Creamy Crockpot Chicken Tenders with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This slow cooker chicken dinner is the definition of set-it-and-forget-it. Eight chicken tenderloins go into the crock with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, cream soup, and two cheeses. Hours later, you return to a bubbling pot of fork-tender chicken in a rich, tangy, Parmesan-flecked sauce. Serve it over buttered noodles and dinner is done.

There are slow cooker recipes that ask you to brown, sauté, or stir—and then there are the ones you can truly dump and walk away from. This one belongs to the latter.

Chicken tenders, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, a can of roasted garlic cream soup, and a block of cream cheese all go into the crock at once. No pre-cooking, no fussing. The slow cooker does the work, turning a short list of ingredients into a creamy, savory sauce that clings to every piece of chicken.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

The magic here is in the layering. Chicken tenders are lean and cook quickly, so they stay moist and tender even after a few hours in the slow cooker. The sun-dried tomatoes add a concentrated tang that cuts through the richness of the cream cheese and Parmesan.

Because the ingredients are layered rather than stirred, the flavors develop gradually, with the tomatoes and garlic infusing the chicken as it cooks.

The cream soup acts as both a flavor base and a sauce starter. It thins slightly as it heats, creating a silky liquid that blends with the melted cheeses.

The cream cheese, added in dollops, melts into the sauce rather than curdling, giving it body without needing a roux or extra thickener. The result is a velvety gravy that coats the chicken and noodles beautifully—with almost no effort.

Notes and substitutions

Use chicken breast tenderloins if you can find them; they're uniform in size and cook evenly. If you only have chicken breasts, cut them into strips or pound them to an even thickness. Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil are ideal—they're already soft and flavorful. Drain them well before measuring to avoid excess oil in the sauce.

The roasted garlic cream soup is a shortcut that adds depth without extra steps. If you can't find it, cream of chicken soup with a pinch of garlic powder works.

For the cheeses, use full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest texture, and grate the Parmesan yourself—pre-shredded versions often contain anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.

• chicken breast tenderloins: boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (cut into strips if using breasts)
• roasted garlic cream soup: condensed cream of chicken soup plus 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Parmigiano-Reggiano: Pecorino Romano or another hard, salty cheese
• egg noodles: cooked rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread for serving

Equipment

• 6-quart slow cooker
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• measuring cups and spoons
• wooden spoon or spatula
• serving spoon