Slow cooker garlic chicken with cream cheese sauce is the decadent, hands-off dinner that tastes like an all-evening project. Chicken breasts braise low and slow with a stick of butter and a generous scatter of halved garlic cloves until spoon-tender, then get draped in a velvety cream cheese sauce. Six servings at 63g protein and 5g carbs each.
Craving the ultimate comfort food without the fuss? This Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken is your answer! Imagine incredibly tender, fall-apart chicken, slow-cooked to perfection with rich butter and aromatic garlic. But the magic doesn’t stop there. We’ll whip up a velvety, luscious cream cheese sauce using the flavorful juices from the cooker. It’s a decadent, satisfying meal that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but your trusty slow cooker does all the heavy lifting. Get ready for this to become your new family favorite!
Ingredients
• For the Garlic Chicken
• 2-2.5 lbs / 900-1135g (40 oz) chicken breasts, thawed
• 1 stick (1/2 cup / 113g / 4 oz) butter
• 8 large garlic cloves, sliced in half
• 1 tsp / 6g (0.21 oz) salt
• 1 medium onion, sliced (optional, but recommended)
• For the Cream Cheese Sauce
• 8 oz / 226g cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup / 240ml chicken stock or reserved liquid from the slow cooker
• Salt to taste
Instructions
1. Directions
2. Arrange the thawed chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker. Dot the top with pieces of the butter stick.
3. Scatter the halved garlic cloves and optional sliced onion over and around the chicken. Sprinkle evenly with salt.
4. Secure the lid and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
5. Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a serving platter. You can shred it or leave the breasts whole.
6. To make the sauce, pour 1 cup (240 ml) of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker (or use chicken stock) into a saucepan. Add the softened cream cheese.
7. Whisk continuously over medium-low heat until the cream cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season with additional salt if needed.
8. Pour the warm cream cheese sauce generously over the chicken and serve immediately.
Nutritional Information
• Nutrition Facts
• Servings: 6
• Calories: 664 kcal
• Fat: 38g
• Protein: 63g
• Note: Nutrition is an estimate per serving and may vary based on used.
Pro Tips
• For an even richer flavor, quickly sear the chicken breasts in a hot pan with a little oil before adding them to the slow cooker.
• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted for breasts for an even more tender and flavorful result.
• Stir a handful of fresh spinach or chopped parsley into the sauce at the very end for a pop of color and extra nutrients.
• For a thicker sauce, mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 0.5 fl oz) of cold water to create a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering sauce until it thickens.
FAQ
Q: Can I use chicken thighs for this slow cooker garlic chicken recipe
A: Yes, absolutely. The recipe notes suggest that boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted for breasts. This will result in an even more tender and flavorful dish due to the higher fat content in thighs.
Q: How do I make the cream cheese sauce thicker
A: To create a thicker sauce, you can use a cornstarch slurry. Mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 0.5 fl oz) of cold water, then whisk it into the simmering sauce on the stovetop until it thickens to your liking.
Q: What can I serve with this creamy garlic chicken
A: This versatile dish pairs well with many sides. For a low-carb option, serve it over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles. It’s also delicious with traditional comfort foods like mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice to soak up the rich cream cheese sauce.
Q: Do I need to sear the chicken before putting it in the slow cooker
A: Searing the chicken is an optional step, but it is recommended for a richer, deeper flavor. A quick sear in a hot pan before adding the chicken to the slow cooker will enhance the final taste of the dish.
Pro Tips
- Sear the chicken breasts quickly in a hot oiled pan before slow cooking for a deeper, richer flavor in both the meat and the sauce that cooks around it.
- Use 8 large garlic cloves halved rather than minced — the big pieces slow-roast sweet and mellow instead of scorching into the butter over the long cook.
- Make the sauce from 1 cup of the reserved slow cooker liquid, not plain stock — that garlicky, buttery braising liquid is where most of the sauce flavor lives.
- Whisk the softened cream cheese into the warm liquid over medium-low heat until completely smooth; for a thicker sauce, finish with a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 1 tablespoon cold water.
- Substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the breasts if you want an even more tender, forgiving result, and stir in fresh spinach or parsley at the very end for color.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes — thighs come out even more tender and flavorful after the 6-7 hour slow cook. The cream cheese sauce treats them exactly the same way.
How do I store and reheat the leftovers?
Keep the chicken and sauce together in an airtight container for up to 4 days and reheat gently over low heat so the cream cheese sauce stays smooth instead of separating.
Is this garlic chicken keto?
Each serving has 5g carbs with 63g protein and 38g fat — butter, cream cheese, and chicken stock carry the sauce, so it is a natural keto dinner.
What can I serve with it on keto?
Cauliflower mash, zucchini noodles, or steamed greens soak up the cream cheese sauce beautifully without the carbs of pasta or potatoes.
Recipe card below.
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Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken with Cream Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
Method
- Directions
- Arrange the thawed chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker. Dot the top with pieces of the butter stick.
- Scatter the halved garlic cloves and optional sliced onion over and around the chicken.
- Sprinkle evenly with salt.
- Secure the lid and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a serving platter. You can shred it or leave the breasts whole.
- To make the sauce, pour 1 cup (240 ml) of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker (or use chicken stock) into a saucepan.
- Add the softened cream cheese.
- Whisk continuously over medium-low heat until the cream cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Season with additional salt if needed.
- Pour the warm cream cheese sauce generously over the chicken and serve immediately.
- Stir a handful of fresh spinach or chopped parsley into the sauce at the very end for a pop of color and extra nutrients.
