Description
Creamy, cheesy comfort food made effortlessly in the slow cooker. Tender chicken simmers in a rich garlic-Parmesan sauce with cream cheese, butter, and herbs, then is tossed with penne pasta for a hearty, flavor-packed meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb chicken tenderloins (or chicken breasts or thighs)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 oz cream cheese, cubed
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp coarse kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 cups dry penne pasta
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly grease or spray the slow cooker. Add chicken to the bottom.
- Top chicken with cream cheese, butter, chicken broth, heavy cream, milk, Parmesan, garlic, and seasonings. Stir slightly to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–3 hours, until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Stir once during cooking to help cheese melt.
- Remove chicken, shred or cube it, then return to slow cooker and mix into sauce.
- Cook penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
- Stir pasta into sauce until coated. Add pasta water as needed to loosen sauce.
- Garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes. Serve warm with garlic bread or salad.
Notes
Freshly grated Parmesan gives creamiest results.
Cooking on low ensures tender chicken and prevents dairy curdling.
Sauce thickens as it cools — thin with milk or pasta water if needed.
Avoid cooking pasta in slow cooker to prevent over-softness.
Store leftovers up to 3 days; reheat with splash of milk to restore creaminess.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 240
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 37g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 165mg
Keywords: garlic parmesan chicken pasta, crockpot chicken pasta, creamy slow cooker pasta, easy comfort food dinner