Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken slow-cooked in a rich balsamic sauce with vegetables and herbs for an easy weeknight meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5–2 lbs)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, sliced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
→ Sauce & Seasonings
06 - 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
07 - 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Garnish
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# How-To Steps:
01 - Arrange the sliced onions, minced garlic, bell pepper strips, and halved cherry tomatoes evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Place the chicken breasts on top of the bed of vegetables in a single even layer.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until fully blended.
04 - Pour the balsamic mixture evenly over the chicken breasts and vegetables, ensuring everything is well coated.
05 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 4 to 6 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and is fork-tender.
06 - Transfer the chicken and vegetables to serving plates, spoon the accumulated juices over the top, and finish with a sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot alongside rice, potatoes, or steamed vegetables.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce practically makes itself while you go about your day, and the tangy sweet aroma that greets you when you walk back through the door is honestly better than any candle.
- It is genuinely difficult to mess this up, even if you are the kind of cook who forgets things are on the stove.
- Cleanup is just one slow cooker insert and a small bowl, which means more time eating and less time scrubbing.
02 -
- Do not cook this on high thinking it will save time, because the chicken turns rubbery and the sauce reduces too aggressively before the meat is fully tender.
- If you open the lid at hour three and the sauce looks thin, just let it keep going because it thickens naturally in the final hour as the vegetables release less liquid.
03 -
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before adding them to the slow cooker so the thinner ends do not dry out while the thick centers finish cooking.
- A tablespoon of butter stirred in right at the end gives the sauce a silky restaurant quality finish that takes the dish from good to unforgettable.