Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo (View Print Version)

Creamy chicken and pasta cooked slowly with mozzarella, Parmesan, and garlic for a comforting meal.

# What You'll 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)

# Method:

01 - Place chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker. Season evenly with salt, pepper, Italian herbs, nutmeg, and minced garlic.
02 - Pour heavy cream and whole milk over the chicken. Distribute butter and cream cheese cubes evenly on top.
03 - Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours until chicken is fully cooked and easily shredded.
04 - Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
05 - Add uncooked pasta, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, and peas if using. Stir thoroughly to combine ingredients.
06 - Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once halfway, until pasta is tender and sauce is creamy.
07 - Plate the dish hot, topped with freshly chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Minimal hands-on time means you can prep it before work and come home to a finished dinner.
  • The creamy sauce becomes silky and rich as everything cooks together, with no stovetop babysitting required.
  • It's flexible enough to feed a crowd or scale down, and leftovers reheat beautifully the next day.
02 -
  • Don't use raw pasta earlier in the cooking process—it absorbs too much liquid and becomes mushy; waiting until the last 30 to 40 minutes is the trick that keeps it tender rather than blown out.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, you might finish in 25 minutes instead of 40, so start checking around the 20-minute mark to avoid overdoing the pasta.
03 -
  • If your sauce seems too thin after the pasta cooks, let it sit uncovered for five minutes—the residual heat will thicken it slightly without cooking anything further.
  • Taste before serving and adjust the seasoning; slow cooking can sometimes mellow flavors, so a final pinch of salt or a grind of pepper often makes the difference between good and unforgettable.
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