Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo (Print Version)

Comforting chicken and pasta baked slowly with creamy Alfredo-style sauce and melted cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 - 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)

# How To Make It:

01 - Place chicken breasts evenly in the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Sprinkle salt, black pepper, dried Italian herbs, and ground nutmeg over the chicken. Add minced garlic on top.
03 - Pour heavy cream and whole milk evenly over the chicken. Distribute unsalted butter pieces and cubed cream cheese across the surface.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours until the chicken is fully cooked and can be shredded easily.
05 - Remove chicken from the cooker, shred it with two forks, then return the shredded meat to the slow cooker.
06 - Add uncooked pasta, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, and frozen peas if desired. Stir gently to combine.
07 - Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until pasta is tender and sauce is creamy.
08 - Spoon onto plates and sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top if desired. Serve promptly.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely hands-off once you layer everything in—no babysitting, no stress.
  • The slow cooker does all the work while you live your life, then dinner is ready when you need it most.
  • Creamy, dreamy Alfredo sauce happens without a single pan to dirty or sauce to watch for breaking.
02 -
  • Don't skip shredding the chicken and returning it to the cooker—this is what creates that perfect texture instead of large, dry chunks floating in sauce.
  • Uncooked pasta in the slow cooker is intentional and crucial; it absorbs the creamy liquid and thickens the sauce naturally without you needing a roux or cornstarch.
03 -
  • Taste the sauce before serving and finish with a tiny pinch of salt if it needs it—cream can mask saltiness, so you might need more seasoning than you expect.
  • Keep peas frozen until the very end; they go in just as the pasta finishes and stay bright green and crisp instead of turning khaki.
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