Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta


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Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan and Pasta brings everything you love together in one pot — tender chicken, rich tomato sauce, and hearty pasta, all topped with plenty of melty mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. It’s an easy, comforting dinner the whole family will love.

A spoon holding up a scoop of slow cooker chicken parmesan pasta.

This easy pasta dish was one of the first recipes on the blog — and it’s still one of the most popular! While you can’t get crispy breaded chicken in the slow cooker, you can make a hearty, cheesy chicken pasta packed with all the classic saucy, cheesy flavors you love.

Key Ingredients

Not many ingredients are needed to make this. For full ingredient amounts, see the recipe card below the photos.

Ingredients for chicken parmesan pasta on a table with text overlay.
  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts – We aren’t using fried patties in this recipe. Boneless chicken breasts will shred up great and go perfectly with the sauce, pasta, and cheese.
  • Pasta Sauce – You can use your favorite pasta sauce. We love Ragu, Raos, or even Newman’s Own Marinara sauce.
  • Seasonings – Salt, pepper, and oregano. You can use Italian Seasoning if you have that on hand.
  • Penne pasta – Cook according to package directions and add to slow cooker at the end of the cooking time.
  • Cheeses – Mozzarella and a touch of parmesan cheese top this dish.

Variations

Here are a few easy ways to customize your meal:

  • Extra vegetables can be added. Add mushrooms, or finely diced carrots at the beginning of the cooking time. Or stir in spinach along with the pasta.
  • You can use rotini, rigatoni, bow-tie, or even spaghetti noodles in this dish. I do not recommend using egg noodles.
  • Chicken thighs are also a great choice instead of chicken breasts.

How to make Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Pasta

This recipe is such an easy weeknight dinner, see how I make it below:

Step One – Add the chicken to the slow cooker and sprinkle over the salt, pepper, and oregano.

Step Two -Pour over the pasta sauce. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

Step Three – Shred the chicken with two forks. Cook the pasta on the stovetop according to the package directions.

Step Four – Stir the drained pasta into the chicken and sauce. Sprinkle over the mozzarella cheese and then the parmesan.

Step Five – Place the lid back on the slow cooker just long enough for the cheese to melt; this usually takes 15 minutes.

Step Six – Serve and enjoy!

Slow cooker chicken parmesan pasta with a spoon in it.

My Serving Suggestions

I often think about what my favorite restaurant would serve with the dish when I’m picking sides. Here are my favorites for this dish:

  • A Caesar salad or green salad is the perfect side to go with this!
  • Breadsticks, French rolls, or garlic bread.
Slow cooker chicken parmesan past on a plate next to a crockpot.
chicken parmesan pasta on a spoon coming from a crockpot.

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta Recipe

4.67 from 27 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta has everything you love in one pot! Chicken, tomato sauce, and pasta topped with Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese.
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How to Video

Ingredients 
 

  • 48 oz Pasta Sauce or Marinara, (two 24-oz. jars) Ragu, Rao's or Newmans Own works well.
  • 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • ½ tsp. oregano, (or Italian Seasoning)
  • 1 lb. penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions 

  • Add the chicken to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle over the salt, pepper, and oregano. Pour over the pasta sauce.
  • Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time.
  • When the cooking time is done, prepare the pasta on the stove-top according to the package directions.
  • While the pasta is cooking, shred the chicken with two forks. You can do this right in the slow cooker.
  • Drain the pasta very well. Add the pasta to the chicken and sauce in the slow cooker. Stir. Flatten the pasta out into an even layer. Sprinkle over the shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Cover for 15 more minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Sarah’s Notes

Why is there no breading? The crockpot can not crisp chicken parmesan breading, but we still have all the other flavors of the dish.
Storing: Store as you would any left overs – we do 3 days in the fridge or about 3 months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 1364mg | Potassium: 1036mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1075IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 3.1mg

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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204 Comments

  1. Peg says:

    Is it ok to double the recipe?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      It may not fit in a 6 quart slow cooker.

  2. Dominique says:

    Can I use chicken tenderloins?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Yes, chicken tenderloins will work great.

  3. Tammy says:

    2 stars
    Wasn’t flavorful and not saucy enough tried it was ok won’t make again

  4. Victoria says:

    5 stars
    This was delicious and so easy! My littles ate multiple plates of it and even more the next day as we had leftovers.

  5. Elaine says:

    If I wanted to 1/2 this recipe, would the cook time be adjusted at all?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      It would be ok to cook for an hour less if you halved it.

    2. NORMAN says:

      I added some hot pepper flakes

  6. Rae says:

    5 stars
    This was so delicious. My husband said it was one of the best new recipes I have made in a long time. He wants me to make this on a regular basis.

  7. Lisa Thompson says:

    5 stars
    The chicken parmesan sounds Terrific!! But, I have heartburn problems when I eat tomato sauce. Is there another sauce I can use? You should have a TV show! I look for Eating..Dime 1st in my email. Thanks for some original ideas and tips.

    1. Anonymous says:

      Rao spaghetti sauce has many varieties the one I like is for sensitive stomachs says so right on the label and tells you what ingredients

    2. Jo says:

      5 stars
      Try Roa’s sensitive Marinara it had NO onions & no Garlic . But tomatoes are acidic . So Also try adding a few drops of beno to your first FORKFUL bite( not to whole pot )It is a base that just neutralizes acid If all else fails yake a rolaids or Tums right after eating . That too is a base that just neutralizes acid.

  8. Timothy D. Hermsen says:

    The sodium level is too high. Reduce the salt due to the cheeses? Perhaps a lowerr sodium Ragu?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Probably the sauce.

    2. Anonymous says:

      If you have a Sprouts Market near you, they have very low pasta sauce. It is very good.

  9. Diane says:

    Hello! Can I use skinless, boneless chicken thighs? Thank you.

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Yes, chicken thighs work well.

  10. Dawn says:

    Hello! Trying tonight. Can the leftover be reheated well? Thanks.

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Yes, the leftovers heat well in the microwave.