My slow cooker pesto chicken is simple to prepare, tastes great and provides plenty of your five-a-day veggies too.
It is healthy, high protein and vibrant and also fits in well with WeightWatchers or Slimming World.
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Easy to prep
A busy day calls for a dinner thrown in the slow cooker earlier in the day, so I can get on with that never-ending to-do list.
Cooked on low in the slow cooker all day, the chicken is placed on a bed of onions which holds it out of the cooking liquid (chicken stock).
This means your pesto stays put and adds flavour to your chicken all day as it bubbles away slowly.
Did you know you can make slow cooker dishes that looks this fresh and bright
It isn’t just stews and casseroles with a sauce you can make in there you know!
There’s really no need to put away your slow cooker when Spring arrives, when you can make fresh and healthy dishes like this.
The convenience of a slow cooker means I use mine all year round.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need. Scroll down to the recipe below for the quantities and full printable recipe card.
- onions
- sweet potato
- butternut squash
- chicken breasts
- pesto – I use reduced fat, you can use your preferred homemade or shop-bought pesto
- chicken stock cube or stock melt
- cherry tomatoes
- oregano
- salt and pepper
Step by step
- Chop the onions and place them in the base of the slow cooker pot.
- Chop the sweet potato and butternut squash and put half in with the onion.
- Place the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables.
- Spread 1 teaspoon of pesto over each chicken breast, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the oregano.
- Put the rest of the sweet potato and butternut squash, and the cherry tomatoes, around the chicken breasts.
- Measure 150 ml/half a cup of boiling water in a jug and add the chicken stock melt. Stir to melt it and then carefully pour the stock under the chicken in the vegetables.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- Check the chicken is cooked through (either use a food thermometer or check the juices are clear and the chicken breast is white throughout, with no pink remaining).
- Using a large slotted spoon, lift the chicken breasts out of the slow cooker and place them in a serving dish. Put the cooked vegetables around the chicken and serve.
More healthy slow cooker recipes
I’ve got loads of recipes like this in my recipe archives – you can see them all in my slow cooker archives.
You might like my slow cooker lemon and herb chicken with asparagus and my slow cooker chicken with Mediterranean roasted vegetables.
The bright colours of this dish just make me happy for the arrival of Spring and the warmer weather that will hopefully be on the way soon.
If you can enjoy fresh flavours from the slow cooker there is no need to abandon it until next winter I reckon.
More pesto recipes
More pesto recipes if you need to use up the rest of your jar of pesto:
- Quick leftover pork pesto pasta from Fab Food 4 All
- Pesto and feta pastries from Fuss Free Flavours
- Caprese pizza wraps from Tinned Tomatoes
Pin this recipe for slow cooker pesto chicken for later!!
Recipe
Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 small onions sliced
- 180 g sweet potato chopped
- 180 g butternut squash chopped
- 3 chicken breasts large
- 3 tsp reduced-fat pesto
- 1 chicken stock melt/stockpot
- 150 ml boiling water
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- Place the chopped onions in the base of the slow cooker.2 small onions
- Put half of the sweet potato and butternut squash in with the onion.180 g sweet potato, 180 g butternut squash
- Place the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables.3 chicken breasts
- Spread 1 teaspoon of pesto over each chicken breast, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the oregano.3 tsp reduced-fat pesto, 1 tsp oregano, salt and pepper
- Put the rest of the sweet potato and butternut squash, and the cherry tomatoes, around the chicken breasts.10 cherry tomatoes
- Measure the boiling water (150 ml or ½ cup) in a jug and add the chicken stock melt. Stir to melt it and then carefully pour the stock under the chicken in the vegetables.1 chicken stock melt/stockpot, 150 ml boiling water
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- Check the chicken is cooked through.
- Using a large slotted spoon, lift the chicken breasts out of the slow cooker and place them in a serving dish. Put the cooked vegetables around the chicken and serve.
Notes
Astrid says
How long would you cook for on high?
bakingqueen74 says
Hi Astrid. I’d cook this for 3-4 hours on high, hope that helps.
Jennifer says
What does “one chicken stock” mean please? How much?
bakingqueen74 says
Hi there it says one chicken stock melt or stockpot. So one cube or stockpot whichever you prefer to use.
Jackie says
Hi I have just joined could anyone tell me what the calories are for this please
Jackie says
Hi I have just joined. Doe’s anyone know how many calories this is please x
bakingqueen74 says
Hi Jackie, sorry I don’t count calories but you can use an app or site like MyFitnessPal to calculate it, taking into account the specific brand of pesto you use and how many servings you have. On weight watchers this is around 6 Smartpoints per serving I believe, it is a healthy low fat option.
Sarah James says
This looks delicious Lucy, I like the idea of pesto with the chicken. A great meal to try for spring and it’s healthy too.
Claire @foodiequine says
That looks so bright and fresh! I must admit I am guity of using my slow cooker pretty much only for autumn/winter stews.
Jemma @ Celery & Cupcakes says
This looks like such a lovely spring/summer dish. I love roasted squash.
Katie Bryson says
This looks just the kind of thing I should be cooking as I’m about to embark on Slimming World *takes deep breath* so I’ll def be bookmarking this for my healthy but tasty list!
Camilla says
Looks like the perfect light spring meal to come home to:-)