Creamy, delicious crockpot chicken Alfredo is always my family’s favorite whenever we go out to an Italian restaurant. It is also one of the easiest slow cooker recipes you can make at home on those cold winter nights. You won’t believe how tender and juicy the chicken breasts taste after simmering in that famous creamy Alfredo sauce. Did I convince you enough to make this one-pot meal?!
This post may include affiliate links that earn us a small commission from your purchases at no extra cost to you.
This recipe is high on my list of comfort foods. Something about the combination of cream, pasta, garlic, butter, and Parmesan cheese is so satisfying! If you can sauté chicken and boil water, you are qualified to make an irresistibly good chicken alfredo that everyone in your family will love.
I also make this slow cooker chicken with no cream cheese in the alfredo sauce. I know you’ll love it!
Please remember alfredo sauce is thick, made of parmesan cheese and heavy cream. Due to this you can’t cook pasta along with shredded chicken in the slow cooker. If you want to have something you can just dump-n-go, checkout my Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup.
Chicken Alfredo In Slow Cooker
This is a great recipe for busy days. A few simple ingredients combined with heavy cream and parmesan help this dish come together.
Plus making this in the slow cooker feels perfect on those days when I want to finish cooking quickly without standing in the kitchen. All you need is to roast chicken for few minutes, dump it in slow cooker, cook pasta separately, shred the chicken and cook everything in the crockpot.
My family loves chicken alfredo, so I also make my fettuccine, Gnocchi Bake, and Pasta Bake regularly!
If you want to use store-bought sauce, see my Chicken Alfredo Recipe with Jar Sauce. You can also make chicken alfredo in instant pot as well.
Ingredients
- Chicken: I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. But boneless, skinless chicken thighs or tenders will also work.
- Seasoning & Spices: Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. add flavor to this Italian chicken pasta.
- Heavy Cream: I make this crockpot chicken alfredo without cream cheese and use heavy cream instead. Half n half, whole milk, 2%, or skim milk will also work but the consistency will be thinner.
- Pasta: I really love penne, but you could use any pasta you like, such as shells, fettuccine, spaghetti, or rigatoni.
- Parmesan cheese: Along with the heavy cream, the parmesan cheese prepares the base for the alfredo sauce.
What does alfredo mean?
Alfredo is the name of the inventor of the dish, Alfredo de Lelio. Alfredo has come to mean a pasta dish tossed with butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese.
Since it was first invented by Chef Alfredo, crockpot chicken alfredo has become a timeless restaurant classic that you can easily make at home, any time of year. It is always so good and satisfying, thanks to the simple but delicious ingredients and the slow cooker!
Believe it or not, I’ve even made sandwiches and alfredo pizza using my homemade alfredo sauce without heavy cream.
Can you cook pasta in a crockpot?
While you certainly can cook pasta in a crockpot, I find that it often turns out mushy due to the long cooking time. I recommend cooking the pasta separately and stirring it in at the end.
Variations
To take your crockpot chicken alfredo to the next level, try these variations:
- Add Greens: Add in some spinach or kale with the pasta and stir until wilted.
- Swap Pastas: Try a different shape of pasta, such as bowties or rigatoni.
- Swap Proteins: Try making salmon, shrimp, or meatball alfredo or sausage!
- Add Veggies: Add broccoli florets, peas, or carrots for a veggie boost.
- Add Pork: Add in chopped bacon or pancetta for an umami kick.
Tips For Success
- Cook your pasta separately to avoid mushy alfredo! I like to cook mine to al-dente and let it finish in the sauce.
- Don’t forget to save some of that pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed.
- To save time, you can use pre-cooked shredded or sliced chicken.
- If you need to thicken up your alfredo sauce, make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water and stir it into the sauce. Let it cook and thicken for 5-10 minutes.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover crockpot chicken alfredo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low, adding a splash of water if needed.
I don’t recommend freezing chicken alfredo.
Make ahead: Crockpot chicken alfredo can be made up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
While slow cooker chicken Alfredo needs little more than a fork to enjoy, if you want to serve the pasta with bread, why not make the best garlic knots ever?
Chicken alfredo is a complete meal in itself, but a few light salads like Chopped Salad or Green Goddess Salad or Caesar Salad or Spinach Salad or Creamy Cucumber Salad or Broccoli Salad or Asian Cucumber Salad or Cucumber Tomato Salad are perfect to go with it.
And if you want to stay in the Italian theme and serve this chicken alfredo on a weeknight dinner, pair it with appetizers like Toasted Ravioli , Baked Zucchini Fries, Fried Mozzarella Sticks bread like Focaccia and Garlic Cheese Bread Roll Ups and end with my Italian Cream Cake.
Crockpot Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 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
- 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 with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and ground pepper.1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Once heated, sauté the chicken breasts until browned but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
- Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Add in the heavy cream and butter, and sprinkle in the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low.2 cups heavy cream, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- While the chicken is cooking, cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Reserve at least 1½ cups of the pasta water.16 ounces dry penne pasta
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker to slice or shred.
- If the heavy cream appears a bit clumpy and separated, use a whisk to stir it up in the slow cooker. Stir in the grated Parmesan and minced garlic.½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the cooked and drained pasta.
- Finally add shredded chicken to the slow cooker and give everything a stir.
- If more liquid is needed, stir in the pasta water, little by little.
- Season the chicken alfredo with salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Becky’s Tips
- Try adding in some spinach or kale with the pasta and stir until wilted.
- Try a different shape of pasta, such as bowties or rigatoni.
- Try making salmon, shrimp, or meatball alfredo!
- Add broccoli florets, peas, or carrots for a veggie boost.
- Add in chopped bacon or pancetta for an umami kick.
- Cook your pasta separately to avoid mushy alfredo! I like to cook mine to al-dente and let it finish in the sauce.
- Don’t forget to save some of that pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed!
- To save time, you can use pre-cooked shredded or sliced chicken.
- If you need to thicken up your alfredo sauce, make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water and stir it into the sauce. Let it cook and thicken for 5-10 minutes.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Chicken Alfredo in Crockpot
Season the chicken: Place 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts over a board and pat the them dry. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
Saute the chicken breasts: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and saute the seasoned chicken breasts until browned but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
Cook in slow cooker with cream butter and salt: Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Add 2 cups of heavy cream and 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and sprinkle in the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low.
Prepare the penne pasta al dente: While the chicken is cooking, cook the 16 ounces of dry penne pasta to al dente according to package directions. Reserve at least 1½ cups of the pasta water.
Shred the chicken: Once chicken is cooked in slow cooker, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and slice or shred.
Add parmesan and garlic: Now that you have removed chicken from the heavy cream liquid, check If the heavy cream appears bit clumpy and separated. Use a whisk to stir it up.
Now stir in the ½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 2 cloves of minced garlic.
Add Pasta: Add the cooked and drained pasta.
Add shredded chicken: Finally add the shredded chicken and combine everything nicely.
Add pasta water: If the sauce is too thick, use the reserved water to get a perfect consistency.
Season with salt and pepper, and serve!