Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken With Spinach

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 12/15/21
Chicken with Spinach
Philippe Desnerck/Photolibrary/Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 6 hrs
Total: 6 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Meals made in the slow cooker are often a weeknight go-to as you can prep in the morning and have a satisfying dinner on the table with minimal effort. However, many crock pot recipes include canned cream soup or other high-fat, high sodium ingredients. This recipe is one you can feel good serving to your family; it features the sweet and tangy flavor of honey mustard with healthy and colorful fresh spinach, and some sliced toasted almonds added for crunch.

This recipe comes together quite quickly: The honey mustard is brushed onto the chicken breasts, fresh spinach is placed on top, a little butter is added, and then the dish is left to cook for several hours. Serve this slow cooker honey mustard chicken with rice or baked potatoes for a tasty family dinner.

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless chicken breast halves

  • 1 heaping tablespoon honey Dijon mustard

  • Dash of salt, or to taste

  • Coarsely ground black pepper, or seasoned pepper, to taste

  • 2 (8-ounce) packages baby spinach, or 1 pound fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

  • Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, optional

  • Sliced almonds, toasted, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Grease the crockery insert of the slow cooker or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

  3. Pat the chicken breasts dry. Rub the chicken with the honey mustard and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

  4. Arrange the chicken breasts in the crockery insert of the slow cooker. Top with the spinach. (If your slow cooker is too small for all of the spinach, briefly steam the spinach separately and then add the wilted spinach leaves.)

  5. Dot the spinach with the butter and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. 

  6. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

  7. Garnish with cilantro or parsley and sprinkle with the toasted almonds before serving, if desired.

  8. Enjoy.

Tip

  • To toast the almonds, add them to a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, constantly stirring, until lightly browned and aromatic.

Recipe Variations

  • You can let the chicken cook until it is tender enough to be shredded, then serve the dish over rice or mashed potatoes, or between baked biscuits or toasted ciabatta rolls.
  • Feel free to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
  • Add a teaspoon of soy sauce and one minced garlic clove to the slow cooker before adding the spinach.

Can You Add Frozen Chicken to the Slow Cooker?

Although you may come across a recipe or two that says it's ok to use frozen chicken in a slow cooker, it is not recommended for safety reasons. Because the purpose of a slow cooker is to cook slowly, it may take too long for the chicken to reach 165 F, leaving time for bacteria to grow.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
293 Calories
12g Fat
5g Carbs
41g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 293
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 118mg 39%
Sodium 389mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 32mg 159%
Calcium 133mg 10%
Iron 4mg 24%
Potassium 945mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)