Easy Crockpot Alfredo Chicken Pasta
This easy crockpot alfredo is a creamy chicken pasta that finishes in one pot. The chicken cooks in the sauce base, the noodles go in at the end, and you get a rich, silky sauce with very little work.
6
servings15
minutes5
hoursChicken breasts simmer in garlic, broth and cream cheese, then fettuccine and parmesan finish the dish. The sauce turns creamy and coats every noodle.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
12 oz dry fettuccine, broken in half
2 cups freshly grated parmesan
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Directions
- Place the chicken breasts in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the garlic, broth, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours. The chicken should reach 165°F.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks.
- Turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Stir in the heavy cream and cream cheese until the cream cheese melts.
- Add the broken fettuccine, pushing it under the liquid. Cover and cook for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
- The pasta is ready when it is just tender. Check early, it can overcook quickly.
- Stir in the butter and parmesan until the sauce is glossy.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to warm through.
- Let it stand uncovered for 5 minutes to thicken, then sprinkle with parsley.
Notes
- Freshly grated parmesan melts smoothly, while pre-grated can turn grainy. Add steamed broccoli at the end for a green. Thin leftovers with a splash of milk when reheating. They keep for 3 days in the fridge. Do not freeze the finished pasta, the sauce separates.
Why alfredo works in a slow cooker
Alfredo is usually a quick stovetop sauce, and it breaks if you look away. In the slow cooker, the chicken cooks gently in garlic and broth first, and the cream and cheese go in at the end where they belong. The sauce stays smooth and the pasta cooks right in it, with no draining.
One pot means the pasta starch thickens the sauce as it cooks, so you get a creamy, clingy result without making a roux. It is a weeknight dinner with very little work and almost nothing to wash. It tastes like a restaurant plate, yet the sauce cannot break the way it does when you watch a skillet.
Ingredient notes
Chicken breasts: Use 1 1/2 lb of boneless, skinless breasts. They cook through in 3 to 4 hours on LOW and shred easily with two forks.
Heavy cream: It is the base of the sauce. Half-and-half or milk can break under the heat, so stick with cream.
Cream cheese: Four ounces, cubed, melts into the cream and keeps the sauce from thinning when the parmesan goes in.
Fettuccine: Break it in half so it fits and stirs easily. Skip fresh pasta, which turns to mush in the pot.
Parmesan: Grate it from a wedge. The pre-grated kind in a canister can turn grainy and leave a sandy feel.
Garlic and Italian seasoning: Four cloves of garlic and a teaspoon of Italian seasoning flavor the chicken as it cooks and carry through the finished sauce.
Tips for the best result
Add the pasta last: Cook the chicken first, then add the cream and pasta for only 25 to 35 minutes on HIGH. Pasta cooked all day will turn to paste.
Stir every 10 minutes: Pasta sticks together and to the bottom if left alone. Push it under the liquid each time you stir.
The most common mistake is overcooking the pasta: Start checking at 25 minutes. Pasta keeps absorbing sauce after you turn it off, so pull it when it is just tender. Let it stand 5 minutes with the lid off to thicken. Keep the lid on between stirs, since the pasta needs steam to cook and each peek adds a minute or two.
Swaps and variations
Use chicken thighs for a juicier result, or add steamed broccoli at the end for color. For a lighter dish, replace half the cream with whole milk and use less parmesan. Penne or rotini hold up well in place of fettuccine, with a similar time. Garlic powder or a pinch of nutmeg adds extra flavor.
Adding the cream at the beginning does not work. Cream cooked for hours separates and turns greasy, so it has to go in late. A handful of baby spinach or sun-dried tomatoes stirred in at the end adds color and a little tang against the cream.
What to serve with it
Serve with a crisp green salad and garlic bread to soak up the sauce. A side of roasted broccoli or green beans cuts the richness. Spoon the pasta into warm bowls and finish with extra parmesan and parsley. A lemon wedge on the side cuts the richness and gives the plate a fresh note.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Alfredo thickens a lot in the fridge. Store leftovers for up to 3 days, and reheat in a skillet over low heat with a generous splash of milk or cream, stirring until loose and hot.
Freezing is not recommended, since cream sauces separate when thawed. If you plan ahead, you can freeze the cooked shredded chicken and make a fresh sauce later. Because the noodles keep drinking sauce, it helps to store the chicken and sauce loosely covered and add liquid on the day you reheat.
Easy Crockpot Alfredo Chicken Pasta at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 5 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by boneless skinless chicken breasts, garlic, chicken broth, heavy cream
Tips for Easy Crockpot Alfredo Chicken Pasta
Freshly grated parmesan melts smoothly, while pre-grated can turn grainy. Add steamed broccoli at the end for a green. Thin leftovers with a splash of milk when reheating. They keep for 3 days in the fridge. Do not freeze the finished pasta, the sauce separates.
Easy Crockpot Alfredo Chicken Pasta FAQ
How long does Easy Crockpot Alfredo Chicken Pasta take?
Easy Crockpot Alfredo Chicken Pasta takes 5 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Easy Crockpot Alfredo Chicken Pasta serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Easy Crockpot Alfredo Chicken Pasta?
12 ingredients, led by boneless skinless chicken breasts, garlic, chicken broth, heavy cream. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
