Spring Blossom Chicken Slow Cooker. When your evening gets away from you but dinner still needs to feel a little special — five ingredients, one crock pot, and zero stress stand between you and something genuinely delicious.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- frozen chicken tenderloins → 2 pounds
- thick apricot preserves (or apricot jam) → 1 cups
- zesty Italian salad dressing → 0.8 cups
- low-sodium soy sauce → 2 tablespoons
- frozen green peas → 1 cups

Spring Blossom Chicken: Steps
- Layer the chicken: Spread the 2 pounds frozen chicken tenderloins in an even layer across the bottom of your slow cooker insert. A little overlapping is fine, but avoid stacking them too deep so they cook evenly all the way through.
- Whisk the glaze: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 cups thick apricot preserves (or apricot jam), 0.8 cups zesty Italian salad dressing, and 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce until the mixture is completely smooth and everything is well blended into one glossy, tangy sauce.
- Coat the chicken: Pour the apricot-Italian glaze straight over the frozen tenderloins, using a spatula to scrape out every last drop, making sure the chicken is generously coated on all sides.
- Slow cook: Secure the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 240 minutes
240:00
, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until every tenderloin is cooked through and pulls apart effortlessly with a fork. - Pull the chicken apart with two forks, then mix it well in the pot so all the pieces get covered in the sauce. coated in that sticky, fragrant glaze.
- Add the peas: Scatter the 1 cups frozen green peas straight into the hot chicken and sauce, give everything a good stir, then cover and leave on WARM or LOW for 5 to 7 minutes
07:00
until the peas are bright green and heated all the way through. -
Notes
- Lighten it up: A light or fat-free Italian dressing paired with a reduced-sugar apricot spread keeps the flavor bright and tangy without any guilt.
- No apricot preserves? Peach jam or orange marmalade works just as beautifully and keeps that same cheerful, fruity vibe going.
- Extra veggies: Toss a cup of frozen mixed vegetables in alongside the peas at the very end for a more colorful, wholesome finish.
- Thicker glaze: Whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir it into the hot sauce about 20 minutes before serving, then cook on HIGH until the sauce turns sticky and glossy.
- Frozen chicken breasts: Swap the tenderloins for frozen breasts if that’s what you have on hand — just add an extra hour on LOW and shred well before serving.
- Turn up the heat: Stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes into the sauce mixture before pouring it over the chicken.
- Leftovers: Store in the fridge for up to 3 days — they reheat beautifully, or shred the chicken a little finer and pile it onto toasted buns for a dead-easy sandwich night.