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The Magical Slow Cooker » Recipes » Chicken » Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Penne

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Penne

by Sarah Olson on June 23, 2017 | Updated December 28, 2021 261 Comments

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collage of cheesy chicken penne photos for pinterest

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.

cooked penne pasta in a slow cooker with a wooden spoon in it.

I was on Pinterest and saw this Chicken-Macaroni Casserole recipe and knew I could make something just as good in my slow cooker. I didn’t realize I was going to make the easiest most delicious and kid-friendly pasta ever! I made this recipe again a week later for a girl scout pot luck and there wasn’t any left!

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.

3 chicken breasts in a slow cooker cooked in a cream sauce.

Then I shred the chicken and add sour cream and cheese.

cream sauce, sour cream and cheese in a slow cooker.

Then add the cooked penne pasta. I originally planned to make this with egg noodles, I bought an off brand and those fell to bits right before I was going to add to the chicken and sauce.

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.

penne pasta cooked and creamy sauce in a slow cooker.

Mix it up.

cream of chicken soup in a creamy sauce with penne pasta.

Top with more cheese.

close up of chicken penne pasta.

Heaven on a plate! Plenty of sauce to coat all the noodles. I highly recommend this meal for an easy weeknight meal.

penne pasta cooked with cheese on top in a slow cooker.

More pasta recipes to try next time:

  • Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Fettucine
  • Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
  • Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken Mozzarella
  • Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Tetrazzini
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta
  • Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce (add your favorite pasta shape!)

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.

Want to make more magic in your crockpot? Stay up to date and subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tik Tok, and YouTube.

Penne pasta in cream sauce with cheese on top.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Penne

4.88 from 107 votes
Family friendly and perfect for a busy weeknight, this hearty Cheesy Chicken Penne will be a crowd pleaser.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 563kcal
Author: Sarah Olson

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
US Customary – Metric

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!
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How to Video:

Recipe Notes:

If you have extra picky eaters and want to omit the mushrooms and onions add an additional 1/2 cup of broth. This will replace the moisture from the mushrooms and onions.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 563kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 881mg | Potassium: 673mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 636IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 274mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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    709656 shares
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    Filed Under: Chicken, Dinner

    Comments

    1. Angie says

      September 27, 2021 at 10:47 am

      5 stars
      Wanting to make this tonight. Can I use macaroni instead of penne? I don’t have penne. This sounds delicious!

      Reply
      • Angie says

        September 27, 2021 at 10:49 am

        Ohhhh…if I can use macaroni, how much should I use? Thank you.

        Reply
        • Sarah Olson says

          September 27, 2021 at 1:41 pm

          1 pound. You can use any pasta!

      • Sarah Olson says

        September 27, 2021 at 1:42 pm

        Yes! One pound.

        Reply
    2. Angie says

      August 14, 2021 at 2:03 pm

      5 stars
      Deeeelicous!!!! Making it for the 2nd time for after church tomorrow. Excellent recipe.

      Reply
    3. Sheryl Olmsted says

      July 27, 2021 at 11:42 am

      I like the large amount; but, could it be frozen in pint containers for meal in the future?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        July 28, 2021 at 10:28 pm

        Yes, I believe this recipe will freeze well.

        Reply
    4. Wendy says

      May 16, 2021 at 2:40 am

      1 star
      Made this tonight and it was disappointing at best. Turned out so liquidy, even after adding cornflour. Just horrible. Complete waste of ingredients.

      Reply
      • Anonymous says

        August 3, 2021 at 4:10 pm

        Same here-toooo watery

        Reply
        • Sarah Olson says

          August 3, 2021 at 5:29 pm

          You aren’t adding water correct? Do not add water with the soup cans.

      • Sharon Morrison says

        September 20, 2021 at 8:12 am

        The broth most likely serves as the soup for the cream of mushroom soup rather than adding water as welll

        Reply
    5. Amanda says

      May 14, 2021 at 11:08 am

      Can you sub anything for the sour cream?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        May 14, 2021 at 1:39 pm

        You can leave it out or add a little heavy cream.

        Reply
      • Anonymous says

        September 28, 2021 at 2:43 pm

        5 stars
        Cream cheese!!

        Reply
    6. Jo says

      April 14, 2021 at 8:21 pm

      If making only half the amount, is the cooking time the same?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        April 15, 2021 at 11:26 am

        Yes, that is what I would do.

        Reply
    7. Laura says

      April 3, 2021 at 8:35 am

      Looks delicious! Could I use different veggies, maybe green peppers or broccoli instead of mushrooms?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        April 3, 2021 at 1:34 pm

        Yes, that would work fine.

        Reply
    8. Daniel Floyd says

      March 15, 2021 at 2:35 pm

      5 stars
      All I can say is damn that’s good

      Reply
      • Shelby says

        March 21, 2021 at 1:08 pm

        Does anyone know if I can speed this up by cooking on night for part of the time?

        Reply
        • Sarah Olson says

          March 21, 2021 at 3:57 pm

          Yes, you can cook this on high. About 4 hours will work.

    9. Christine Cook says

      March 15, 2021 at 11:58 am

      This looks lovely. As I live alone can you freeze leftovers
      Thank you

      Reply
    10. Teresa Choate says

      March 4, 2021 at 2:42 pm

      Looks delicious need to make for myself for a few days up to a week looks really good

      Reply
    11. Doug Freese says

      March 2, 2021 at 3:33 pm

      4 stars
      Easy and satisfying comfort food. I substituted parameson for cheddar. Started it in the AM before my remote (pandemic era) classes began and had it ready to serve at 4. It does lack color, serving it with some peas and carrots (steamer bags) on the plate helps with the presentation, as in the pics for the recipe.

      Reply
    12. RaNae says

      March 1, 2021 at 2:08 pm

      Can you use frozen chicken breast ??

      Reply
      • Libby says

        March 3, 2021 at 12:40 pm

        Whenever I do chicken breasts in the slow cooker, I throw them in frozen because they don’t dry out that way! I’m making this today, and I used frozen chicken because I just didn’t have time to thaw.

        Reply
      • Lauren says

        September 14, 2021 at 3:37 pm

        It isn’t safe to use frozen meat in a slow cooker because it spends too long in the prime bacterial growth temperature range. It’s best to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using frozen meats in a slow cooker.

        Reply
    13. Sarah Young says

      February 19, 2021 at 4:55 pm

      Could I sub elbow noodles for penne?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        February 19, 2021 at 5:30 pm

        Yes, they will work great.

        Reply
    14. Susan Carlin says

      February 17, 2021 at 8:40 am

      Love this recipe! Easy and yummy! My family loves it!

      Reply
    15. Vern says

      January 29, 2021 at 11:52 am

      4 stars
      Made this last night and was so easy and delicious. Very creamy texture and so tasty. I even added some minced garlic to give it an extra kick. Had lots of leftover also as we are only 2 people but thats fine. Was just as good warmed up for lunch the next day.

      Reply
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