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

4.75 from 24 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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196 Comments

  1. Pat Elliott says:

    How many servings?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      8

  2. Mary says:

    How does this freeze? Does the cheese get weird or do the noodles get mushy? How would you reheat after being in the freezer?

  3. Heathwr says:

    Do you think bread or Panko crumbs would do well on top of the mozzarella?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      I think they would be good. If it was me I would brown the panko bread crumbs in a skillet so they taste fresh and toasty.

  4. Regina says:

    Can you add uncooked pasta and let it cook with chicken?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Uncooked pasta does not do well in the slow cooker. Turns chalky and mushy.

    2. Susan says:

      I use Barilla Ready Pasta. Works well with this recipe & cuts down on time and clean up.

  5. Christina says:

    5 stars
    This. Is. Amazing. I chose to slow cook it on low for 6 hours. The chicken just falls apart. Thank you so much for sharing this!

  6. Eunice says:

    How long is this recipe good for in the fridge ?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      About 3 days.

  7. Dori Hughes says:

    5 stars
    Me and hubby both agreed it was amazing.

  8. Phyllis Woods says:

    Can this recipe be halved? Will it turn out ok still? Just dont need so many servings. Thanks

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Yes! Will work great.

  9. Elaine Gregory says:

    Can I use frozen chicken in this recipe?

  10. Betty B says:

    5 stars
    I made this yesterday. We loved it! It makes a lot, especially for just the two of us, but my Hubby gladly said we’ll eat it again today and then freeze the leftovers.

    1. blanche hillier says:

      could i freeze the leftovers

      1. Sarah Olson says:

        Yes, they should do fine.