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. alyssa says:

    4 stars
    so i made this and after reading comments i realized i used way to much ragu sauce because that ingredient is listed in a confusing way.. I read it as 2 jars of 48 oz ragu… i think it needs to be a little more clear.

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      So sorry! I fixed it.

  2. Mandy says:

    5 stars
    Ive made this before and have the ingredients to do again this week, super easy and very delicious!!!

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Glad you enjoyed it!

  3. Lyuba says:

    5 stars
    This chicken looks so yummy! Thanks for including my Tiramisu recipe!

  4. Devin Thorp says:

    Made this last night so easy and yummy, made to much for the two of us so I sent half home with my daughter. Definitely will be making it again.

  5. Kim says:

    It seems everyone has cooked this on HIGH…has anyone cooked on LOW? And if so, for how long? 6-8hrs is too general. I don’t want the chicken to be dry—( so is it closer to 6hrs or 8hrs is the issue). REALLY looking forward to dinner tonight.

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      6 hours will be perfect. The chicken doesn’t get dry in this, there’s so much sauce.

  6. Babs says:

    My daughter-in-law made this for
    dinner tonight. She made it with spaghetti instead, and I must say it was outstanding. I definitely pinned this recipe. Easy AND delicious.

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      I’m so happy to hear that Babs. We love this meal too.

  7. Dorothy says:

    Would this freeze well?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      I think i would freeze just as well as a lasagna 🙂

      1. Judy Lake says:

        How long would it be good in freezer? Looks so good. Do you let it thaw out if you had in freezer before rewarming it?? Thank you. Judy Lake.

      2. Sarah Olson says:

        I think it would be fine for about 2 months. Yes, I always thaw before rewarming.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Can you put ricotta/egg mixture in here if so, when?

  9. Debbie from Florida says:

    Just scrolled back and found my original comments from December 2016. Made this today and it was more yummy than ever! Pssst…have lost count on the number of times it has graced my slow cooker. Thank you again, Sarah!

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      I love your comments Debbie from Florida! So glad you have found a favorite.

  10. Reama says:

    I’m trying this recipe tomorrow. I’ve never really cooked before so fingers crossed I don’t somehow mess it up!