Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Creamy Parmesan

Cook‌ a double batch of slow cooker pesto chicken and save‌ half for a future meal․ Serve the‌ spinach,‌ crème fraîche, and Parmesan cheese near serving․ This recipe is for a creamy chicken dish‌ with red pesto and‌ sun-dried tomatoes and a rich, silky Parmesan finish․

Chicken breast is prepared with chopped‌ shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth,‌ and sun-dried tomato pesto․ The‌ sauce has a robust sun-dried tomato-and-pesto flavor and‌ does not need to be cooked further․ Spinach and low-fat‌ crème‌ fraîche are added to the dish for the final 15 minutes of cooking․ Parmesan cheese is sprinkled on top of the‌ dish before‌ serving․ High-quality pesto‌ is key‌ to preparing this dish․ Green pesto may be‌ substituted‌ for red pesto; the flavor profile of the dish will be different․

When preparing the dish, the chicken should be‌ fully cooked but juicy, and the sauce should be somewhat thickened by the addition of‌ crème fraîche․ The greatest risk‌ in preparing the dish is that the chicken breasts‌ will be overcooked and tough․ Be especially careful about cooking times at‌ high‌ and low heat․ If the sauce is too thin, remove the lid and let it‌ cook without the lid for 20 minutes before‌ serving․ This method is‌ useful for advanced food‌ preparation and individual servings․

Serve with rice as‌ suggested or alternatives, including pasta, gnocchi, couscous, mashed potatoes, courgetti, cauliflower rice, flatbreads, and jacket potatoes․ To serve lunches, shred cooked chicken and provide it with rice and vegetables in‌ lunch containers․ Stock can be added‌ when reheating if needed․ Offer different bases with each‌ lunch portion․