Description
A comforting and creamy slow cooker chicken dish featuring tender chicken thighs, mushrooms, bell peppers, and spinach, all simmered in a rich homemade creamy sauce. This recipe is perfect for an easy family dinner that requires minimal hands-on time while delivering maximum flavor and nutrition.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
- 2 large red bell peppers (sliced)
- 4 cups spinach (fresh)
Liquids and Thickener
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Season and Brown Chicken: Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs evenly with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to the hot skillet and sear the chicken thighs on both sides until they develop a golden brown crust. Once browned, transfer the chicken pieces to the slow cooker.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook over medium heat until the onions become translucent and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Cook Vegetables: Add the sliced mushrooms, spinach, and red bell pepper strips to the skillet. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to turn golden, about 5-6 minutes.
- Transfer Vegetables to Slow Cooker: Add the cooked onion, garlic, mushroom, spinach, and bell pepper mixture into the slow cooker on top of the browned chicken thighs.
- Prepare Creamy Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, heavy cream, and all-purpose flour until smooth and well combined to create the creamy base for the dish.
- Add Sauce and Cook: Pour the creamy mixture over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and set the slow cooker to low. Cook for 5 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, and the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Once cooking is complete, taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving warm.
Notes
- This dish is an excellent option for a hands-off dinner that combines nutritious vegetables and protein in a creamy sauce.
- You can use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for best flavor and moisture, but boneless thighs can be substituted if preferred.
- If the sauce is too thick after cooking, stir in a splash of chicken broth or cream to loosen it.
- Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 662
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 871 mg
- Fat: 55 g
- Saturated Fat: 26 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 214 mg
