Description
Creamy Italian-style slow cooker chicken pasta delivers comfort in every savory bite. Rich flavors blend perfectly, offering home cooks an effortless meal that promises delicious results with minimal kitchen effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Seasonings:
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 8 ounces (226 grams) penne pasta
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Carefully coat chicken breasts with a blend of aromatic seasonings, ensuring even coverage for maximum flavor infusion.
- Gently nestle seasoned chicken into the slow cooker and bathe with rich, savory broth to promote tender, succulent meat.
- Allow chicken to slowly simmer and develop deep, complex flavors, maintaining low heat for approximately 4 hours or high heat for 2 hours.
- Once chicken reaches optimal tenderness, introduce velvety cream cheese and tangy sundried tomatoes, stirring methodically to create a luxurious, creamy base.
- Extract chicken from the liquid and delicately shred using two forks, maintaining its delicate texture and moisture.
- Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker, creating a harmonious blend of proteins and sauce.
- Incorporate uncooked penne pasta and fresh, vibrant spinach approximately 30 minutes before completion, allowing ingredients to meld and pasta to absorb surrounding flavors.
- Continue cooking until pasta reaches perfect al dente consistency, ensuring a satisfying texture throughout the dish.
- Transfer the creamy, aromatic pasta to serving dishes and crown with a generous sprinkle of aged Parmesan cheese for a final touch of richness.
Notes
- Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts for even cooking and easy shredding in the slow cooker.
- Opt for low-sodium chicken broth to control salt levels and prevent an overly salty dish.
- For a lighter version, substitute cream cheese with Greek yogurt or low-fat cream cheese to reduce calories.
- Consider gluten-free penne pasta to make the recipe suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg