This easy crock pot recipe features basil pesto, chicken, roast vegetables, and chicken. Serve it with pasta for a healthy and tasty dinner that takes just minutes to prepare.
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In my life-before-kids I worked in the business world. While I don't miss working in an office all day, I do miss my colleagues from those days… and I definitely miss the catered lunches.
What a luxury to have meals made by someone else!
My favorite meals were from a local Italian restaurant. The simple but delicious menu featured ciabatta bread sandwiches with trays of roasted Italian vegetables.
The vegetables, oh the vegetables! There were peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, and mushroom roasted with a bit of olive oil and basil. The flavors were amazing, I’m still dreaming about them 10 years later!
Roast Vegetables in the Crock Pot
I’ve recreated the roasted vegetable with basil flavor in this easy crock pot meal featuring chicken and pasta. You simply add chicken, pesto and vegetables and toss is pasta before serving.
Don't worry, the vegetables do not turn into piles of mush! The secret to this tasty recipe is in the layering of ingredients. The chicken is at the bottom of the crock pot where it gets the most cooking heat followed by the onions, and the rest of the vegetables. Keeping the squash, peppers and mushrooms on the top means they get steamed, but not cooked to death.
Throw and Go Crock Pot Recipes
I affectionately refer to this type of crock pot recipes as throw and go or dump and go. These recipes require no browning and no sauteing… you simply add the ingredients to the slow cooker and forget about it until dinner.
I boil whole wheat rotini noodles to serve with the chicken and vegetables after we get home from car pool and sports practice. Toss the noodles with a bit of pesto, toss in the vegetables, top with sliced chicken and you have the perfect dinner.
Dinner Supplies
I love dishes and kitchenware, I wanted to share some of my favorites with you:
- Crock Pot – My current slow cooker is a Crock-Pot 7-qt. Slow Cooker with a lovely chevron pattern. I have a Wi-Fi Operated Crock Pot on my wishlist!
- White Dishes – My sold white dishes are from Pier One imports. They have been replaced by these white dishes and these dot rim dishes.
- Napkins– I purchase my blue linen napkins on sale at Williams Sonoma.
- 1 tsp olive oil (optional, use to grease inside of slow cooker for easier cleanup)
- 4 chicken breasts (thawed)
- 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (dried)
- 1/2-3/4 cup basil pesto
- 1.5 cups zucchini (cut into 1/2 inch slices)
- 1 cup yellow squash (cut into 1/2 inch slices)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes (halved)
- 1 cup red onion (about 1 small, cut into 1 inch slices)
- 1 green pepper (cut into 1 inch slices)
- 1 yellow peppers (cut into 1 inch slices)
- 8 ounces white mushrooms (quartered)
- 1 lb whole wheat rotini
Rub inside of 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with olive oil to make clean up easier (optional).
Arrange chicken in bottom of slow cooker. Sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Top one side of each chicken breast with 1 tablespoon of basil pesto. Spread with back of spoon to coat.
Thickly slice all vegetables so they cook slowly. (If you like your vegetables crisper add them later in the cooking process.)
Top seasoned chicken with onions.
- Layer vegetables on top of onions.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.*
Cook noodles according to package directions (in pan on stove top) and drain.
While noodles are cooking, check to make sure chicken in done. (There should be no visible pink, internal temperature should be 165° Fahrenheit/75° Celsius.) Turn crock pot to "warm" setting.
- Turn off crock pot and remove chicken, slice into 1/2 inch slices.
Drain extra liquid in crock pot off of the vegetables and discard.
Toss vegetables, pasta, with remaining pesto(4 tbsp-1/2 cup). (I combine everything in the crock pot that is turned off.)
Serve chicken on a bed of noodles and vegetables. (Serve with extra pesto and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.)
*Each slow cooker tends to cook at a slightly different speed. Watch new recipes closely the first time to find out exactly how long they take to cook to your liking. You should adjust all crock pot recipes for your slow or fast slow cooker.
More Easy Crock Pot Recipes
I love crock pot dinners that require little to no prep. They are perfect for busy days and help keep healthy eating on track. Try these other easy crock pot recipes that are sure to become family favorites:
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Jill says
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it…small note though, in #1 on instructions there is a misspelling I thought you may want to correct. ????
Bren says
Thanks Jill! I appreciate the edit! 🙂
Cassie says
I’m making this dish for the first time. Do you toss the Noodles in the pesto too? Maybe I’m step 7 with the veggies?
It’s about to come out of the crockpot. I’m excited to try something different. We mostly have Mexican dishes with chicken in the crockpot.
Bren says
Cook the noodles and then toss them with the vegetables just before serving. You can add extra pesto to the noodles if desire, my people love pesto so I add a bit extra. Hope you enjoy!
Sarah says
This DID turn to mush after 4 hours on high. A lititle bummed 🙁
Bren says
Sorry Sarah, this is where crockpot cooking becomes a little of an art form. Each slow cooker tends to cook at a different speed so I usually watch my recipes closely the first time I make them to ensure good results.
Kristine says
This looks so good. I’ll have to investigate a different sauce, can’t do pesto since it is nut based. But the combination of veggies looks so yummy!
Bren says
Thanks Kristine! I found a good recipe for nut-free pesto.
Amy says
Can this be frozen prior to cooking? There are only 3 people in my family, all light eaters. I was thinking instead of halving everything(I haven’t seen half peppers in the grocery store), to go ahead and prep the recipe according to your instructions, and then put half back to be frozen.
Bren says
I have not tried freezing it, but it should work. Your vegetables will be softer after freezing and cooking but will still taste good.
Tammy says
Amy, have you tried to freeze yet? If so how’d it come out
Stephanie Wilhelm says
I was looking for nutritional value on this recipe! Any help on that ..or at least on calories?? I just made this for my family KID APPROVED!!! Only thing I did different was added graded parmesan cheese and they loved that …I also was wondering what you did to the pesto ? Did you add it straight from jar or mix with something?! Great meal can’t wait till we have this again…Next Instead of the pasta I am going to try Spaghetti Squash =)
Bren says
It’s about 383-430 calories if you divide it into 8 servings (depending on the calories in the pesto you use, mine is 130 calories an ounce). I add the pesto straight from the jar, some to the top of the chicken and some mixed into to cooked noodles. The Parmesan sounds great!
Gloria says
Could frozen veggies work with this recipie?
Bren says
You could but they might get mushy cooking for a long time in the crock pot. I would probably just heat them in the microwave and add to the crockpot in the last few minutes.
Meg says
Thanks! This was my question too. I can’t wait to try this!
Bren says
Hope you enjoy!
Cassie says
I followed the recipe, but after 6 hours on low the chicken was over cooked and mushy and the veggies had pretty much disappeared. We also couldn’t even taste the pesto. Maybe my expectation were too high, but I was really disappointed.
Bren says
Sorry you were disappointed, Cassie. Crock pot cooking is an art since each slow cooker tends to cook at a different speed. I watch new recipes closely the first time I make them to find out exactly how long they take to cook. If your vegetables disappeared after 6 hours you definitely have a “hotter” slow cooker. For those who like more pesto flavor you can add pesto to taste when you toss the vegetables with the cooked noodles.
Law says
Wasn’t able to cook in the crock Pot because I woke up late. lol…. I grilled the chicken first then baked all the ingredients with the grilled chicken in the oven and let me tell you it was the bomb.com! FYI, my daughter is deadly allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. Pine nuts are NOT a peanut or tree nut,it’s a seed. Totally safe for her to eat. Thanks for the recipe. Keep them coming!
Bren says
I’m so glad to hear that you loved the recipe! Thanks for the information on pine nuts, I had no idea!
Taimy says
Did the chicken came out moist? Chicken breast tend to be dry and it looks so in the final photo. I’m tempted to use chicken thigh instead and I will definitely brown it before putting it in the slow cooker, I think it will taste and look better.
Bren says
The chicken stays more moist than grilled chicken since it is covered in pesto and slow cooked with liquid from the vegetables. It will dry out if overcooked. If you prefer really moist meat the dark thighs are going to be a better choice for you since they have more fat.
Lisa says
Love love love this recipe… considered trying hummus instead of pesto think it would work?
Bren says
Hmmm, I’m not sure how it would work, I’ve never cooked with hummus. I think a vinaigrette dressing might work better to give the chicken/vegetables an herb flavor.
Kristin says
Turned into mush after 2.5 hours on high. The chicken is now shredded and soggy! I’m really bummed 🙁
Bren says
Sorry you were disappointed in the recipe, Kristin. You must have a “hot” slow cooker if the chicken was overcooked after 2.5 hours. As I mention in the recipe, each slow cooker tends to cook at a slightly different speed. You should always watch new recipes closely the first time to find out exactly how long they take to cook to your liking. I adjust all crock pot recipes for my personal cock pot and my taste.
Angie says
Tried this recipe today. It turned out great. I have a fast cooking crock, so I cooked on low for about 4 hours and it was done. Served it with microwavable brown rice instead of pasta just to limit the amount of ‘cooking’ that I needed to do. 😉
Bren says
I’m s glad you enjoyed the recipe! The brown rice sounds great too.
J-Lin says
I cook with my slow cooker a lot, and am usually really good at finding recipes that are delicious, and knowing how long to really cook things in my slow cooker. This was an exception on both accounts. I let it cook for less than five hours on low and the vegetables are mush, with dry chicken. I’ve now wasted a bunch of food, and have a hungry family to try and feed.
Bren says
J-Lin, I’m so sorry the recipe did not work for you!
Libby says
Hi Bren,
I have a jar of pesto I’m trying to use up and a fresh zucchini from the garden, so this looks like the perfect recipe to try this week! One quick question though–my fiance can’t stand onions (so I sadly have to forgo them in most recipes) but it sounds like they’re used in this recipe to prop up the other veggies off of the chicken and keep them from overcooking and getting mushy. If I go without the onions, do you think I should add another similar vegetable to help separate the layers in the crock pot? Any suggestions?
Thanks for sharing this great, easy recipe!
Bren says
I would put a “tougher” vegetable on top of the chicken to pop up the other vegetables or simply add the vegetables later in the cooking time. Hope you enjoy!
Mary says
4 hrs on low was spot on for my chicken. Used fresh homemade pesto both in the crockpot and on the side. Not as flavorful as I’d hoped, will tweak my pesto and play with more herbs.
Bren says
Thanks for sharing your results, Mary!
Erica says
I have made this several times and I actually like the “mushiness” factor..:I call it “stewed chicken,” every body lighten up! It’s just chicken! I appreciate you sharing recipes and putting yourself out there Bren. Ps I add the veggies layer so they are less mushy.
Erica says
Add veggies *later, and give them only an hour to cook …sorry about the typo
Bren says
Thanks, Erica! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
r says
Will frozen chicken breasts work ? If yes, on what settings ? High/low for howlong ? Thanks
Bren says
I’ve never made it with frozen chicken, if you want to try I would start with 4 hours on high then check to see if the chicken in done.