Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo (Printable)

Tender chicken and pasta in a creamy, cheesy sauce cooked low and slow for effortless comfort.

# 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 Steps:

01 - Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker base. Season with salt, black pepper, dried Italian herbs, and nutmeg. Add minced garlic over the top.
02 - Pour in heavy cream and whole milk. Evenly distribute butter pieces and cubed cream cheese on top of the chicken.
03 - Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours until the chicken is fully cooked and can be shredded easily.
04 - Remove chicken from slow cooker, shred 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 thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
06 - Cover and cook on high for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once halfway, until pasta is tender and sauce is luxuriously creamy.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with freshly chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot while you live your life instead of standing over a stove.
  • The slow cooker magic transforms simple ingredients into something so silky and rich it feels indulgent.
  • Feeding six people with minimal stress and zero dishes until dessert is over.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the pasta in that final stage or it'll turn mushy and lose all its personality—check it at the 30-minute mark because every slow cooker runs a little different.
  • If your sauce looks too thin after the pasta is added, the heat and the starch from the pasta will thicken it as it finishes cooking, so resist the urge to panic or add flour.
  • Stir that pasta halfway through the final cooking time so the pieces on the bottom don't stick and scorch, which would give you a bitter edge to an otherwise beautiful dish.
03 -
  • Use freshly shredded cheese from a block instead of pre-grated if you can, because the anti-caking agents in pre-shredded cheese can make your sauce grittier than you'd like.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot and you're worried about the cream breaking or curdling, lay a piece of parchment paper under the lid to trap steam more gently and regulate the temperature.
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