Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo (Print)

Tender chicken and pasta in a creamy Alfredo-style sauce, slow-cooked to perfection for an easy main dish.

# Ingredients:

→ 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 1/2 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)

# Directions:

01 - Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker base and season with salt, black pepper, Italian herbs, nutmeg, and minced garlic.
02 - Pour heavy cream and whole milk over the chicken. Evenly distribute butter pieces and cream cheese cubes on top.
03 - Cover and cook on low for 3 hours until chicken is cooked through and easily shredded.
04 - Remove the chicken, shred it using two forks, then return shredded meat to the slow cooker.
05 - Add uncooked pasta, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, and frozen peas if using. Stir to combine thoroughly.
06 - Cover and cook on high for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once halfway, until pasta is tender and sauce is creamy.
07 - Plate portions hot, optionally garnished with chopped fresh parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Dump it in the morning and forget about dinner—no stirring, no babysitting, no stress.
  • The sauce somehow becomes richer and more velvety than traditional Alfredo, because everything melds together gently over hours.
  • It actually works for busy weeknights, but tastes fancy enough to serve guests without them knowing you barely lifted a finger.
02 -
  • Do not use fully cooked pasta at the start—uncooked pasta absorbs the cream as it cooks and becomes tender while also thickening the sauce, which is the whole point.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check at 30 minutes on the high-heat stage; some models will overcook the pasta in 30 minutes flat, and you'll end up with mush instead of al dente.
  • The sauce will look very loose when you add the pasta, but it thickens as the pasta hydrates—trust the process and don't panic or add more cream.
03 -
  • Taste before serving and adjust seasoning; the slow cooker's gentle heat sometimes dulls salt perception, so a finishing pinch often makes the whole dish sing.
  • Save any leftovers—they reheat beautifully in the oven covered at 350°F for about 15 minutes, and the sauce actually tastes even better the next day as flavors continue to meld.
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