Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Slow Cooker
Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Slow Cooker is a comforting, hearty meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to keeping the pasta from getting mushy. The creamy, tangy sauce and tender chicken will make your family beg for this better-than-takeout dinner. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad Ready in 10 Minutes and Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Tortellini Dinner Recipe.
Why This Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Slow Cooker Is Pure Comfort
- The slow cooker does all the work for you
- Better than takeout, but made with real ingredients
- Creamy, tangy sauce with a hint of smoky flavor from the sun-dried tomatoes
- Perfect for meal prepping and leftovers
What You'll Need for Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Slow Cooker
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- pasta
- sun-dried tomatoes
- heavy cream
- chicken broth
- garlic
- onion
- parmesan cheese
- salt
- black pepper
- dried basil
- dried oregano
- red pepper flakes
- Optional: fresh parsley
- Optional: grated parmesan cheese
đź“ť Ingredient Notes
- chicken broth: You can use low-sodium chicken broth to reduce the sodium content.
- sun-dried tomatoes: I prefer to use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for extra flavor, but you can use dried sun-dried tomatoes if that's what you have on hand.
đź›’ Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Slow Cooker — Cooks food evenly and consistently, freeing up your stove for other tasks. → See on Amazon
- Immersion Blender — Makes it easy to blend the sauce right in the slow cooker, no need to transfer hot food to a blender. → See on Amazon
How to Make Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Slow Cooker
- Step 1: Place chicken breasts, uncooked pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, onion, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes in the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Step 2: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the pasta is tender.
- Step 3: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until it's smooth and creamy.
- Step 4: Serve the creamy chicken pasta hot, garnished with fresh parsley and additional grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Slow Cooker
- Common mistake and fix: The #1 reason this recipe fails is using too much liquid. This can make the pasta mushy and the sauce too thin. To prevent this, make sure to use the correct amount of chicken broth and don't add too much water when cooking the pasta. If the sauce is still too thin, you can thicken it by cooking it on the stovetop over medium heat until it reduces.
- Time-saving tip: You can prepare this dish ahead of time by combining all the ingredients in the slow cooker, except for the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it.
- Nutrition tip: To make this dish healthier, you can use low-fat milk instead of heavy cream and whole wheat pasta instead of regular pasta.
- Presentation tip: For a prettier presentation, you can plate the creamy chicken pasta in individual bowls and garnish it with fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese.
Storing & Reheating Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Slow Cooker
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make-ahead tip: You can make this dish ahead of time by preparing all the ingredients in the slow cooker and storing it in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it.
Freezing Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Slow Cooker
You can freeze the cooked creamy chicken pasta for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: To reheat in the oven, preheat to 350°F (175°C) and heat the pasta in a baking dish for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. Microwave: To reheat in the microwave, heat in 1-minute intervals until heated through, stirring in between.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For extra flavor, you can brown the chicken breasts in a pan before adding them to the slow cooker.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the chicken breasts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a more tender result.
- Make-ahead: You can prepare this dish ahead of time by combining all the ingredients in the slow cooker, except for the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it out by stirring in a little bit of chicken broth or milk.
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Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Slow Cooker
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- pasta
- sun-dried tomatoes
- heavy cream
- chicken broth
- garlic
- onion
- parmesan cheese
Seasonings
- salt
- black pepper
- dried basil
- dried oregano
- red pepper flakes
Optional Toppings
- fresh parsley
- grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Step 1: Place chicken breasts, uncooked pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, onion, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes in the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Step 2: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the pasta is tender.
- Step 3: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until it's smooth and creamy.
- Step 4: Serve the creamy chicken pasta hot, garnished with fresh parsley and additional grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Chef tip: For extra flavor, you can brown the chicken breasts in a pan before adding them to the slow cooker.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the chicken breasts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a more tender result.
- Make-ahead: You can prepare this dish ahead of time by combining all the ingredients in the slow cooker, except for the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it out by stirring in a little bit of chicken broth or milk.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze the cooked creamy chicken pasta for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Oven reheat: To reheat in the oven, preheat to 350°F (175°C) and heat the pasta in a baking dish for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.
- Microwave reheat: To reheat in the microwave, heat in 1-minute intervals until heated through, stirring in between.
- Make ahead: You can make this dish ahead of time by preparing all the ingredients in the slow cooker and storing it in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 650
- Protein: 45g
- Fat: 27g
- Carbs: 65g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Cholesterol: 130mg
- Sat. Fat: 16g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Slow Cooker FAQs
Yes, you can prepare this dish ahead of time by combining all the ingredients in the slow cooker, except for the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it.
The #1 reason this recipe fails is using too much liquid. This can make the pasta mushy and the sauce too thin. To prevent this, make sure to use the correct amount of chicken broth and don't add too much water when cooking the pasta. If the sauce is still too thin, you can thicken it by cooking it on the stovetop over medium heat until it reduces.
Yes, you can freeze the cooked creamy chicken pasta for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Yes, you can make this recipe in the Instant Pot by cooking on high pressure for 4-5 minutes, followed by a natural release.
The best way to reheat creamy chicken pasta is in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Slow Cooker and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
