Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta: The Easiest Creamy Dinner Ever

Are you on the hunt for a weeknight meal that feels like a comforting embrace, yet demands next to no preparation? A dish that fills your home with the most wonderful aromas while you get on with your day? We completely understand the challenge—balancing work, family life, and an ever-growing to-do list, all while trying to put a wholesome, delicious dinner on the table. The solution, we’ve found, lies in the sheer brilliance of the slow cooker. This is why we are so thrilled to share our definitive Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta recipe. It is a genuine game-changer for busy households, creating a rich, creamy, and wonderfully satisfying pasta dish that practically cooks itself.

This recipe truly is the essence of comfort food. Succulent, tender chicken is gently slow-cooked until it’s perfectly juicy in a flavourful garlic and herb broth. Afterwards, we elevate that golden liquid into a velvety, luxurious sauce using cream cheese and tangy Parmesan. When tossed with your preferred pasta, it becomes a meal that tastes as if it’s from a charming Italian bistro, yet it all comes together in a single pot with minimal fuss. Let’s explore how this fantastic dish is set to become your new dinnertime favourite.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Effortless Preparation, Incredible Taste: This is the very definition of a “dump and go” meal. You simply put most of the ingredients into the crockpot and allow it to do all the hard work. The slow-cooking method draws out a remarkable depth of flavour from even the most basic of ingredients.
• Wonderfully Creamy & Hearty: The pairing of cream cheese and Parmesan results in a sumptuously smooth sauce that coats every single piece of pasta and chicken beautifully. It is pure comfort with every mouthful.
• A Guaranteed Family Favourite: The timeless flavours of garlic, Parmesan, and chicken are sure to be a success with grown-ups and children alike. It’s a nourishing meal that the entire family will request time and time again.
• Ideal for Hectic Schedules: Whether you’re working from home or are out and about, this is the perfect dish to return home to. It’s a genuine set and forget chicken pasta that removes the stress from evening mealtimes.
• Wallet-Friendly Ingredients: This recipe calls for everyday kitchen staples such as chicken breast, pasta, and cheese, making it an affordable meal that still feels wonderfully indulgent.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

One of the finest qualities of this recipe is its simplicity. We rely on straightforward, readily available ingredients to craft something truly special. Here is everything you will need to get started:

• Chicken Breasts: We use approximately 700g of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They become exceptionally tender and shred effortlessly after slow cooking.
• Chicken Broth: This forms the savoury foundation of our sauce. We suggest a good quality, low-sodium chicken broth to give you control over the salt levels.
• Garlic: The true star of our dish! For the best and most robust flavour, we recommend using 6-8 cloves of freshly minced garlic. This is not the time to be shy!
• Italian Seasoning: A convenient, ready-made blend of dried herbs such as oregano, basil, and thyme, which adds a lovely, fragrant dimension.
• Salt and Black Pepper: Essential for seasoning the chicken and enhancing all the other delicious flavours.
• Cream Cheese: This is our secret to achieving an incredibly creamy sauce. For the richest possible texture, use a full-fat block.
• Parmesan Cheese: To provide that distinct, sharp, and nutty cheese flavour. We highly recommend grating your own from a block, as it melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded varieties.
• Pasta: You will need about 450g of your favourite short pasta shape. Penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or farfalle (bow ties) all work beautifully, as they have plenty of surfaces to hold the sauce.
• Fresh Parsley: A little chopped fresh parsley brings a welcome burst of colour and freshness right at the end.

Step-by-Step Instructions: A Simple Guide

Creating this dish is remarkably straightforward. We’ve outlined the entire process in a few easy-to-follow stages. Simply follow these directions, and a perfect dinner will be ready and waiting for you.

1. The “Dump and Go” Beginning: Start by arranging the chicken breasts in the base of your slow cooker. Pour the chicken broth over them. Next, sprinkle over the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. This first step takes less than five minutes, making it the ultimate dump and go crockpot meal.
2. Let the Slow Cooker Do the Work: Put the lid on your crockpot and set it to cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. The chicken should be thoroughly cooked and wonderfully tender. For safety, you should always check that your chicken has reached an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F), as advised by the Food Standards Agency.
3. Shred the Chicken: Once it’s cooked, gently lift the chicken breasts out of the slow cooker and place them onto a chopping board. Using two forks, shred the meat; it should come apart with ease.
4. Create the Creamy Sauce: Now it’s time to transform the cooking liquid into a heavenly sauce. Add the cubed cream cheese and freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the slow cooker. Whisk everything together until the cheeses have completely melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
5. Cook the Pasta: As the sauce comes together, cook your pasta in a separate, large pot of salted boiling water, following the package instructions until it is al dente. Drain it well. We cook the pasta separately to guarantee it has the perfect texture and doesn’t turn mushy in the crockpot.
6. Combine and Serve: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and give it a good stir into the creamy sauce. Lastly, add the drained pasta and gently toss it all together until the pasta is evenly coated. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve straight away.

Expert Tips for the Perfect slow cooker chicken pasta

Although this recipe is quite simple, a few clever tricks can take it from merely great to absolutely sensational. Much like the methods we employ in our Creamy Garlic Pasta Recipe, paying attention to the details truly pays off.

• Use Freshly Grated Parmesan: We cannot emphasise this enough! Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking powders that stop it from melting properly. Grating your own from a wedge will guarantee a silky, lump-free sauce every single time.
• Resist Adding the Pasta Too Soon: Putting uncooked pasta directly into the slow cooker can often lead to a sticky, overcooked result. By cooking it on the side and adding it at the end, you ensure a perfect al dente finish.
• Full-Fat for Full Flavour: To achieve the creamiest, most decadent sauce, be sure to use full-fat block cream cheese. Lighter versions can sometimes yield a thinner, less satisfying sauce.
• Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Just before you serve, always have a taste of your sauce. You might find it needs an extra pinch of salt, a little more black pepper, or even another sprinkle of Parmesan to make it just right for you.

What to Serve with Your creamy slow cooker chicken

This Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is a substantial and complete meal in its own right, but a simple side dish can round everything out beautifully.

• Garlic Bread: A classic pairing for a very good reason! Use warm, crusty garlic bread to soak up every last drop of that delectable creamy sauce.
• A Simple Green Salad: A fresh salad tossed in a light vinaigrette offers a lovely, crisp counterpoint to the richness of the pasta. Think mixed greens with cherry tomatoes and slices of cucumber.
• Steamed or Roasted Vegetables: Simply steamed green beans, tenderstem broccoli, or roasted asparagus will add a wholesome and colourful element to your meal.

FAQ

The Ultimate Comfort Dinner Awaits

And there we have it—a simple, delectable, and entirely stress-free recipe for Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta. It’s a meal that demonstrates you don’t need to be in the kitchen for hours to produce something that is both comforting and impressive. It’s the ideal solution for those busy weeknights when you’re craving something special, much like our very popular Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe, but with the wonderfully hands-off convenience of a slow cooker.

We are confident that this creamy, cheesy, and flavour-filled pasta will secure a permanent place in your meal planning. It’s a true celebration of the power of simple ingredients and the sheer magic of a slow cooker. So, it’s time to get your crockpot out and prepare to enjoy a truly fantastic home-cooked meal.

Have you given this recipe a go? We would be delighted to hear from you! Please leave a comment and a rating below to share how it went. Your feedback is a great help to us and provides inspiration for other home cooks!

Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta: An Easy Comfort Meal

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

We’ve crafted this recipe to be the ultimate set-and-forget dinner, delivering a rich, creamy garlic parmesan sauce with tender shredded chicken, all with minimal effort.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2-6 hours
Total Time: Up to 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 700g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Low-sodium chicken broth
• 6-8 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 block (approx. 225g) full-fat cream cheese, cubed
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 450g short pasta (e.g., penne, rigatoni)
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Place chicken, broth, garlic, and seasonings in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours, until chicken is tender.
3. Remove and shred the chicken. Meanwhile, cook pasta separately according to package directions.
4. Whisk the cubed cream cheese and grated Parmesan into the liquid in the slow cooker until a smooth sauce forms.
5. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce, then add the drained pasta and toss gently to combine.
6. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 650 kcal
Protein: 45g
Carbs: 55g
Fat: 28g