This easy and oh-so-creamy crockpot chicken alfredo recipe is a simple dump-and-go dish the whole family will love! Great for busy weeknights, this rich and creamy chicken pasta dinner uses common pantry ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Chicken Alfredo Recipe
- Oh-So-Creamy: Juicy chicken and tender pasta are slow cooked in a rich and creamy Alfredo sauce for a hearty and comforting dinner.
- One-Pot Meal: This is a set-it-and-forget-it crockpot dinner where everything, including the pasta, cooks together in the slow cooker. Yay for easy prep and even easier cleanup!
- Family-Friendly: This easy chicken Alfredo is made for families and our kids are huge fans. It’s also pretty easy to sneak in a few veggies in this dish if you’d like!
Looking for more easy crockpot dinner recipes using chicken breasts? Try our 5-ingredient crockpot Mexican chicken, creamy crockpot chicken pot pie or comforting crockpot chicken and dumplings.
What You’ll Need
With just a few simple pantry ingredients and a couple of chicken breasts, you will be on your way to a creamy pasta dinner. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Chicken: We’ll be using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs will work as well!
- Chicken Broth: You can use veggie broth if you’d like.
- Evaporated Milk: This is a canned milk found in the regular non-refrigerated aisle of the grocery store. Do not substitute for other types of milk, as they can easily curdle in a crockpot!
- Cheese: You will need cream cheese and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Pasta: We used penne pasta, but any similar sized noodle will work.
- Butter
- Garlic: Fresh garlic will give you the best flavor, but garlic powder can be used in a pinch.
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Chicken Alfredo in Crockpot
Layer and cook – that’s about it! You only need a few minutes of prep, and then the slow cooker does all the work. Check out the recipe card at the end of this post for detailed instructions.
- Layer and Cook: Add the chicken breasts, broth, milk, cream cheese, butter, garlic, salt and pepper to the crockpot. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Shred: 30 minutes before serving, shred the chicken with two forks. Add the uncooked pasta and parmesan and give everything a good stir. Cook for 30 minutes more, until the pasta is al dente.
- Enjoy: Stir and serve right away with extra parmesan cheese on top!
Cook’s Tips & Variations
- Pasta: If you don’t want to cook the pasta in the slow cooker, feel free to do so on the stovetop. However, you will need to thicken the sauce. Whisk together a slurry with 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water, and add it to the crockpot. Stir and cook for 10 minutes, until sauce is thickened.
- Don’t Overcook: Our pasta was perfectly al dente at 28 minutes. Every crockpot/slow cooker will cook a little differently, so check your pasta around 25 minutes for doneness.
- Sauce: When you first remove the lid and shred the chicken, the sauce may look separated. Don’t let that worry you! Once you stir and add in the pasta and parmesan cheese everything will blend together perfectly.
- Creamy Lemon Sauce: Squeeze in juice from half a lemon into the crockpot to create a creamy lemon alfredo chicken!
- Add Veggies: Broccoli florets, green peas or mushrooms would all be great additions. We recommend steaming or roasting them separately and stirring them in right before serving.
- Add Tomatoes: Add sun-dried tomatoes or garlic roasted tomatoes for a burst of color and even more fresh flavor.
What to Serve With Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo
This crock pot chicken alfredo recipe is a complete meal on its own! However, we love serving it with a piece of crusty garlic bread to soak up the creamy sauce. Or, add some color and pizazz with our stunning caprese garlic bread.
A veggie side dish would also nicely round out this meal. We’re partial to these bacon brussels sprouts, easy parmesan roasted broccoli or some tender air fryer green beans.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: We usually reheat individual portions in the microwave, stirring often, until warmed through. You may need to add a little milk or cream if the sauce has gotten too thick.
- Freeze: We do not recommend freezing the leftovers for this crockpot recipe as the texture will not be the same once frozen and thawed.
Yield: 4 servings
Crockpot Chicken Alfredo
Our easy Crockpot Chicken Alfredo is a simple dump-and-go dish the whole family will love. Great for busy weeknights, this rich and creamy chicken pasta dinner uses common pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or thighs
- 1 cup chicken stock, or broth
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporate milk
- 8 oz cream cheese, cubed
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, more for serving
- 8 oz penne pasta, uncooked
Instructions
- Add the chicken breast, chicken stock, evaporated milk, cream cheese, butter, garlic, salt and pepper to a 7 quart crockpot (or larger).
- Cook on low 6 to 7 hours, or high 3 to 4 hours. (Until the chicken is fully cooked and easily shredded.)
- 30 minutes before serving, shred the chicken using 2 forks in the crockpot. Add the parmesan cheese and pasta and give everything a good stir. Cover and cook on high for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
- Stir to combine one more time and then serve immediately. Top with more grated parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
Store: Transfer cooled leftovers into an airtight container and store for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat: We usually reheat individual portions in the microwave, stirring often, until warmed through. You may need to add a little milk or cream if the sauce has gotten too thick.
Pasta: If you don’t want to cook the pasta in the slow cooker, feel free to do so on the stovetop. However, you will need to thicken the sauce. Whisk together a slurry with 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water, and add it to the crockpot. Stir and cook for 10 minutes, until sauce is thickened.
Sauce: When you first remove the lid and shred the chicken, the sauce may look separated. Don’t let that worry you! Once you stir and add in the pasta and parmesan cheese everything will blend together perfectly.
Creamy Lemon Sauce: Squeeze in juice from half a lemon into the crockpot to create a creamy lemon alfredo chicken!
Add Veggies: Broccoli florets, green peas or mushrooms would all be great additions. We recommend steaming or roasting them separately and stirring them in right before serving. Add sun-dried tomatoes or garlic roasted tomatoes for a burst of color and even more fresh flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 832kcal, Carbohydrates: 59g, Protein: 46g, Fat: 45g, Saturated Fat: 25g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 197mg, Sodium: 1089mg, Potassium: 983mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 1461IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 416mg, Iron: 2mg
