Description
This Crockpot Chicken Alfredo recipe offers a creamy, comforting Italian-inspired dinner that’s effortlessly prepared in a slow cooker. Tender chicken breasts simmer in a rich Alfredo sauce made from heavy cream, butter, Parmesan cheese, and aromatic seasonings. Paired with perfectly cooked penne pasta, this dish is ideal for a hands-off meal that yields six generous bowls of satisfying comfort food.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken & Seasonings
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce & Pasta
- 2 cups heavy cream (1 pint)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
- 16 ounces dry penne pasta (1 box)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: In a small bowl, mix ½ teaspoon kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and ground black pepper. Rub this seasoning blend evenly over the chicken breasts to infuse them with flavor.
- Sauté the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for about 2 minutes per side, browning the outside without cooking through to lock in juices.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Place the browned chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Pour in the heavy cream and add the unsalted butter. Sprinkle the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt over the mixture. Cover with the lid.
- Slow Cook the Chicken: Cook on high for 2 to 4 hours, or on low for 4 to 6 hours, allowing the chicken to become tender while the sauce thickens and flavors meld.
- Cook the Pasta: While the chicken cooks, boil the penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving at least 1½ cups of the pasta cooking water to adjust sauce consistency later.
- Prepare Chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred or slice them as preferred. Set aside.
- Incorporate Cheese and Garlic: If the cream sauce appears separated or clumpy, whisk it in the slow cooker to smooth it out. Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and minced garlic to enrich the sauce with creamy texture and aroma.
- Add Pasta: Add the cooked and drained penne into the slow cooker, folding it gently into the sauce to coat the pasta thoroughly.
- Return Chicken to Sauce: Add the shredded or sliced chicken back into the slow cooker and stir everything together to combine.
- Adjust Sauce Consistency: If the sauce seems too thick or dry, gradually stir in reserved pasta water, adding little by little until the desired creamy consistency is reached.
- Season to Taste: Taste the Chicken Alfredo and season with salt and pepper as needed to enhance the flavors before serving.
Notes
- For best results, avoid overcooking the chicken breasts in the skillet—just a quick sear to brown is enough before slow cooking.
- If your heavy cream separates during slow cooking, whisk thoroughly to bring the sauce back together.
- Reserve pasta water to help adjust the sauce consistency without thinning the flavor.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a more flavorful and smoother sauce.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 3 days and reheated gently with a splash of cream or milk to restore creaminess.
