Description
This creamy Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo recipe combines tender chicken breast with a rich and cheesy sauce made from heavy cream, cream cheese, butter, and Parmesan. Slow-cooked to perfection, this comforting one-pot meal features rigatoni pasta cooked right in the slow cooker for an easy and delicious dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless raw chicken breast tenders
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (low sodium recommended)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (sliced)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (cubed)
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Pasta and Garnish
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta (uncooked)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the slow cooker with chicken and sauce: Place the raw chicken breast tenders into the slow cooker. Pour the heavy cream and chicken broth evenly over the chicken. Add the sliced unsalted butter and cubed cream cheese on top. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to season the mixture.
- Slow cook the chicken: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on high heat for about 3 hours or on low heat for approximately 5 hours. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked through and becomes fork tender, indicating it’s soft and easy to shred.
- Shred chicken and smooth sauce: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a large plate. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Meanwhile, whisk the sauce remaining in the slow cooker until it becomes smooth and evenly combined. Return the shredded chicken back into the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Add pasta and parmesan, then cook: Add the uncooked rigatoni pasta directly into the slow cooker along with the freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Stir gently to distribute the pasta and cheese throughout the sauce. Re-cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and cooked through.
- Serve and garnish: Once the pasta is fully cooked, serve the Chicken Alfredo hot, garnishing with fresh chopped parsley if desired to add a pop of color and freshness.
Notes
- Using low sodium chicken broth helps control the saltiness of the dish.
- Ensure the chicken is thoroughly cooked before shredding for best texture.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can cook the sauce on high for an additional 10-15 minutes before adding the pasta.
- Feel free to substitute rigatoni with any tubular pasta like penne or ziti.
- Fresh parsley is optional but adds a nice freshness and color contrast.
