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Home » Freezer Meals » Slow Cooker Lemon Pesto Chicken {Freezer Meal Friendly}

Slow Cooker Lemon Pesto Chicken {Freezer Meal Friendly}

by Sarah Olson on August 26, 2016 | Updated March 31, 2021 26 Comments

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lemon pest chicken and pasta in a bowl

Slow Cooker Lemon Pesto Chicken. This tangy chicken and sauce go great over pasta or rice, and this meal is freezer meal friendly!

lemon pesto chicken and pasta in a bowl

This meal freezes very well, no funny taste or mushiness after being thawed and cooked. I serve this chicken and sauce over pasta, and top with parmesan cheese.

Putting this meal into freezer bags is easy peasy. No chopping! Just cut some lemons in half, squeeze the juices, then load up the bags. I make 2 freezer meals at a time since the jar of pesto is just enough for 2 recipes.

juiced lemons, pesto, chicken and a ziplock bag
ziplock bag filled with chicken and pesto

This meal does not need to be made into a freezer meal if you aren’t into doing that. You can add the ingredients directly to the slow cooker.

lemon pesto chicken and pasta in a bowl

I was so happy that my daughter loved this meal. Usually, she won’t eat anything with green seasonings on it, that’s pretty much every recipe I make!

curly noodles, chicken, broccoli, and lemon in an oval bowl.

Try one of these other freezer meals too:

  • Slow Cooker Teriyaki Beef
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup
  • Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Soup

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curly noodles, chicken and broccoli in a oval bowl.

Slow Cooker Lemon Pesto Chicken {Freezer Meal Friendly}

5 from 10 votes
Lemon and pesto with chicken in the crockpot.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon pesto chicken
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 256kcal
Author: Sarah Olson

Equipment Needed:

  • Slow Cooker – 4 quart or larger

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skin-less chicken breasts
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup “FRESHLY SQUEEZED” lemon juice (I don't recommend squeeze bottle lemon juice for cooking)
  • 1/2 cup jarred basil pesto I use Classico brand
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
US Customary – Metric

Instructions:

  • (IF MAKING A FREEZER MEAL DON’T COOK FIRST, FOLLOW FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS)
  • Add everything to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Serve over pasta or rice, topped with parmesan cheese.

Freezer instructions:

  • Add everything to a gallon Ziplock bag. Squeeze out excess air and seal. Place in freezer for up to a month. When ready to make, thaw for 24 hours in the fridge. Follow cooking instructions above.

Recipe Notes:

I use Classico basil pesto for this recipe, it’s next to the jarred pasta sauces in the grocery store.

Nutrition:

Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 678mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 541IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Filed Under: Chicken, Dinner, Freezer Meals Tagged With: Chicken, Crock pot, crockpot, lemon, pasta, pesto, slow cooker

    Comments

    1. Ida and Carlyle Bailey says

      January 2, 2021 at 2:37 pm

      Used boneless ski less thighs. Very moist and delicious. Only 6 hrs o. Low.

      Reply
    2. Jeff D. says

      December 26, 2020 at 2:12 pm

      5 stars
      I just made this and portioned out for my meal prep. I used lime instead of Lemon, Walmart was out. I also used a 1/2 cup extra of Chicken broth, since some said it could be dry. Coked on high for 4 hours.

      Reply
    3. Liz says

      August 27, 2020 at 9:08 am

      Would this be good with limes instead of lemons? I only have limes right now…..

      Reply
    4. Arielle Hamm says

      August 22, 2020 at 7:25 am

      Have you tried putting this is a pressure cooker? If so is there anything different that needs to be done besides the time is cooks?

      Reply
    5. Kellie says

      April 19, 2020 at 8:04 pm

      Love the flavor! Definitely wouldn’t do this in a Slow cooker again. I turned it off at 5 hours and was dry. Next time, Ill brown the Chicken on the stovetop and throw it in the oven in my castiron with all of the ingredients.

      Reply
    6. Maria says

      March 22, 2020 at 11:35 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! Super yummy and easy to make! Works great in crockpot and in the oven. Pairs well with pasta and rice.
      Definitely in our regular dinner rotation! Thanks for the recipe

      Reply
    7. Stella says

      September 27, 2019 at 4:12 pm

      5 stars
      I served this with roasted potatoes and it was a hit, even with my picky two-year-old. I only cooked it for 5 hours on low and it was still a bit overdone, but I’d chalk that up to my slow cooker. Thanks for a delicious, time-saving recipe!

      Reply
    8. Sarah says

      September 7, 2019 at 2:13 pm

      5 stars
      Why can this only be frozen for up to 1 month? Other chicken freezer meals are usually good for a bit longer and I was hoping this one would be fine too- any experience from you or others freezing this for longer?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        September 7, 2019 at 2:29 pm

        You can freezer as long as you are use to. This is my preferred time to prevent freezer burn.

        Reply
    9. Katie says

      June 9, 2019 at 9:10 am

      Can you cook this directly on the stove or oven after it’s thawed vs a crockpot?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        June 9, 2019 at 10:32 am

        I don’t see why not!

        Reply
    10. Netta says

      December 6, 2018 at 8:55 am

      It looks great and utterly delicious! is it ok to freeze in an air tight box instead of a disposable plastic bag? I hate using disposables.. and it will be a fist time for me trying freezer meals

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        December 6, 2018 at 10:20 am

        Yes. Think that would work just fine and such a great idea.

        Reply
    11. Rose says

      December 19, 2017 at 10:47 am

      Are there any veggies that I could add to cook with the chicken? Like roasted red peppers etc? Thanks!

      Reply
    12. Todd says

      December 8, 2017 at 3:59 pm

      I made the Lemon Pesto Chicken & Tuscan Chicken Soup this week and 8 hours in my slow cooker was just right. Don’t know why everyone was up in arms about wanting to cook it shorter. The chicken was perfect for both. Loved them both, and my wife loved them both…along with me!! I Love your recipes Sarah!

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        December 8, 2017 at 4:25 pm

        Really happy to hear that Todd, glad your wife loved it too!

        Reply
    13. Rhonda says

      October 11, 2017 at 5:44 am

      Can I use a cup of water instead of the chicken broth I forgot to grab some at the store ‍♀️

      Reply
    14. Brandy says

      August 30, 2017 at 8:33 am

      Can you use frozen chicken breast and regular fresh ingredients?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        August 30, 2017 at 8:45 am

        I’ve only tried with thawed.

        Reply
    15. Jessica says

      July 23, 2017 at 7:03 pm

      Can fresh pesto be used?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        July 23, 2017 at 8:21 pm

        I think that would be wonderful in this! I just never have time!

        Reply
    16. Emily says

      April 15, 2017 at 1:17 pm

      If I wanted to cook this on high (want to slow cook it but too limited on them for 6-8 hours), how long should it cook for?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        April 15, 2017 at 2:28 pm

        I would do 4 hours on high.

        Reply
    17. Stacy E Smith says

      August 29, 2016 at 9:40 am

      This was great, but 8 hours (even on low) was waaaayyyyy too long. The chicken was pretty dry. Next time, I think I’ll try 6 hours and see how that goes.

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        August 29, 2016 at 10:37 am

        Thanks for your input! I added to the recipe 6 hours cooking time too.

        Reply
      • Anonymous says

        November 16, 2019 at 12:44 pm

        I had the same issue … I usually do about 4 hours on low maybe 5 depending on size of breasts but 6 is way too long

        Reply

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