Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo (Printable Version)

Creamy, tender chicken and pasta baked slowly with cheese and garlic for a comforting main dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 - 0.5 tsp black pepper
13 - 0.5 tsp dried Italian herbs
14 - 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# How to Make:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's genuinely hands-off—just layer ingredients and let the slow cooker do the heavy lifting while you go about your day.
  • The result tastes like you fussed over it for hours, but the actual prep time is barely longer than a coffee break.
  • Creamy, luxurious pasta that feels indulgent without any complicated techniques or finicky timing.
02 -
  • Don't skip stirring that pasta halfway through the high-heat phase—pasta on the edges can get dried out or stick if left untouched.
  • Use uncooked pasta, not pre-cooked; it absorbs the sauce as it cooks and becomes part of the dish instead of just sitting in liquid.
  • Cream cheese is your secret weapon for silkiness—it melts invisibly and creates that restaurant-quality texture no amount of heavy cream alone can achieve.
03 -
  • If you want to substitute rotisserie chicken to save time, add it when the pasta goes in and reduce the initial low-heat cooking to just one hour to warm everything through.
  • Fresh-grated cheese melts into the sauce more smoothly than pre-shredded, which has anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
  • For a gluten-free version, swap in gluten-free pasta and add a few extra minutes to the cooking time since it tends to need slightly longer.
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