Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo (Printable version)

Tender chicken and pasta combined with a creamy Alfredo sauce in a hands-off slow cooker dish.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz uncooked penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Dairy

03 - 2 cups heavy cream
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
06 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
08 - 4 oz cream cheese, cubed

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

09 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 cup frozen peas (optional)

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 tsp salt
12 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
13 - 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs
14 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Place chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker and season with salt, black pepper, Italian herbs, and nutmeg. Add minced garlic.
02 - Pour heavy cream and whole milk over the chicken. Distribute butter and cream cheese cubes evenly on top. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours until chicken is cooked through and tender.
03 - Remove the chicken, shred with two forks, then return it to the slow cooker.
04 - Stir in uncooked pasta, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, and frozen peas if using. Mix thoroughly.
05 - Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until pasta is tender and sauce is creamy.
06 - Plate hot and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Your slow cooker does literally all the heavy lifting while you go about your life
  • The pasta cooks directly in the sauce absorbing every bit of that creamy garlicky flavor
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day if there are any
02 -
  • Every slow cooker runs differently so check the pasta at 30 minutes to avoid mushy noodles
  • The sauce continues thickening as it cools so do not panic if it looks slightly loose in the cooker
  • Salt levels vary by cheese brand so always taste before adding more salt at the end
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken to save time by adding it shredded at step 6 and reducing the initial cook to 1 hour
  • Sauté sliced mushrooms or sun dried tomatoes before adding them in step 6 for extra depth
  • Gluten free pasta works but check it a few minutes early since it cooks faster than regular pasta
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