Description
A comforting and creamy slow cooker pasta dish with tender shredded chicken, tomato sauce, and cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5–2 lb boneless chicken (breasts or thighs)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 small diced onion
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 12 oz cooked penne
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water (if using par-cooked penne)
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then sear in a hot skillet for 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker and add marinara sauce, chicken broth, diced onion, minced garlic, and dried oregano.
- Cook on low for 3 hours or high for 2 hours until the chicken reaches 165°F and shreds easily.
- Remove the chicken, shred it, and return it to the sauce.
- Stir in the cooked penne (or par-cooked penne with reserved pasta water) and cook on high for an additional 15–20 minutes until the pasta is tender.
- Finish with heavy cream and shredded mozzarella, stirring until melted and glossy.
Notes
For a creamy finish, add cheese at the end of cooking. Adjust cook time based on type of chicken used.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 195 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow-cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 to 1 1/4 cups per person
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 120mg