🍝🐔 Crock Pot Chicken Pasta (Creamy & Easy)
A simple, comforting one-pot meal — perfect for busy days. Tender shredded chicken in a creamy sauce tossed with pasta.
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 1½–2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese (cubed)
- ½ cup heavy cream (optional, for extra richness)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 12 oz pasta (penne or rotini works best)
- Optional: fresh spinach or mushrooms
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Add to Crock Pot
Place chicken in slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic, and onion.
Pour marinara and chicken broth over top.
2️⃣ Cook
- Low: 6–7 hours
- High: 3–4 hours
Chicken should shred easily.
3️⃣ Shred & Cream It
Remove chicken, shred with two forks, return to pot.
Stir in cream cheese, heavy cream (if using), mozzarella, and Parmesan. Let melt and combine.
4️⃣ Cook Pasta Separately
Boil pasta until al dente. Drain.
5️⃣ Combine
Stir cooked pasta into the crock pot. Add spinach if using and let sit 5–10 minutes to soften.
🔥 Shortcut Version (All-In-One Method)
In the last 30–40 minutes of cooking:
- Break dry pasta in half
- Add directly to crock pot
- Add extra 1–1½ cups broth
Cook on High until pasta is tender.
(Stir once or twice to prevent sticking.)
🧀 Flavor Variations
- 🌶 Add red pepper flakes for heat
- 🍄 Stir in sautéed mushrooms
- 🥓 Add cooked bacon for smoky flavor
- 🌿 Finish with fresh basil
🧊 Storage
- Refrigerate up to 4 days
- Reheat with a splash of milk or broth
- Freezes well (without pasta mixed in is best)
If you’d like, I can also give you:
- A lighter high-protein version
- A creamy Alfredo-style crock pot version
- Or a buffalo chicken pasta twist
Which direction sounds good? 🍝
