Marry Me High Protein Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken breasts cooked slowly in a creamy parmesan sauce with herbs and sun-dried tomatoes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1/2 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Sauce

04 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
05 - 1/2 cup light cream cheese softened
06 - 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
07 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
08 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
09 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
10 - 1 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
13 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

# Directions:

01 - Rub the chicken breasts thoroughly with salt and black pepper on all sides for even flavor distribution.
02 - Place the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer at the bottom of the crockpot.
03 - Combine the chicken broth, cream cheese, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, basil, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Whisk until the cream cheese is mostly incorporated and the mixture is relatively smooth.
04 - Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are submerged or coated.
05 - Cover and cook on HIGH setting for 4 hours or LOW setting for 6-7 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and shreds easily.
06 - Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board, shred with two forks or slice into pieces, then return to the crockpot and stir thoroughly to coat with the sauce.
07 - Portion the creamy chicken onto plates and sprinkle with fresh basil and parsley before serving hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Sets you up for the easiest dinner ever with almost zero active cooking time
  • Delivers 45 grams of protein per serving while tasting like comfort food heaven
  • Makes enough for lunch tomorrow, which honestly might be even better
02 -
  • Cream cheese can curdle if your slow cooker runs particularly hot, which happened to me once, and stirring it vigorously at the end mostly fixes it
  • Using chicken thighs instead of breasts stays juicy longer, so choose thighs if your workday runs longer than expected
03 -
  • Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil add extra richness, just drain them well and adjust the seasonings slightly
  • Stir in a handful of fresh spinach during the last 30 minutes for a serving of greens that wilts perfectly into the sauce

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