cook 10-15 minutes longer on LOW without the lid to reduce.
- Sauce too thick: Stir in a small splash of hot chicken stock.
- Not glossy yet: Keep heat low and stir patiently after adding the cheese until it turns silky and shiny.
What to serve with it
- Toss with pasta (instant win).
- Serve with roasted baby potatoes.
- Finish with extra Parmesan at the table
Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I love to see what your creation looks like and regularly share the most beautiful photos of you! Did you like this recipe? Then leave a rating on the recipe card! Your feedback helps other home cooks and me enormously.
Need more inspiration?
- You can find video recipes on my YouTube channel.
- And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest, so you can easily find them again next time!
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Slow cooker Tuscan chicken with pesto cream-no stirring, silky mascarpone-Parmesan finish, sun-dried tomatoes and green beans. Easy weeknight.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , squeezed or chopped finely
- 3 ½ oz. sun dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
- 14 oz. green beans, frozen
- 1 tablespoon Italian herb mix
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup chicken stock
- 1.1 pound chicken breast, cut in thick strips
- ½ cup green pesto
- ⅔ cup mascarpone cheese
- ⅔ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra to serve
- salt and pepper
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Add onion, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the slow cooker.1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, 3 ½ oz. sun dried tomatoes
- Sprinkle Italian seasoning on top and add the green beans..1 tablespoon Italian herb mix, 14 oz. green beans
- Pour in chicken stock and heavy cream.¾ cup heavy cream, ⅓ cup chicken stock
- Place chicken strips on top of the base.1.1 pound chicken breast
- Spoon pesto over the chicken.½ cup green pesto
- Cover with the lid.
- Cook 2½-3 hours on LOW or 1½ hours on HIGH. Do not stir.
- Stir in mascarpone and Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.⅔ cup mascarpone cheese, ⅔ cup Parmesan cheese
- Taste and adjust with pepper (and a touch of salt only if needed).salt and pepper
- Serve right away with extra Parmesan.
Notes
1. Layer, lid, leave it. Base layer first, chicken on top, pesto over the chicken. Don't stir while it cooks.
2. Finish at the end. Mascarpone and Parmesan go in after cooking for a smooth sauce.
3. Salt last. Pesto and Parmesan are salty. Taste after the cheese goes in.
4. Too thin? LOW 10–15 minutes longer, without the lid to reduce.
5. Too thick? Stir in a small splash of hot stock.
6. Make-ahead Assemble ahead, refrigerate up to 8 hours. Cook when ready.
7. Storage
- Fridge: 2-3 days, airtight.
- Reheat: gently, do not boil. Too thick? Add a splash of stock. Too loose? Simmer briefly to reduce.
Nutrition
Calories: 776kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 44gFat: 54gSaturated Fat: 27gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 184mgSodium: 806mgFiber: 7gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 2926IUVitamin C: 27mgIron: 5mg
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