Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo

Cream cheese gives this slow cooker chicken Alfredo a sauce that actually clings to the pasta. Make a full batch - the leftovers freeze beautifully.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 10

Servings

Calories 734kcal

Author Julie Kotzbach

Equipment

Ingredients

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces
8 ounces cream cheese cut into pieces
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound rigatoni (see notes)
4 ounces Parmesan cheese shredded, plus more for garnish
fresh parsley finely chopped, for garnish

Instructions

To your slow cooker, add 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
Cover and cook for 2-3 hours on HIGH or 4-5 hours on LOW.
When there are 20 minutes left in the cooking time for the chicken, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add 1 pound rigatoni, and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Drain the water with a colander. Set aside.
Use tongs to remove the chicken from the crock pot and shred it using two forks. Return the chicken to the alfredo sauce along with the pasta and 4 ounces Parmesan cheese. Mix to combine.
Serve warm. Top with fresh parsley and extra parmesan cheese if desired.

Video

Notes

For best texture, cook the pasta separately until al dente, then stir it in at the end. Slow cookers vary, and pasta can turn mushy if cooked directly in the sauce.

If the sauce is too thin, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and stir it in. Let it warm for a few minutes to thicken. If it's too thick, add a splash of chicken broth or cream.

To freeze, store the chicken and sauce only - skip the pasta. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat and add freshly cooked pasta before serving.

To reheat, warm on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of cream or milk to loosen the sauce. Avoid reheating in the slow cooker. It takes too long to bring refrigerated food back up to a safe temperature.

Nutrition