This Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Penne has features of mac and cheese but with chicken added too! A great meal to come home to that the entire family will enjoy.
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How to make Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Penne:
I start by cooking 2 cans of cream of chicken soup, chicken breasts, chicken broth, dried tarragon and pepper for 6 hours on low.
Then I shred the chicken and add sour cream and cheese.
Then add the cooked penne pasta. I originally planned to make this with egg noodles, I bought an
I went back to the store and bought penne pasta and I am so glad that I did. The penne pasta has a great texture, perfect for this recipe.
Mix it up.
Top with more cheese.
Heaven on a plate! Plenty of sauce to coat all the noodles. I highly recommend this meal for an easy weeknight meal.
Would your family enjoy this pasta dinner? Mine really did! I hope you have a great weekend and I’ll be back next week with another recipe.
Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Penne
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker – 5 quart or larger
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 21 oz cream of chicken soup (two-10.5 oz cans) Don't add water
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. dried leaf tarragon can substitute oregano or thyme here
- 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 small sweet yellow onion diced
Add at the end
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1 lb. penne pasta cooked according to package directions on the stove-top
Instructions:
- Add the cream of chicken soup and chicken broth to the slow cooker, stir until smooth.
- Add the tarragon, pepper, mushrooms and onions, stir.
- Add the chicken breasts.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- After the cooking time is up, start cooking the pasta according to the package directions to Al dente on the stove-top, do not over cook!
- Shred the chicken with 2 forks.
- Add sour cream and half of the cheese, stir.
- Add the cooked and drained pasta and stir again.
- Sprinkle over remaining cheese. Cover the slow cooker and cook for an additional 20 minutes on low.
- Serve and enjoy!
If I cook this for 8 hours, will it burn? I have to go to work & cant turn it off after 6
I don’t think it will burn! Should be fine.
Buy a timer you can set & plug the crock pot into the timer so it will turn itself off.
How many cups is considered a serving? 1 cup?
Can use rotisserie chicken and just reduce cooking time? Would you also reduce other ingredients?
It was delicious! My family enjoyed it. I didnt add mushrooms but it was good without it. The chicken was tender and the flavor was good. I added italian seasoning and poultry seasoning and it gave it a good flavor. It’s def going in my recipes list. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
What if you only have a 4 qt crockpot? Should I cut the recipe in half?
I think you may have to get this to fit.
Can you use different cheeses? I am hoping to maybe try a mixture of Italian style cheeses instead. Would that still taste good?
Any ideas for reheating if you have lots of left overs and want to have for a second night dinner?
I microwave individually on each plate! Sorry I haven’t tried any other way.
How much water should I add if I’m going to make this with uncooked pasta
I don’t recommend uncooked pasta in the slow cooker, it tastes like chalk, though it can be done. I don’t know how much water.
Can you use egg noodles instead of penne pasta?
I have no chicken broth. I used veg. broth to make your cream of recipe and also veg. broth in the recipe itself. Smells so good! Will try to post whether it works out or not.
Great! I can’t wait to hear!
Could Velveeta cheese be used in place of shredded cheddar cheese?
I don’t see why not!
Season chicken before you place it in crockpot (finished product taste better). I have cooked this four times and didn’t season chicken the first time. Use cream of mushroom soup; no mushrooms or onions. My daughter and I love this recipe!!!!!
So excited to make this for my family tonight!!! Thinking of adding bacon to mine instead of mushrooms!! Thank you for sharing Sarah!
If I have a small crock pot should I cut the recipe half? Does everything remain the same?
I think so, and the time should stay the same too.
Sounds yummy. Was just wondering what to do with the half a kilo of chicken breasts I defrosted yesterday! Instead of canned soup can one make and use the powdered packet soup instead?
Hi Maheerah. We don’t have powdered soup packets here, I’m unsure how it would turn out.
It says 8 servings, how much is a serving?
It’s approximate. It will feed about 8 people, divide evenly.
I made this and doubled the ingredients( due to having grown men in my family) and I got 2 thumbs up from my hubby( chef wok-wok)
Thanks Sarah
I made this and added corn and also rotel, let it sit on warm over night. It’s super yummy!
Mine is super juicy like too much juice. Uggggh maybe I used too much chicken broth 🙁
What’s the caloric value?
Do you think cream cheese could be substituted for the sour cream?