The
Homegrown Kitchen Table
Creamy Pesto Chicken (Slow Cooker or Oven)
This creamy pesto chicken is one of those meals that tastes like you tried harder than you did. Chicken thighs cook in a rich pesto-cream sauce that stays smooth, not broken, whether you use the slow cooker or the oven. It’s flexible, freezer-friendly, and works with pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread — exactly the kind of dependable dinner that earns a permanent rotation spot.
Ingredients
🧺 INGREDIENTS
2–2½ pounds chicken thighs (boneless/skinless preferred; bone-in works)
1½ cups pesto
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup ricotta
½ teaspoon salt (adjust based on pesto saltiness)
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
½ cup chicken broth (optional, for looser sauce)
Optional add-ins:
1 cup baby spinach
1–2 cups cherry tomatoes
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
🥣 MAKE THE CREAMY PESTO SAUCE
In a bowl, whisk together pesto, heavy cream, and ricotta until very smooth. This helps prevent the sauce from separating during cooking.
🍲 INSTRUCTIONS – SLOW COOKER
Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Pour the creamy pesto sauce over the chicken and stir or flip to coat evenly.
Cook on LOW for 4–5 hours for boneless thighs or 5–6 hours for bone-in thighs. Use HIGH for 2–3 hours only if necessary.
Chicken is done when tender and reaches 165°F internally.
If the sauce looks thin, crack the lid and cook on HIGH for 10–15 minutes, or stir in Parmesan cheese.
Optional finish: broil cooked chicken on a sheet pan for 2–4 minutes for browned edges, then spoon sauce back over.
🔥 INSTRUCTIONS – OVEN
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place chicken in a 9×13 baking dish and season lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Pour creamy pesto sauce over the chicken.
Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes for boneless thighs or 35–45 minutes for bone-in thighs, until chicken reaches 165°F.
Spoon sauce over chicken before serving.
❄️ FREEZER-FRIENDLY INSTRUCTIONS
Freeze uncooked (dump-and-go):
Add raw chicken and sauce to a freezer bag, remove air, label, and freeze.
Thaw overnight and cook in the slow cooker on LOW for 4–5 hours.
Freeze cooked:
Cool completely, portion into freezer containers with extra sauce on top, and freeze.
Reheat covered in a 350°F oven or gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or cream.
🍽️ HOW TO SERVE
Serve over pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread and a simple green vegetable.
🧊 STORAGE
Refrigerator: up to 4 days
Freezer: up to 3 months
📝 RECIPE NOTES
Pesto varies widely in saltiness, so taste the sauce before adding extra salt.
Ricotta keeps the sauce thick and creamy. If it’s too thick, add a splash of broth.
Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts, but breasts can be used with shorter cook times.