Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (Printer-friendly)
Creamy garlic Parmesan chicken and pasta made easily in your slow cooker for a comforting weeknight dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
→ Dairy
02 - 8 oz block cream cheese softened and cubed
03 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
→ Aromatics & Seasonings
05 - 6 cloves garlic minced
06 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
→ Sauces
10 - 10.5 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
11 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
→ Pasta
12 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta
→ Garnish
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
# Directions:
01 - Arrange chicken breasts evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
02 - Combine cream cheese, Parmesan, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cream of chicken soup, and chicken broth in a mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously until completely smooth and well incorporated.
03 - Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the chicken breasts, ensuring even coverage.
04 - Cover and cook on HIGH setting for 4 hours or LOW setting for 6 hours, until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F and shreds easily.
05 - Twenty minutes before serving, cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly in a colander.
06 - Transfer cooked chicken breasts to a clean surface. Using two forks, shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker and mix thoroughly with the sauce.
07 - Add drained pasta to the slow cooker. Gently fold until pasta is evenly coated in the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce. Serve immediately topped with fresh chopped parsley.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce comes together while you handle actual life, no hovering over a stove required
- Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if they survive that long
02 -
- The cream cheese will look curdled when you first pour it in, but trust the process and let it melt completely
- Don't add the pasta until the very end or it'll turn into mush that no amount of sauce can save
03 -
- Sprinkle extra Parmesan on top while it's still hot so it melts into that first bite
- Start checking your chicken after 3 hours on high to avoid drying it out