Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken with Potatoes
Juicy chicken, tender baby potatoes, and a creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce — all slow-cooked until everything melts together. It’s rich, comforting, and incredibly simple to throw together.
🧡 Why You’ll Love It
- One-pot meal — protein, starch, and sauce cook together
- Creamy and cheesy without feeling heavy
- Hands-off cooking, minimal cleanup
- Crowd-pleasing for holidays or family dinners
- Easily adaptable for low-carb or dairy-free needs
🧂 Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (thighs give more flavor)
- 1½ lb baby potatoes, halved (Yukon gold or red)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for lighter texture)
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika (optional, for color)
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Optional Add-ins
- 1 cup baby spinach (stir in at the end)
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms (add with potatoes)
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or thyme (for garnish)
Recommended tools
- 6-quart slow cooker
- Microplane grater for fresh Parmesan
- Garlic press
- Silicone spatula set for stirring and scraping cleanly
🍳 Steps
- Layer the base:
Add the halved baby potatoes to the slow cooker first. Place chicken on top of the potatoes. - Make the sauce:
In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, cream, Parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, paprika, butter (melted), and olive oil. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken and potatoes. - Cook:
Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3½–4 hours, until the chicken is tender and potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. - Thicken the sauce (optional but recommended):
Remove chicken and potatoes to a plate. Whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and stir into the sauce. Cook on HIGH for 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened, then return chicken and potatoes to coat. - Add greens (optional):
Stir in baby spinach until wilted for a pop of color and nutrients. - Serve:
Spoon chicken and potatoes onto plates, drizzle sauce on top, and sprinkle with extra Parmesan and parsley.
💡 Helpful Tips & Substitutions
Texture control:
- For a thicker, creamier sauce, use heavy cream and stir in the cornstarch slurry near the end.
- For a lighter texture, swap in half-and-half and skip the slurry.
Cheese choice:
- Always use freshly grated Parmesan — pre-shredded doesn’t melt as well.
- You can add ¼ cup mozzarella for a stretchier, richer sauce.
For more flavor:
- Add 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard for depth.
- Sear chicken in 1 Tbsp olive oil before slow cooking (optional but adds golden color).
Low-carb option:
- Replace potatoes with cauliflower florets or diced turnips (add halfway through cooking so they don’t over-soften).
Dairy-free option:
- Use coconut cream + nutritional yeast or dairy-free Parmesan substitute.
Make it special:
- Sprinkle crispy bacon bits or toasted breadcrumbs before serving for a restaurant-style touch.
🎁 Serving Ideas
- Serve as-is for a full meal.
- Add a simple green salad or roasted green beans to round it out.
- For holidays, plate it family-style on a platter with extra grated Parmesan and fresh herbs on top.
- Leftovers make a great filling for wraps or over rice.
🕒 Make-Ahead & Storage
Prep ahead:
- Assemble everything (except cream and cheese) up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate. Add cream and Parmesan just before cooking.
Store:
- Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days.
- Reheat on stovetop or microwave with a splash of milk or broth to loosen the sauce.
Freeze:
- Best if frozen before adding cream (cream can separate when frozen). Cook, cool, then freeze in portions up to 2 months. Add cream and cheese when reheating.
This Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken with Potatoes delivers rich, garlicky comfort with almost no effort. It’s creamy, filling, and impressive enough for holidays but easy enough for any night of the week.