A creamy, dairy-free Tuscan chicken recipe made in the slow cooker. Infused with garlic, leek, and basil undertones, this crockpot Tuscan chicken could be right out of Italy. Made with a base of coconut milk and bone brot,h this easy, weeknight dinner is also paleo and Whole30 approved.
“Yum! This is creamy and delicious -- plus easy! An all-around winner that the family loved -- thanks for the recipe.” - Jennifer
Overcome the question of “what’s for dinner tonight” by whipping up this dairy-free Tuscan chicken!
Made in the slow cooker, this dinner is thrown together in just 30 minutes and can cook while you’re working.
Learn more about choosing a slow cooker and choosing the best one for your family (and how to use it!).
Plus, it’s an easy meal prep recipe to make in batches!
Whip up multiple batches and freeze them to use over your choice of rice, pasta, or spaghetti squash. Creating a new “meal” every time.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make
- Cook all day without effort
- delicious and comforting
- All the cream but without the dairy
- Versatile
Ingredients You Need
One of the reasons I love this recipe is that this crockpot Tuscan chicken requires only nine ingredients for an easy, healthy meal- just like these clean eating slow cooker recipes.
Garlic: fresh garlic is used in the recipe, but know that granulated garlic works too.
Leek: traditional Tuscan chicken uses regular onion but leek gives this dairy-free version a way better flavor.
Arrowroot powder: used to thicken the sauce and make it creamy instead of watery. Know that cornstarch works too.
Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts: you'll want to cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks. And though thighs are great, they add too much liquid to the recipe so make sure to use chicken breasts.
Chicken broth: you can use homemade broth or your own favorite version. I personally use bone broth powder for the best convenience (learn everything you need to know about bone broth powder).
Full fat coconut milk: using canned coconut milk (called coconut cream) and draining the water first will give you a creamier sauce (it also works to make things like coconut milk alfredo sauce super cream!).
Sun dried tomatoes: there are a few sun dried tomatoes you can use. The recipe calls for oil-based ones though I prefer straight dried sun dried tomatoes from the bag. Both work.
Basil and spinach: this slow cooker chicken will taste best if you use fresh basil and baby spinach (not frozen!).½ cup fresh basil sliced into ribbons
How To Make Dairy-Free Tuscan Chicken From Scratch
Making the recipe is as easy as prepping the chicken and combining everything into the slow cooker!
- Toss the chopped chicken pieces with arrowroot powder and salt in a plastic baggie. Shake until coated
- Add the garlic and leek to the bottom of the slow cooker and add in the broth and coconut milk. Whisk until combined.
- Add the chicken, sun dried tomatoes, and basil into the slow cooker and cover.
- Cook for 6 hours and serve over rice, pasta, or spaghetti squash.
Step By Step Photos
Important Teaching Tips
Make sure to use canned, full fat coconut milk and not a carton (also called coconut cream). Drain the water from the top. This results in a creamier sauce.
It is possible to overcook chicken in a slow cooker, so make sure to have it set to low and not cook for more than six hours the same rule applies to this slow cooker Chipotle chicken.
Depending on your personal diet preferences, you can serve this dish over:
- Cooked rice (learn how to cook basmati rice)
- Pasta
- Spaghetti squash
Know that only the spaghetti squash would be allowed if you’re following the Whole30 diet. You can also learn more about essential Gluten-Free pantry staples to get you started!
Oil-based sun dried tomatoes work but the dry ones in the package are better if you can find them.
Make sure to have your base cooked ahead of time if possible so that it’s just a matter of reheating. This saves you time in the kitchen after work!
Chop the chicken into larger chunks. Chicken shrinks, and the larger chunks help it to not overcook or dry out.
Add Ins
While this dairy-free recipe is delicious all on its own, there are a few ways you can bump it up if you wish! I like to add in:
- Roasted red peppers from time to time to give it a bit more color
- Sprinkle it with nutritional yeast to give it even more of a cheesy feel
Products You Need
If you have homemade bone broth on hand- awesome! However, as a busy mom, I know that’s not always the case for myself.
If you’re not into making homemade chicken broth, make sure to have a container of Perfect Supplements Bone Broth Powder on hand.
This product is a lifesaver for busy moms. All you need to do is boil water, whisk it in and you’re good to go!
The powder is %100 organic and made from grass-fed chickens. It’s premium quality and an easy way to help boost your gut health (I use it in this super weird, sneaky, chocolate gut healthy smoothie the most!).
It works beautifully in this Tuscan chicken recipe too.
Grab a container to keep on hand and use code mamabear15 to save some money.
Skip Dinner Stress
The Busy Mom's Cookbook is where frazzled moms get high-protein dinner on the table fast without sacrificing nutrition or sanity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
Normally made from chicken breasts, cream, and a blend of spices using basil. The chicken is infused into the cream sauce and topped with sundried tomatoes and fresh spinach. It can be made dairy-free as well using a combination of coconut milk and nutritional yeast (optional)
Sun dried tomatoes can be eaten as-is out of the jar but they are best served with other flavors. Use them to bring out a bit of saltiness in pasta, stir fry, on top of pizza, or even in egg muffins! They make a dish “pop” in flavor.
You can put raw chicken in the slow cooker and it will cook in roughly six hours. Make sure not to overcook the chicken and that it has a liquid with it to prevent it from drying out.
Yes! Chicken cooked for longer than six hours is more likely to overcook. To prevent this, make sure to cook the chicken on low and ensure it has enough liquid in the pot.
Make sure to cook the chicken on low and not much past six hours. Also, have enough liquid in the form of broth or sauce to absorb into the chicken to prevent it from getting too dry.
More Recipes You'll Enjoy:
- Crock pot balsamic chicken
- How to go dairy-free
- German Pork Loin (slow cooker meal!)
- The best dairy-free gluten-free dinners
- Stovetop venison stew
- Baked teriyaki chicken thighs
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Dairy-Free Tuscan Chicken Recipe
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup leek sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup arrowroot powder
- 4 chicken breasts cut into chunks
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ¾ cup sun dried tomatoes 210 mL jar, oil drained
- ½ cup fresh basil sliced into ribbons
- 2 cups spinach
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the garlic and leek to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- in a plastic baggie, add the chicken breasts, arrowroot powder, and salt. Toss until chicken is coated.
- Add the chicken broth and coconut milk to the slow cooker and whisk until combined.
- Dump in the chicken breasts chunks and top with basil and sundried tomatoes.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours (see notes).
- When ready, serve the Tuscan chicken on top of rice, noodles or spaghetti squash by placing half a cup of spinach on top of the base and topping with the chicken mixture.
Notes
- Make sure to use canned coconut milk and not a carton. This results in a creamier sauce.
- It is possible to overcook chicken in a slow cooker, so make sure to have it set to low and not cook for more than six hours.
- Make sure to have your base cooked ahead of time if possible so that it’s just a matter of reheating. This saves you time in the kitchen after work!
- Chop the chicken into larger chunks. Chicken shrinks and the larger chunks help it to not overcook or dry out.
- If using bone broth powder, whisk one scoop into ½ cup boiling water before adding it to the slow cooker.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
An easy, healthy dinner recipe perfect for busy nights. Made with hints of basil and salty sun dried tomatoes, this dairy-free, creamy, Tuscan chicken is a hearty addition to your dinner table.
Rhea says
I loved everything about this meal, from the sun dried tomatoes to the creamy coconut sauce. My family now asks for this at least twice a month and it's all doable thanks to my little friend the slow cooker!
fitasamamabear says
Wahoo! Total life win.
Madeline says
Mmmm those sundried tomatoes in there are my FAVE! Loved this fall recipe...and an excuse to use my slow cooker more!
fitasamamabear says
They make everything yummier!
Ann says
This might be my new favorite slow cooker recipe!! It was so easy and my family loved it. Definitely going in the regular rotation!
fitasamamabear says
Hehe glad it was a hit!
Jill says
This is such a winner! The flavors of coconut milk and sun-dried tomatoes is perfect.
fitasamamabear says
Definitely one of my favorites too!
jennifer says
You have so many amazing recipes and this is one of my favorites, my family's too! Thanks girl, love making it on busy days
Katie says
This looks amazing! Hoping to make it this week. I have a baby coming in a few weeks, would this freeze and reheat well? Has anyone tried?
fitasamamabear says
Eeeekkk mega congrats, I'm so excited for you!! I haven't tried freezing this one to be honest so if you get to it let me know. I think it would be fine but I worry about the coconut milk separating a bit.