Description
A comforting and hearty Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta that combines tender chicken cooked in a flavorful tomato sauce with perfectly cooked penne pasta, topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. This easy-to-make, hands-off recipe is perfect for busy weeknights and serves a crowd with rich Italian-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Pasta and Cheese
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Season the boneless skinless chicken breasts evenly with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Place the chicken into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Make the tomato sauce: In a large bowl, combine the crushed tomatoes, diced onion, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir well to combine all ingredients into a cohesive sauce.
- Add sauce to slow cooker: Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Toss gently to ensure the chicken is coated evenly with the sauce.
- Slow cook the chicken: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low heat for 4 hours, allowing the chicken to become tender and absorb the flavors of the sauce.
- Shred the chicken: After 4 hours, carefully remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred them using two forks until finely pulled apart.
- Cook the pasta: In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta well and set aside.
- Combine chicken and pasta: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and add the cooked penne pasta. Stir thoroughly to combine the pasta with the chicken and sauce mixture.
- Add cheeses and melt: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top of the pasta and chicken mixture. Cover the slow cooker again and cook on low for an additional 10-20 minutes until the cheeses melt completely and begin to bubble.
- Serve and garnish: Serve the chicken Parmesan pasta immediately, garnished with fresh chopped parsley for a burst of color and freshness.
Notes
- If preferred, substitute penne pasta with rigatoni or rotini depending on your texture preference.
- For a spicier dish, increase the red pepper flakes or add a dash of hot sauce to the tomato mixture.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella cheese to prevent excess water in the slow cooker when melting the cheese.
- The shredded chicken can be prepared ahead of time and added at step 7 for quicker assembly.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently in a microwave or stovetop.
