Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta
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Save time/effort and make everyone’s FAVORITE Italian dish in your crockpot. You can also freeze half for another meal!
Is it me or is it way too hot to put the stove on? Because right now, it’s 96 degrees F and I’m not about to make my house any hotter than it already is.
Butters will begin to sweat in that sweater of his so instead, let’s make this crockpot chicken parmesan.
The chicken gets cooked low and slow for 4 hours, yielding the juiciest chicken of all. Plus, Butters gets to keep his cardigan sweater on so we all win.
Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 pound penne
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken into a 6-qt slow cooker.
- In a large bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, onion, basil, oregano, parsley and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir into the slow cooker and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours.
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred, using two forks.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
- Stir pasta and chicken into the slow cooker; top with cheeses. Cover and cook on low heat for an additional 10-20 minutes, or until the cheeses have melted.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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These recipes are great
Now this is the the sort of meal you look forward to coming home to. If there is any sort of category that it belongs under, I would nominate it as “wholesome”. All the ingredients are top notch, though my only real complaint is it might be one the bland side for some. In particular for me, being a massive spice fiend. That is from simply following the recipe, and with most meals that are more or less one pot you can tweak it a little here, add something extra there, and it still holds up.
This is one of the best dishes to make when you have a big lot of pasta – particularly penne or fussili – left in the fridge. Heck, cooking the pasta ahead of time is one of the best time-saving options. I did this a fair while ago for lunch after church, and it was a real winner. Fast forward to a late night working in the kitchen, half an hour of low-level stress later with shredding chicken, mixing the pasta, and adding the cheese, it is far better than awaiting UberEats.
If I ever have to cook for my many nieces and nephews, this meal may well be at the top of the list.
Super easy to make and delicious! Instead of using slow cooker I used instant pot pressure cooker
We loved this. I actually split the ingredients in half and put everything up to the pasta, cheese, and fresh parsley into the bags and froze it for a dump meal. I placed the frozen mass into the slower cooker on low for 3 1/2 hours and the chicken was so tender and easy to shred.
Thanks for the recipe!
Brilliant idea…thanks for sharing! ♥️
Very good and tasty. Just do the recipe and enjoy.
All negative reviews either can’t read or can’t cook.
This is a keeper recipe!
Can I use the plastic bags that you can put into a slow cooker so the clean up is easier? Thank you.
Can I add uncooked noodles, and maybe extra broth
Tasty and Delicious! And easy! I too added sugar to the sauce and it works! Used the bagged frozen chicken defrosted and the bagged shredded mozzarella. Will be making this again!
My17 year old son is so excited to help me make this just have a quick question with the crock pot cooking for 4 hours and 30 min would it be OK to put the pasta n te crock pot I normally put my pasta n the crock pot without cooking it first and it turns out so good
Love the simplicity of this recipe and its ingredients! It also allows for plenty of improve, which I appreciate. I actually used one 28oz can of crushed tomatoes and one 15oz can of diced tomatoes and the amount of sauce was perfect (this might address some of the concerns regarding blandness since less volume is used). I find canned tomatoes to be very acidic so I added 1/2-1tsp of baking soda after removing the chicken to help tame that (I also added 1tbsp of sugar because I like my sauce with a hint of sweetness). Some reviewers mentioned adding dry pasta for the last hour to make this a true “one pot” meal – to me this ruins the texture of the pasta and deprives you the opportunity to cook the pasta in salty water, so I would say the extra step is worth it (cook to al dente or just shy of to prevent over cooking when back in the crockpot). For the cheese, I actually mixed in the Parmesan and 1c of mozzarella to help thicken and add more saltiness to the sauce, and then used the remaining 1/2c for the top before adding some fresh parsley :). Such great comfort food!
Great camping meal.
I picked this recipe because it was done in a slow cooker. I prepared the first steps at home by cooking the chicken and the pasta. I mixed everything together and put it in a plastic bag. When we were going to eat the meal, I put it in the slow cooker again, added the cheeses on top and heated it on high for approximately 45 minutes. I did stir after 20 minutes to evenly distribute the heat. Two 13 year old grandchildren and my husband loved this meal.
The flavour was lovely but unfortunately the chicken was so dry and chewy. Would love any tips.
Try chicken thighs instead of breasts which have a tendency to dry out and get stringy. Thighs are more “forgiving” with longer cook times while breasts have more narrow temp range between when they are done or overcooked. I prefer breasts when I can check the temp frequently to avoid overcooking so I always use thighs for slow cooker recipes like these.
very easy to throw together and a quick slow cooker meal. I usually love onion in my meals but i wasn’t fond of it in this recipe. Otherwise very tasty. Thanks for sharing!
This looks amazing! What would you think about using sausage instead of chicken?
I think that would be a great alternative for this recipe!
I made this in December my family loved it now I’m making it again .. I love crockpot meals
OMG was this good! My picky teenage daughter even told me she liked it!
I modified a few things based on previous reviews. Added 1 packet of chopped up cream cheese, garlic, garlic salt & Italian seasoning to taste. Added the seasonings & tasted after each to get the desired flavor. Add a side of garlic toast to soak up the sauce & great meal to be had!!
my family LOVED IT! we didnt have fresh herbs, so i used all dried. the sauce, instead of just crushed tomatoes, i used tomato basil sauce. <3 will be making this often. it was so easy to prepare! thank you!!! 😀
I love this recipe. I’ve made this about 3 times now. Everyone loves it and it is great the next day for lunch. Easy to make and delicious can’t beat that. Thanks for this recipe.
This turned out AMAZING! Super easy and very good. My family loved it! I used one 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and one of chopped tomatoes (because that is what I had in the pantry) and it worked out just fine. I also added a couple of chopped garlic cloves and used fresh parsley (not dried) during the cooking. Will definitely have this on a regular basis!
I made this a few weeks ago and it was delicious!! One of my favorite meals! Making it again for some friends this weekend and I cannot wait !!! Thank you for posting this amazing recipe !
Just wondering if you mean 28 ounces of tomatoes or 2x 28 ounces of tomatoes (56oz)
Sorry the recipe has me confused
I am normally pretty ‘meh’ about slow cooker recipes, but all 3 of yours that I’ve tried have been fabulous! The thing I love about your recipes is that they’re great as is – no changes necessary. This one was no exception; my whole family loved it. Even my autistic son, who is extremely picky and scared to try any new food, said “Mmm, that’s really good!”. He’s 7 and this is literally the first time he’s eaten pasta so I can’t thank you enough for expanding his repertoire! I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Made this tonight and it turned out amazing! Ommited the onions and red pepper flakes and didn’t have basil, but I highly suggest using the Tuscan seasoned chicken found at Walmart or seasoning it similarly, it is amazing!
Delicious recipe! Super nice for beginning cookers and excellent for a working couple of 2 as far as taking left overs to work! Will make again.
Cooked this for dinner tonight. It turned out fabulous really tasty …. cant wait to have the rest for dinner tomorrow night
Super easy recipe to follow & looked exactly like the picture when finished
The only slight change i made was i added about 3 Tbsp of minced garlic(Can never have too much garlic LOL ) & i also added
3 Tsp of smoked paprika as well as the red pepper flakes gave it a bit of a smokey flavour
Was certainly not bland or watery by the time you shred the chicken & add the pasta & cheese for the last 20 mins it thickens up very nicely
Keep up the good work Chungah awesome recipe
This came out great. The sauce could be thicker but not a deal breaker. I’m not sure why no one seasoned the sauce before putting in the slow cooker. I put the spices along with salt and several cloves of fresh garlic i also tasted it so my dish was flavorful.
Declared I need your cookbook after making this! Love, love your recipes! ❤️
I made this for supper last night and everyone enjoyed it,
Then I was up late last night and I had some more of it
and it was just as good, if not a little bit better. Of course I’m prejudiced since I made it.
So happy you liked it!
Can I leave chicken Un-shredded?
Sure, but I recommend shredding for the best results possible.
This looks good and im trying to kake it for dinner tonight but the page isnt loading right? Ingredients and directions are missing. Help!
Easy peasy! Turned out perfect…The hockey players in my family devoured it…
So many wanting to change the recipe up and add all kinds of things to it! I’ve made this recipe four times now and now on my fifth. It has been a major, major hit each time! Don’t change a thing, just follow the recipe as is and guaranteed you will have a big hit on your hands!
I have chicken tenderloins, would I cut back cooking time?
Hi…..can I use fresh parsley instead of dried?
Of course!
Anyone do this with hamburger ?
Tried this recipe for first time last night. It is absolutely terrible. Both hubby and I thought it had way too much onion and too much sauce. It is also lacking in any sort of favor as well. It’s so bad, we decided to throw the rest of it away. I really don’t like wasting food either. I’m disappointed in the money and time I wasted with this recipe.
I’m just now reading your review and yours is seriously the only negative one on the entire site. Makes me wonder if maybe you did something wrong since everyone else seems to just love it.
I appreciate seeing the nutrition facts with your recipes. However, could you please set it up so that they are also included with the PRINT feature?
For me, it is nice to know the nutrition when I’m choosing a recipe to make.
Thank you.
Hi Chungah, This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try this. I do have a question. I have the chicken tenders (individual packs from Costco) approximately 6 or 7 in a pack. Could I use those in place of the 4- chicken breasts? Or maybe 2 packs? Thanks for any help you can give me. Have a wonderful day. 🙂
Joann, you can probably use about 2 pounds of chicken tenders but cooking time may have to be adjusted as needed. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for such a quick response. Can’t wait to make this now. 🙂
Can i use a chicken broth cube in this recipe for more flavor? And im also using pasta sauce x2
I’ve been making this recipe for 2 years now. I love how easy it is. I’m a stay at home mom of 2 children. 4 and 2 years old. One is in prek. I’m a full time student myself, psychology major. I have zero time to sit and cook for even an hour somedays. I also hate dishes. So this is great for my family. The only thing I do different is that I add pasta sauce from the jar. But I love how saucy it is. I’m making this for dinner tonight actually.
This is amazing!!! Followed directions exactly, added a half a diced green pepper. So good.
Made this yesterday. Added minced garlic and a couple medium heat peppers. Came out good and it’s even better today.
Garlic is always a great addition! 🙂
Why would you cook pasta separately – dirtying another pot? Cook chicken for 2 hours, then add the raw pasta for the last 2-3 hours of cooking in the slow cooker. Top with cheeses last 10-20 minutes until melted. Easy peasy. And no extra cleaning. But recipe sounds delicious and I plan on making it soon. Can never get enough slow cooker recipes. Especially when the meat doesn’t have to be cooked on the stovetop first!
You can of course make this however you like. This is simply how we did it.
i was looking for this exact comment! i found this recipe and hoped there was a way to avoid the stove since our oven/stove-top is currently out of commission and today is not a good grilling day. thank you Suellen!
Hi! I’m making this for tonight. My only question is would it be better to cook the pasta al dente before adding it and covering with the cheese for the last 20 minutes? I just don’t want the pasta to be overcooked….thanks!
Yes, that totally works if you prefer it that way!
For those of you reading reviews to figure out if this is good or not, it’s delicious and super easy! I did substitute the crushed tomatoes for marinara but that’s only because I generally hate tomatoes.
For Chungah,
I came across your website after googling “slow cooker recipes”. Your photos looked delicious and your instructions were concise and clear; you also didn’t have some long winded story about how you climbed a mountain and met up with an ancient aunt who taught you this authentic Italian recipe from her old village. In other words, you were all about the food. Your videos are great–help a ton.
I’m pretty ignorant when it comes to cooking. I love eating but I hate cooking… so the easier the better. I made this the same night I read the recipe. I actually picked up all of the items, mixed it up in a bowl with the chicken and left the bowl in the fridge overnight. The chicken marinated overnight. I’m not sure if this added to the flavor but it definitely didn’t hurt. Husband threw in the bowl with chicken, spices, and sauce in the slow cooker the following day. I got home from work and started up the pasta. Super quick, simple, and easy. This recipe is beyond easy and absolutely delicious.
This is the only recipe I’ve used so far but I’ve come across some others that I would like to try. As someone that hates cooking and does it because I don’t want to die of starvation, thank you!
I feel like I missed a step or didn’t put enough of one of the ingredients. Is there anything to add flavor overall? I just made this for the first time and it looks so darn good, but I have no flavor to it. Any tips or recommendations? I’m just not getting that “mmmm so delicious” feeling after taking a bite.
You can increase the amount of herbs/spices, to taste. Hope that helps!
Can I cook on high for 2 hours5
I made the meet in a 4 quart slow cooker and cooked the pasta separetly. When it was cooked I placed everything in a baking dish, put mozarella on top and put in the oven for 10 minutes. It was delicious.
Hi!
I only have a 3 quart crockpot, so can I just cut the recipe in half?
Thanks!
Yes, absolutely.
Is water needed to cook the chicken with the ingredients? Or is chicken cooked on its own?
No, water is not needed.
So, I also noticed the sauce being a tad watery BUT, I was able to thicken it up a little more to my taste by adding about a half cup of mozzarella before adding the pasta. Thanks for this recipe!
You are my go to Blog! Great recipes and always a hit. Making this for company Friday night. Thank you.
Your thoughts on the Instantpot? I just bought one. So far I’m liking it. Would like some of your creative ideas! Thank you!
This sounds amazing! I love that it’s in the crockpot. My husband is a chicken parmesan fanatic, so I’ll have to make this for him soon. Thanks!
Would it be ok to put leftovers in the fridge and simply reheat them in the microwave when ready to eat?
Yes, of course! We had this for days.
I made this recipe and I have to say that it turned out amazing!!! Thanks Chungah for all of your recipes that make my life easier in the kitchen. I did use 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. I find those cook better for a longer period of time. I cooked on low for 6 hours and it came out perfect! Thanks!
hi! what if I don’t have a slow cooker? Can you advise how I would do the same recipe in the oven?
If I doubled this recipe could I double the cooking time?
I would definitely add a fair amount of sugar and two cans of Hunt’s tomato paste as well as some fresh garlic in the mix. I also seasoned the chicken with some adobo and Fresh garlic as well as the recommended salt and seasoning for some more flavor. I would also stick to the recommended 1 box of pasta; more than that it’s not as saucy as I would prefer it! Great recipe!!
Hello, This really looks good. I’m new to slow cooking, I just purchased a 7qt crockpot, I can only choose 4 – 6 hr high cook or 8 – 10 hr low cook. Would setting it on 8 hr low and putting on a timer be the only way to cook recipes that call for 4hr cooking on low, which means I wouldn’t be able to leave. Maybe I need to buy a different one that I can set at 4 hr, opinion please.
Hi, just wanted to comment that I have the same crock pot options and I went ahead and set it to the 4 hour high option not sure how it would turn out and it turned out great. My family loved it. So I can’t guarantee it will be the same for you, but just wanted to let you know I was facing the same dilemma and it turned out good.
The recipe calls for 1 pound of penne… Is that the dry weight before cooking? Thanks!
Dry weight.
Thank you for the quick reply!
Made this tonight and my hubby loved it! I thought it was kinda on the bland side, any ideas how to make it more flavorful?
You can add more of the seasoning, to taste. Hope that helps!
I am planning on making this tomorrow night. I read on one of the comments that they used frozen chicken breasts and I thought it said “as suggested” but in the ingredients it doesn’t say frozen. I’m confused. Is it supposed to be frozen or thawed before putting in crockpot?
I recommend using thawed chicken.
Can you use regular pasta sauce vs the diced tomatoes?
Yes, for sure.
I found this recipe to be very bland. I followed the recipe, but not a lot of flavor. Any helpful hints?
Oh no – what a bummer! You can always increase the seasonings, to taste, to suit your tastebuds a little bit better. Hope that helps!
I’m with u! Disappointing bland and tasteless! When my daughter was eating it she said “u don’t have to bother making this again mom” and I totally agree! Shame to throw out a slow cooker full of chicken, cheese and pasta 🙁
Hey
I made this dish and my chicken is very very very chewy. Why is that what did I do wrong ?
Oh no – I hate it when that happens! It sounds like the chicken has been overcooked. How long did you cook it for?
Can you cook this on high for shorter cook time?
Yes, absolutely.
Ymm, yum, yum. My boyfriend and I both loved this crockpot recipe
I made this once and it was amazing!!! Can you use frozen chicken breasts?
Yes, but I recommend thawing completely before adding to the slow cooker.
This was go was so delicious and easy. Made it up night before and set in crock pot before church. Was ready when we got home minus boiling noodles. I used GF noodles, (which I really don’t like but am resigned to) and I loved it. Tomato sauce and cheese have an great way of disguising stuff. Quietest meal at my table in a long time. All 3 munchkins at my without complaint.
Delicious! I’m new to slow cooking so I was praying this came out good! I cut the recipe in half (only 2 of us at home) and had enough for 2 dinners, 2 lunches, and still enough left for 2 more meals! I also added some fresh garlic for flavor because I love garlic. My chicken was fully cooked at 3.5 hours (maybe because I had only 2 pieces).
I’m not one to eat leftover pasta because it’s always dry, but this heated up very well in the microwave (just as good as fresh from the pot, actually).
It was delicious! I added 1tsp minced garlic and diced zucchini
Can you put the rest in the freezer for another meal?
This was amazing!!! I might add some mushrooms next time but that’s personal preference and a love affair I have with mushrooms! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Im using this receipe to make chicken parm sliders. Smells good so far!
What a genius idea!
I cubed the chicken instead of putting the whole breasts in the pot, after that had cooked through I put my tomatoes in with the oregano and onion powder BC my family does not do raw onions (weirdos) I know. Let that simmer while I cooked the noodles and put those in once they were done. Came out great. I’ll be making again.
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I used garlic salt instead of Kosher salt and added a bit of fresh garlic to the sauce as well as sugar. Once it was done I toasted Italian seasoned breadcrumbs and sprinkled on top. It was delish! Thanks so much for this recipe!!
I just finished and this is delicious! I added stewed tomatoes and cut back a little on the ground tomato. I added freshly chopped garlic and a small amount of mushrooms. Yummy!
How well would this work with diced tomatoes and spaghetti sauce? I don’t have any crushed tomatoes on hand.
Sounds like it could work! 🙂
If I wanted to make it at night and eat it the next day, would you recommend holding off on the cheese no baking it like Ziti the next day or put all ingredients together and store it in fridge overnight?
Either option should work.
I hardly ever comment on recipes, but I made this today and it is SO good. I mean it’s so good I am already looking forward to eating leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for such a yummy slow cooker recipe!
Is it possible to cook this in high for two hours and get tasty results?
It may need about 2-3 hours but as always, please use your best judgment.
can I double this?
Yes, but I only recommend doubling if you have a large enough slow cooker.
Not very impressed. Followed instructions to the T and it came out bland. I think if you add more of what it calls for it would be good.
Made this today following directions…(I did use frozen chicken breasts like I do with all the crock pot recipes) but after 4 hours on low, chicken was still raw in the middle. I would suggest if using frozen breasts to cook on high.
I just made this and love it. Only complaint is that that pasta is way too cooked (mushy), so I am wondering what can be done to prevent that. I was thinking to cook pasta in the crock pot as I have a recipe that does that, but it does require extra liquid. Maybe not cook the pasta the entire time before adding to the crock pot…
Yummy
Making this tonight. I think my slow cooker is larger than yours. Hopefully that doesn’t mess with the recipe too much.
I’m eating this as I write! It was a hit. I didn’t have 2 cans of crushed tomatoes. So, I used one can, one 16 ounce jar of salsa, and one 15 ounce can of tomato sauce. I didn’t have penne on hand either. So, I used shells instead.
I also added a few ounces of cream cheese.
It’s pretty delicious! Thank you!
How much marinara would you use as a substitute?
About 7 cups.
My sauce was too runny, any suggestions?
You can add additional tomato/marinara sauce until the desired consistency is reached.
All I keep seeing is a crockpot commercial. Tried 6 times!!! After ad it goes black!
I dont have crushed tomato, Can I use tomato sauce?
Yes!
Watch out for cheap chicken breasts! There is so much water injected into them that your sauce gets too watery 🙁
I followed the recipe, but mine ended up pretty watery. Also, the onion wasn’t quite cooked all the way. Is there anything you recommend to make the sauce thicker? Other than that, it was great. Thank you!
You can try to add additional crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce. Hope that helps!
I wasted 4 beautiful chicken breasts. I followed this recipe exactly. 2 cans made it too tomatoey. It was bland even with all the spices. I added extra salt too after mixing it all together. Very disappointing. My family couldn’t wait to dig in and just ate some chicken and the pasta being so drenched in the sauce, they wouldn’t touch it. I’m surprised no oil was in the recipe to bring out more flavour.
You can substitute the sauce for your favorite spaghetti sauce. I did and used about half of what the recipe called for because I knew the chicken would produce it’s own juice and create more sauce. It came out perfect. It’s really just a matter of taste as far as the sauce. Some people prefer a simple fresh tomato spaghetti sauce with minimal spices as indicated in the recipe.
Also, you can get a really good aged parm cheese,or a moz cheese with garlic and spices. That adds a lot of flavor. And use one can of tomatoes and one marinara sauce. That should give it more flavor!
What is the serving size?
About 1-2 cups.
hello,
First, thank you for your recipes. I have made quite a few and they are all good. I enjoy the look of the website and the photos. Your ingredients are mostly what I already have on hand so I don’t need specialty shops (awesome!) and my picky 6 year old isnt giving me any trouble!!
I enjoyed this recipe. It reminds me a lot of something in the Greek cuisine that uses orzo instead of penne and a touch of cinnamon (which I added and liked the result).
I also like that it makes a huge pot so we have enough to feed the four of us plus lunches! (double awesome!!)
Thanks so much!
Can I put it on low for 6 hours? My timing with work is crazy !
Yes, that could work!
My family didn’t like it….it was very bland and we were very disappointed. It looks better than it tastes.
Just made this for my family and I must say this recipe is amazing. Easy to make and tastes really good, especially for my picky eaters! I did cut the chicken up prior to cooking it which made it easier for me. I am going to put this recipe in my arsenal for later use. Thanks a bunch!
My crock pot is 4.5Qt how do you recommend altering the ingredients needed?
The ingredients may have to be reduced as needed to fit a smaller slow cooker.
Do I cook the chicken with the sauce or cook the chicken first and add the sauce later ? I’m alittle confused when it says add all ingredients…
The chicken is cooked with the crushed tomato mixture.
This looks great! If I cut the recipe in half (2 chicken breasts, 1 28 oz can tom., etc.), do I adjust the time? If so, how long and what temp to cook on? I am new to slow cookers and crock pots, so I am not clear on timing. Thanks!
Yes, cooking time will have to be reduced accordingly but unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise on specific cooking time. As always, please use your best judgment.
Can I do this in a 4qt slow cooker?
Yes, absolutely. But you may need to reduce the ingredients as needed.
Hello!,
I’m planning on making this for my gf this weekend. The only problem is that i have a 7 qt crock pot that isn’t round like yours. Will it still work?
Thanks!
Yes!
Made this tonight and it came out amazing! sooooo tasty! my gf loved it, I even dropped some off for my grandmother. Thanks for making our night Chungah!
Can I replace the crushed tomatoes with just a regular pasta sauce?
Yes.
After combining the ingredients for the sauce and cooking for 4 hours, I noticed that I do not have a pasty sauce but just crushed tomatoes. Is this accurate?
Yes, it will thicken as it sits.
Does it thicken at any point? I just added the pasta and boy is my crockpot nearly overflowing. The sauce seems a bit watery right now though.
Yes, it does!
Could you use bone in chicken, and if so, what would the cooking time be?
Yes, bone-in chicken can be substituted, but without further recipe testing, I cannot advise specific cooking times. As always, please use your best judgment.
Do you add water or broth to the chicken while it’s cooking?
No, there’s no need to! 🙂
Can I cut the chicken breast into bite sized pieces before adding to the crock pot?
Yes, if that is what you prefer.
This was delicious. I didn’t have crushed tomatoes so I used marinara sauce. I prepped the sauce and chicken over the weekend and had my husband throw it in the slow cooker 4 hours before I got home, boiled the pasta and dinner was ready in minutes. Thanks for the great recipe.
Just made this last night and it turned out pretty darn good! That said, it did end up a little “watery”. Any tips to thicken it/reduce the extra water?
A little bit of cornstarch (mixed with water) should do the trick! 🙂
Help…….I’m at the store and they have crushed tomatoes in puree or diced tomatoes, not sure which to get, also if I just buy jarred sauce do I still need to add oregano, Parsley, basil, etc??? Making tonight!!!!
I recommend using crushed tomatoes in puree. You can add the desired herbs to taste – it’s up to you and your taste preferences.
Could I use a cut up chicken fryer?
Is it 4 hours on low or 4 hours on high?
Julie, please refer to step #2:
Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours.
Synoym of EXQUISITE! Love it Chungah! thx for sharing. Pasta offers such a variety of options when trying to vary and cook different meals. My kids are thankful for that! Barilla Restaurants among others have started publishing easy and tasty recipes as well for amateurs like me, highly recommended!
4 hours on low? Everywhere else I see says 4 to 6 on on HIGH and 6 to 8 on low?? Just wanna check
Yes, the recipe is correct as written. Thanks for checking!
For me it was four on high. We tried on low and had to up it to high for two hours. The second time was in high for four hours.
How many will this feed? Large family!
This recipe yields 8 servings.
This was seriously the best thing to come out of my crockpot in a looooooong time. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
For the crushed tomatoes – do you use 2-28oz cans or 2-14oz cans totaling 28oz? Thanks!
2×28 ounce cans.
How much chicken would you say you used? The breasts I buy tend to be around 1lb each, which is above average. I’m guessing 1-1/2 to 2lbs is probably about equal to 4 normal sized breasts?
Sounds amazing, by the way! I’m thinking of adding some spinach and maybe chopped broccoli when I make this.
Yes, about 2 pounds. The additions of spinach and broccoli sound amazing – it’s the perfect way to sneak in some greens!
Can gluten free penn be used? I assuming it would cook differently.
I made this for dinner today and it was SO easy and really good, plus there were a ton of leftovers for the rest of the week!
A couple things I noticed:
-my chicken was cooked thoroughly after only 2 hours (and they were big breasts, too! Har har), so if anyone is on a smaller time constraint, this dish could still work. I just switched my setting from ‘low’ to ‘warm’ for the remaining two hours so it would still be piping hot when my husband came home from work.
-During the last 30 minutes I stirred in a bag of sliced mushrooms, an entire sliced zucchini, and half a bag of de-stemmed spinach, since I had ’em lying around and I’m trying to eat more veg. Worked super well!
-I also threw in some garlic, because obviously.
So good, super cheap (!!) and really customizable to whatever you’ve got on hand.
Can we use a jar of sauce or will it not taste as good ? I know my young daughters prefer that taste
Yes, you can use store-bought sauce. Sometimes we need those shortcuts!
Hey Chungah, I love your recipes! Your shrimp carbonara is my 6 year old’s FAVORITE meal–and he gets to help cook it!
My question: With freezing half, would you freeze just the chicken/sauce, or with the pasta as well? And how would you reccommend reheating it?
I have never really frozen meals, but I was recently moved to night shift (630pm – 630am) so on the days I work, I’m hoping my husband can use the frozen homemade meals. (I discovered that last week was 4 nights of pizza, hot pockets, and sandwiches)
You can freeze the pasta as well as the chicken and sauce. You can reheat in the oven as needed until heated through. Hope that helps!
Can we use a jarred sauce if we are lazy
Yes, absolutely. No judgment here. 🙂
Do you like your slow cooker? Is that the All Clad 4qt or 6qt? Do they make a round one in the 6qt size?
Yes, I absolutely LOVE the All-Clad slow cookers! I don’t think they have a round one in the 6-qt size though. Bummer, I know.
This turned out pretty darn delicious. Fairly easy to prep and totally rewarding when I got home from work.
Looks so good! I would love to try this on a weeknight, but it would end up being more like 8-10 hours of cook time because of my work schedule. Would it mess up the recipe if it cooked for longer than 4 hours?
That might be a bit too long – does your slow cooker have an auto WARM function?
No, it doesn’t. But it may be time to invest in one that does! : )
Until you splurge on a new slow cooker why not try using a timer?
So, if you left it on the warm function for the rest of the time after the 4 hours on low you think that would be ok? I have the same issue as Ashley but I do have a warm function on my slow cooker
Yes!
Sorry. I have to comment on the sweater thing for your dog. If it is so hot that you don’t want a sweater on, don’t put one on your dog. It is your job to take care of him,he is completely reliant on you. Love your site and recipes.
I believe she was just making a joke. No need to call animal cruelty officers or anything. LOL
I think she was joking, too. Much the same at my house when I tell my Maltese to get a job and cook!
But you are so thoughtful and caring, to recognize that animals require good care, love and some compassion when you wrote. I’ve been a PETA member for many years, and the things we see are horrifying. It makes me so happy to see a good thing about animals, and gives me hope for society…
Hi Chungah,
As always, fast, simple, deliciously savory!
How many ounces of pasta sauce are being created with the ingredients? Two 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes; then the onion and parsley. That’s close to four 16 jars? Or is my “kitchen calculator” is failing me?
Thank you
Yes, that sounds about right! 🙂
Can you use any pasta you have on hand?
Yes, absolutely.
Okay this is probably the best thing I’ve seen this week…
This recipe looks absolutely wonderful. It’s also so easy. I can’t wait to try it on my family! Thanks for all your recipes.
Would it work the same if you were to cut up the raw chicken (so you don’t have to bother with shredding) and throw it, the rest of the ingredients and the uncooked pasta all in the slow cooker at one time and just let it cook? Would it cook the pasta properly? Would it need more time? Would you need to add water? I’m a beginner so any info is appreciated! 🙂
Yes, that should work just fine. You should not need additional time but as always, please use your best judgment for substitutions and modifications.
I absolutely LOVE your recipes! They are easy to follow, and don’t require a bunch of expensive ingredients! I am wondering if you could use whole tomatos (i happen to love the San Marzan whole peeled tomatoes with basil, in the can). Also, does it not taste bitter since there is no sugar added at all? I’m just curious about that before I make it. Thanks! 🙂 Btw, my son loves your teriyaki sauce on salmon!
Yes, whole tomatoes will definitely work! You can also add sugar, to taste, to suit your preferences a little bit better.
Trying your recipe tonight, so far it smells Devine! I did add a few things to it. Chopped up some garlic cloves, sugar to cut acidity, tomatoes for texture and some red wine- just cause I got to. Can not wait to try it!
That sounds AMAZING! Let me know how it turns out!
How much sugar
Making this as we speak. For the tomatoes all I had were 3 cans 14oz diced tomatoes and a 15 oz can of tomato sauce. Will be posting results on my blog, this Saturday 3/9/19
Why not cut the chicken into bite size pieces vs. shredding? Why not include veggies?
You can do all of the above!
Prefer rotini to penne (personal ) Would add broccoli, zucchini and mini carrots for colour and crunch. If there are leftovers, additional vegetables can be cooked in the microwave in minutes. Top with additional cheese, a gentle stir and voila. Finely chopped parsley and shredded carrots would add a finishing flash.
She’s trying to make it easier by cooking the chicken in the crockpot so it can shred easier instead of taking the extra time to dice it yourself. And her receipe sounds delicious. Carrots and broccoli with tomato sauce? Doesn’t sound appetizing. Personally.
I shred carrots and zucchini into my tomato sauce all the time. It’s my sneaky way to get in more veggies. And I’ll be honest, I’ll eat broccoli in anything. It’s actually really good in tomato sauce!
This looks amazingly good. I’ve been looking for a recipe to replace lasagne. I plan to accompany it with your delicious Cheesy Garlic Bombs. Thank you!
That sounds like an amazing combination! Can I come over for dinner? 🙂
Looks great and I love seeing the nutritional info again for your recipes! Thanks?
Gonna try! Do you think the UNCOOKED pasta could go into the crock and cook with (or after) the chicken in the sauce is done?
I recommend cooking with the chicken to ensure that the pasta is completely cooked through.
Can I cook this on the stove?
Yes, of course, but you would have to adjust the recipe as needed.
don’t put uncooked pasta in a crockpot. It will turn out completely mushy after cooking for 4 hours. Better to let the sauce in crockpot simmer and then cook noodles separately to add to pot.
No definitely not…it would require added liquid but will still be mushy cooking it that long. Do what the recipe shows…just cook it on its own and add it in at the end…
Yeah I’m sure you could add it in the last 10 minutes or so of cooking. I use another recipe that has you add the pasta
waoo its amazing … thanks for help me in my kitchen
YUM YUM YUM. That cheese though!!! 🙂 So delicious. Can’t wait to try it!!