This quick and comforting chicken spinach artichoke crock pot recipe is absolutely delicious!
If you like the popular appetizer dip, you’re going to go crazy over this chicken spinach artichoke crock pot recipe! Our Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Chicken takes all the flavor from the dip and turns it into a delicious dinner. It’s still as tender and creamy as the delicious appetizer, but with a fraction of the calories. Not only that but since we cooked it up with chicken, you won’t need to waste your carbs on dipping bread!
Make this Spinach and Artichoke Chicken
This simple, chicken spinach artichoke crock pot recipe looks gourmet, but it’s so easy to make. You just toss the ingredients into the Crock Pot and turn it on low for six to eight hours. The chicken will be melt-in-your-mouth tender, and that sauce is so creamy, you won’t believe it’s actually healthy! This recipe is perfect for lazy autumn weekends or wowing company at a dinner party.
What’s Up With Cream Cheese?
You might be wondering why we say to use reduced-fat cream cheese, but state NOT to use the fat-free stuff. What’s the deal with that? Wouldn’t we want you to use the lowest calorie, lowest fat ingredient possible? When it comes to cream cheese, it’s not worth it, and we’ll tell you why.
The thing about milk is that it’s naturally full of fat. It’s one thing to opt for skim milk at the store. To make that milk less fattening, the manufacturer only has to skim the cream off the top. Same thing with 2% milk: they remove the majority of the cream before homogenizing the milk.
When it comes to cheese, it’s not that easy. Skim milk doesn’t make great cheese because the butterfat is part of what gives cheese its texture and consistency. So, to make fat-free cream cheese, cheesemakers are adding in chemicals, sugar, and sodium. Just take a peek at the ingredients label of fat-free cream cheese and reduced-fat cream cheese and tell us which one you’d rather eat!
Using reduced-fat cream cheese in this chicken spinach artichoke crock pot recipe is a great way to achieve a delicious sauce that mimics everything you love about spinach artichoke dip. But, it cuts out a significant amount of calories as compared to the full-fat versions without adding any extra sugar or sodium. How great is that?
Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 cups spinach loosely packed, chopped
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 4 chicken breast filets
- 3 garlic cloves fresh, chopped
- 1/4 sweet onion finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons cream cheese reduced-fat but not fat-free
- 4 tablespoons parmesan cheese shredded
- 14 ounces artichoke hearts can, preservative-free or 6-8 artichoke hearts from a jar, drained and chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place spinach, chicken broth, and chicken breasts in 4-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with garlic, onion, and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high from 4-6 hours.
- Just before serving, gently remove chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place on serving platters. Stir in cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and artichokes. Stir until creamy. Spoon sauce over chicken.
- Top with tomatoes. Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese, if desired.
Nutrition Information
Have you made this recipe?
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What size can of artichokes do I need?
Ieanne, A 14 ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained, or about 6- 8 from a jar.
This is easy and very tasty. Just love it !
Are these boneless or bone-in. Thanks
Denice, We made them with bone-in, skin-on 6- 8 ounce chicken breasts and removed the skin after cooking, before topping with the sauce.
Is it okay to use boneless chicken breasts instead?
Barbara, Yes, boneless chicken breasts would work too.
Hi! This looks delicious– do you use fresh spinach or frozen? If you use fresh spinach, do you guestimate the 8 cups by handfuls? Or do you use a certain number of ounces (like 3 bags for example of fresh spinach) Thanks!!
Karen, Thanks. It is delicious! One 10 ounce bag of spinach equals 6 cups, so you will need a bag and a 1/4 if you get the 10 ounce variety. Baby or regular leaf spinach will work and measure the same.
Fresh spinach leaves or frozen spinach (drained)??
Nathalie, Fresh spinach is preferred, baby or regular, because frozen spinach will release a lot more liquid, and you don't want too much in this dish.
Could I use greek yogurt instead of cream cheese?
I did, and it was great!
ok. I used bonless, skinless and this recipe did not work for me .. not sure what else I did wrong, but it had zero flavor. :/ I put and extra clove of garlic in and used extra onion .. we like lots of flavor and this just didn't cut it.
Taila, Adding more salt will help. You can also add crushed red pepper flakes for some heat, and even add fresh torn basil leaves.
I tried this today and not a huge fan. Love spinach artichoke dip, but this didn't translate well for me. I used boneless/skinless breasts and had them in for 7:30 hours on low, but the chicken was overcooked, so that was the first problem. When I got home the crock pot had so much liquid in it – so I used the cream cheese and parm to help thicken, but it didn't do much. I then added in some hummus and more cream cheese (I use Hummus in my spinach artichoke dip in stead of mayo and it's delicious), and that helped a little. I let it sit on warm to set. Besides the chicken being overcooked, it was just okay, not my favorite. Makes me now want to go make my hot spinach artichoke dip (with hummus) though! 🙂 Thanks for the suggestion!
We're so sorry it didn't work for you. We see that you used boneless/skinless chicken breasts. The recipe states to use bone-in with the skin. The skin should be removed later. This is what provides the extra moisture and prevents the chicken from drying out. Chicken filets would need to be cooked for half the time it takes the bone-in whole or half breast to cook. We hope this helps in case you make this again. It really is a delicious recipe. Thanks! 🙂
Wow! This was delicious! Feels like a guilty pleasure!
The chicken breasts I got are huge! 2 out of the 4 are a pound each. Will they cook in time if on high for 4-5 hours???
I would suggest cutting them in half to be on the safe side. 🙂
I love the flavor of the sauce, but it’s very thin, would like it thicker.
Beth, Try adding a little more parmesan cheese, one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.
do you know what the equivalent for 1 serving using the 21 day fix portioning would be? Thank you in advance.
Sam, If you are referring to one of our Skinny Ms. 21-day plans, then the portion size would be the same as listed, one chicken breast with 1/4 of the artichoke and tomato mix. If this is an outside plan, you will have to check the guidelines of that plan. Thanks!
So good! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
We’re glad you liked it!
And the tomatoes go…where?
They are listed in the ingredients but not the recipe, and it says they should be chopped although in the photo they are sliced or quartered so what s up?
PS. I am bananas over the recipes on this site, not a bad one yet. Not even a mediocre one. I’ve started coming to this site every day for dinner Thanks!
Christiane, They are mentioned near the bottom of the directions.
By the Way, thanks so much for your feedback! We are super happy you love our recipes. 🙂
Oh man m mistake I see the tomatoes in the recipe now…oops 🙂
Seems like way too much spinach compared to everything else?
John, After the spinach wilts it definitely isn’t too much.