Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo

Julie says she has been making this crock pot chicken alfredo on those nights when she wants something creamy and comforting but doesn’t want to stand at the stove. It’s a slow cooker version of classic chicken alfredo made with chicken breasts, cream, broth, butter, and cream cheese, and it comes together in about 4 to 5 hours with barely any hands-on time. It’s rich, cozy, and one of those dinners that always disappears fast, especially when you’ve got hungry people waiting. From breadboozebacon.com.

Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo


Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound) thawed
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (without problem ingredients)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces
8 ounces cream cheese cut into pieces (softened)
½ teaspoon salt (if tolerated)
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoons black pepper (if tolerated)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound rigatoni (see notes)
4 ounces Parmesan cheese shredded, plus more for garnish (if tolerated)
fresh parsley finely chopped, for garnish


Directions:

1. To your 6 quart slow cooker, add 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.

2. Cover and cook for 4-5 hours on LOW or the cream will curdle.

3. When there are 20 minutes left in the cooking time for the chicken, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add 1 pound rigatoni, and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Drain the water with a colander. Set aside.

4. Use tongs to remove the chicken from the crock pot and shred it using two forks. Wisk the sauce before adding the chicken and pasta. Return the chicken to the alfredo sauce along with the pasta and 4 ounces Parmesan cheese. Mix to combine.

5. Serve warm. Top with fresh parsley and extra parmesan cheese if desired.


NOTES:
For best texture, cook the pasta separately until al dente, then stir it in at the end. Slow cookers vary, and pasta can turn mushy if cooked directly in the sauce.

How do I know when the chicken is done? Use an instant-read thermometer. You’re looking for 165°F internally. It should also shred easily with a fork.

Add veggies if you want – Broccoli is an easy win. Add florets to the slow cooker 30 minutes before the end on HIGH or 1 hour before on LOW. Spinach and sun-dried tomatoes (if tolerated) can be stirred in raw at the end – the heat from the sauce takes care of them. Sliced mushrooms can go in at the beginning with the chicken, or sauté them first and stir them in at the end if you want more texture.

Can I make this ahead of time? Yes. You can cook the chicken and sauce ahead, store it in the fridge, and then reheat and add freshly cooked pasta when you’re ready to serve.

If the sauce is too thin, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and stir it in. Let it warm for a few minutes to thicken. If it’s too thick, add a splash of chicken broth or cream.

Store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days in refrigerator.

To freeze, store the chicken and sauce only – skip the pasta. Can freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat and add freshly cooked pasta before serving.

To reheat, warm on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of cream or milk to loosen the sauce. Avoid reheating in the slow cooker. It takes too long to bring refrigerated food back up to a safe temperature.