This Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken is one of the easiest slow cooker dishes we have. There is no pre-cooking involved, you just put onions, chicken and a fresh tomato, herb and balsamic mix in to the slow cooker and let it cook for 3 hours. Serve with spaghetti, rice or with a fresh green salad for a delicious and light meal.
The flavours in this dish are so simple, with just a few ingredients, but super tasty. Chopped fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and garlic are mixed with some good quality balsamic vinegar and then poured over sliced onion and chicken breasts to make an easy meal that can be served so many different ways. Tomato and balsamic are a classic summer combination and this is a delicious way to enjoy it.
The slow cooker doesn't have to get put away during the warmer months of the year, you just have to find delicious summer recipes that can be cooked in it like this one. We love using our slow cooker in the summer, because who wants to have the oven or hob on when it is that hot outside! That doesn't mean that this isn't a comforting winter dish too though.
Jump to:
Why should you try it?
- No prep - just dump it all in and turn it on
- A delicious way to enjoy chicken
- A great way to use up lots of tomatoes
- Perfect for using the slow cooker in the summer
What you will need
- Chicken - Skinless and boneless chicken breasts are what make this a lean and protein packed meal. You could swap them for chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Oil - We used olive oil, as we find this has a nicer flavour.
- Balsamic vinegar - This is the star of the dish, so try to buy the best quality you can as you will really taste the difference. Cheap balsamic tends to be really runny too, which makes for a watery finished dish.
- Garlic - This balsamic chicken is garlic heavy, and that's just how like it. If you aren't a huge garlic fan, then feel free to reduce the amount used.
- Onion - We used red onion, however you could swap it for a brown onion, or even shallots.
- Tomato - The key to having a really delicious dish is to use fresh and ripe tomatoes.
- Basil - Fresh basil is always best in this dish.
Step by step
One: Put the sliced onion at the bottom of the slow cooker.
Two: Put the chicken breasts on top with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
Three: Add the tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil.
Four: Pour the balsamic vinegar on top.
Five: Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 3 hours.
Six: Serve on spaghetti and with a salad.
Balsamic sauce
By looking at the ingredients, it doesn't look like there is much of a sauce to this. But that is the beauty of this dish - its simplicity. There are no thick and heavy sauces, just the juices from the chicken and tomatoes, mixed with the balsamic, garlic and basil.
There is a fair amount of liquid in the slow cooker bowl once it is cooked, but I find that once it is all mixed in to the spaghetti and the chicken on top it is just the right amount. You can always use less of the liquid if you find it too much. I wouldn't recommend using a tin of tomatoes, as they are too juicy, so fresh is best.
What to serve it with
We served ours on top of spaghetti with a green salad on the side, but you could have so many different things with it. For a low carb option, serve it with courgette (zucchini) spaghetti or for more of a comforting dish then mashed potato is the way to go. You can serve it with spaghetti squash, udon noodles, couscous and of course just a big pile of vegetables or on a green salad.
We also like to crumble some feta on top just before serving, because the creaminess goes really well with the sweetness of the balsamic.
Leftovers are delicious on rice or a baked potato, or even just on a big green salad.
FAQs
We used chicken breasts in this dish, so it makes it a lean and protein packed meal. There are very few ingredients, and the focus is on fresh ingredients like tomatoes and basil and the sauce is made mainly of balsamic vinegar. This dish is low in fat and there is less than 250 calories per portion (without sides).
Yes, you could make this slow cooker balsamic chicken with boneless and skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. It would change the nutritional information, but the chicken would be much juicier.
If you don't have a slow cooker, then this can be cooked in the oven. You can put everything on a pan with some extra vegetables like par-boil potatoes, peppers, mushrooms and asparagus and put in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
You can keep this in the fridge for 2-3 days, but it also freezes well. Just make sure it is completely cooled before freezing and then fully defrosted before reheating.
If you don't want to freeze this, but you have some leftovers to use, then chop the chicken up and either mix it with a green salad or put in to a wrap or sandwich with a slice of your favourite cheese.
Extra tips
- We serve the chicken breasts up whole, but you could shred them before serving and that would soak up a lot of the liquid too.
- We used skinless and boneless chicken breasts to make this dish, but you can use thighs or legs instead, but cooking times will vary.
- Either serve with with spaghetti, mashed potato, rice or on top of a green salad.
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Recipe card
Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 6 tomatoes diced
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 8 basil leaves diced
- 60 ml balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Put the sliced onion at the bottom of the slow cooker and then put the chicken breasts on top and then add the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper.
- Add the tomatoes, garlic and basil and then pour the balsamic vinegar on top.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
Notes
- We serve the chicken breasts up whole, but you could shred them before serving and that would soak up a lot of the liquid too.
- We used skinless and boneless chicken breasts to make this dish, but you can use thighs or legs instead, but cooking times will vary.
- Either serve with with spaghetti, mashed potato, rice or on top of a green salad.
Pam
This is my kind of easy cooking! I love how tender and flavorful the chicken is!
Sara Welch
This was such a quick and flavorful recipe! A restaurant worthy dish, indeed!
Emily
Any thoughts on leaving out the onion? I get terrible ulcers, so can't eat or cook with them, but feel like putting the chicken directly on the bottom may affect the chicken... Anything else I could rest it on? Should i put a small rack in my pot?
Dannii
It would still be fine with nothing underneath. Or, you could use leek, or even carrot.
Stief
Delicious recipe! Thank you- worked perfectly in a slow cooker, the sauce was a bit thin, but think that came from the chicken itself but great. Going to try making this in an instant pot now.
Dolores
Sounds great.Can't wait to make it.
Jennifer
This looks delicious but I'm wondering if I use canned tomatoes, how many ounces doe you suggest, and should I drain them?
Dannii
I would say 200g (7oz) can.
Karen
Lovely, tasty and easy meal! Definitely making this again!
amy
I really wanted to like this but it just didnt turn put, very watery!
Dannii
Watery? Did you add water to it, as it shouldn't be watery as there is no water in the ingredients.
Dannii
Also, it helps to use the best quality balsamic that you can. A cheap one might make it watery.
Denise. Evans
Please send me recipes for a dietbetic that has no sugar thanks denise
Dannii
Lots in the recipe section of my blog.
Iva
Hello, I would like to make this in a pot and oven as I dont have the crockpot yet. What oven temperature is the best for this? Thank you so much, you are such an inspiration! :)
Dannii
I would say put it on 150C.
Jess
This looks super duper easy! I love this season!
xXx
Zsanett
This chicken looks really tasty. My favorite things in autumn are warm blankets, drinking hot chocolate. And I love snow too! In UK you can't see too much snow, that's why we're going back to Hungary every November or December... always snowing, and there is big big snow. :)
Matt @ Runner Savvy
This looks delicious!
lori @ TheHealthMinded.com
I love anything with balsamic vinegar and this looks like a versatile and quick dish! We all gotta love that in the busy fall season. I like your nutritional information you post along with your recipes too. Nice touch!
Laura@howtocookgoodfood
Wow, I am impressed by how low calorie this dish is and it looks very satisfying. I never get bored of balsamic and love using it in chicken dishes too!
marcie
I love autumn, too, and this is the perfect autumn meal! :)
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter
Yay for slow cooker meals! This looks wonderful - I am always looking for new slow cooker ideas and the flavors sound wonderful in this!
Arpita@ The Gastronomic Bong
Delicious recipe!! slow cooked Balsamic chicken sounds yummyyyy!!! :)
David @ Spiced
This balsamic chicken sounds amazing! I'm all about easy comfort food now that Fall is here! And I completely echo your excitement about this time of the year...until the snow comes up to my waist. Haha. :-)
Isadora @ She Likes Food
Yah for the first day of autumn!! I'm so excited for all the winter produce I get to cook with soon! I've been thinking of getting a slow cooker for some time now and this chicken looks amazing! I love balsamic so much and bet it tastes so good on chicken!