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
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How many we freestyle point would this be
Kelly, Freestyle hasn’t been implemented yet.
Question: any adjustment to cooking time when using a 6 qt. slow cooker? I’m gone for 10 hours each work day, so the slow cooker will switch to “warm” setting after the number of hours it is set to cook on low. Thank you.
Hi Sonia, the cooking times will work for any size slow cooker. No need to adjust for a 6 quart!
Could this recipe work for the instant pot?
Yes! In an Instant Pot you would follow the instructs as direct but only Cooke for about 20-30 minutes with high pressure.
Where do you find the preservative-free artichoke hearts at?
Jolynn, My favorite brand https://amzn.to/2tzVugq
Hi! I am using frozen Boneless skinless chicken for this recipe. It is a little weird to me to use the leftover chicken water for the sauce, are you sure you are supposed to eat that?
Yes, the leftover chicken “water” is actually broth once it has been cooked.
Do I still use broth liquid when using boneless skinless to make sauce? So the artichokes aren’t cooked necessarily?
If you’re using boneless and skinless chicken breast you can still make the recipe as directed! No changes need to be made.
If I want to use greek yogurt instead of the cream cheese, is it still the same amount? 4 tablespoons?
Angela, Yes, that’s correct.
The carb count is not correct. It says 14 g and is more like 41 g
Hi Beth, we double checked the nutrition information for this recipe and the carb count listed is correct.
Can you make this in the oven?
Marie, Sure can. I recommend following the recipe but bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Add the cream cheese mixture and bake 5 additional minutes.
Great Recipe. I doubled the sauce ingredients, shredded the chicken, and put it over whole wheat noodles for dinner. Delish!!! Served it with roasted cauliflower.
Sounds delicious!
Same here. More broth while cooking then shred. Add more cream cheese (I use a block) and parm at the end! So good over pasta! Or make it thick enough to serve as a dip with scoops chips.
Thanks for the tip, Cindy!
Can you freeze the leftovers?
Jill, Yes, be sure to defrost in the fridge before reheating. 🙂
This was awesome!! I used boneless breasts and cooked for 3 hours
We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed it, Tammy! 🙂
So I followed the directions but I feel like it is not getting creamy. What can I do?
Hi Krissy, for this to be more creamy add a hot liquid and cheese.
Loved it! Even my super picky bf who didnt think he liked artichokes liked it. I used boneless skinless breasts, I whipped in a little flour to make the sauce thicker, and used half cream cheese and half greek yogurt (I didnt have enough cream cheese) and it was delcious. Thanks for the recipe!
That’s great, Jennifer! We love that you both enjoyed it! You’re very welcome 🙂
I do not get home from work until my husband has left. I use Crock-Pot recipes so he will have something to eat before he goes in. With that being said, what would happen if I just put EVERYTHING in the Crock-Pot from the get go? Would the sauce be ok? If not, do you have a suggestion? Thank you in advance!
Hi Michelle, you cannot add all ingredients. The dairy ingredient (cream cheese and Parmesan) will curdle and burn. The artichokes will over cook and turn to mush. These must be added last with minimal cook time.
Mine was a little dry. Maybe because I used boneless breasts not bone-in. It seemed like not nearly enough liquid. I modified to salvage this by adding the artichokes with some of the liquid and also the tomatoes at the same time as the cheese. Warmed all that a few minutes to actually melt the cheese. Npt sure why the veggies are added in raw but lightly cooked worked well. I would make this again but not in slow cooker. Would be easy to make as a 30 minute skillet meal and be less dry. Flavor profile is good.