Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo with Penne Pasta Recipe
This creamy slow cooker chicken pasta recipe combines tender shredded chicken breasts with a rich parmesan cream sauce and al dente penne pasta. Slow cooked to perfection and thickened with a cornstarch slurry, it’s an easy, comforting one-pot meal ideal for busy days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Pasta
- 4 ounces penne pasta, cooked al dente
Sauce
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ¾ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces (½ block) cream cheese, cubed
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter, cubed
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Place the chicken breasts into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Season evenly with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, ensuring the spices coat both breasts.
- Make Sauce Mixture: In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, chicken stock, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, and black pepper. Stir until ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add Sauce and Dairy: Pour the cream sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker. Distribute cubed cream cheese and salted butter around the cooker, nestled beside the chicken.
- Cook Chicken: Cover and set slow cooker to low, cooking for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-4 hours. Check regularly if using high to prevent burning, though low heat is recommended for best results.
- Shred Chicken: During the last hour of cooking, remove the chicken breasts, shred them finely using forks, and return the shredded meat to the slow cooker, mixing it into the sauce.
- Add Pasta: Stir in the cooked al dente penne pasta thoroughly, combining it well with the shredded chicken and sauce.
- Thicken Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with water to create a slurry. Stir this mixture into the slow cooker, then increase the heat to high.
- Final Cook: Continue cooking uncovered on high for 30-45 minutes until the sauce thickens, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent sticking. Serve immediately once thickened.
Notes
- For best texture and flavor, cook the pasta just until al dente before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Using low heat for cooking the chicken prevents the dairy from separating and the sauce from burning.
- You can swap penne pasta with other short pasta shapes like rigatoni or rotini if preferred.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- Adjust seasoning to taste if desired, especially after adding pasta as it may absorb some saltiness.
Keywords: slow cooker chicken pasta, creamy chicken pasta, parmesan chicken pasta, slow cooker recipes, easy chicken dinners
