Variations & Tips
If you want to bulk this up a bit while still keeping it super simple, you can tuck a handful of cherry tomatoes into each packet with the chicken and pesto before sealing; they’ll burst and mingle with the juices, making a slightly saucier dish. For darker, richer meat, swap the chicken breasts for an equal amount of boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cook on LOW for about 4 to 5 hours. You can also use sun-dried tomato pesto instead of basil pesto for a different flavor twist while still sticking to three ingredients. To make this more meal-prep friendly, assemble the foil packets the night before, place them in the fridge in a covered container, and in the morning just transfer them straight into the slow cooker and start it. If you’re cooking for two, halve the recipe but keep the same cook time, checking for doneness toward the earlier end. For a lighter option, use a reduced-oil or homemade pesto and trim any visible fat from the chicken. Finally, if your slow cooker runs hot and you’re worried about overcooking, start checking the chicken around 3 hours on LOW so it stays perfectly tender.
