Chicken breasts made in the slow cooker with pesto and butter then made into a cheesy pasta casserole with mozzarella cheese and parmesan.
This new recipe for Slow Cooker Pesto Mozzarella Chicken is a spin-off from a freezer meal I made a few months ago called Lemon Pesto Chicken. Looking back at that recipe I wish I would have done this to it from the start. Adding the pasta and parmesan in the slow cooker at the end of the cooking time THEN topping with mozzarella cheese turned that basic recipe I made a few months ago into a meal I want to make weekly now.
For this recipe I tried the Mezzetta pesto, It did well in this recipe! Of course, homemade pesto would be better but I don’t have time for that! Besides topping the chicken with the pesto I also add fresh lemon juice and butter. The way the butter tastes with the pasta can’t be beat.
Start with chicken breasts, salt, pepper, lemon juice, pesto and butter. Yes, that is all you put in at first. It’s that easy.
After the chicken is cooked I add a pound of cooked pasta and top with mozzarella cheese.
This meal is beautiful enough to have dinner guests over! Just add a salad and French bread for sides,
I was afraid my daughter wouldn’t like this meal because of the green stuff on it. She didn’t even blink an eye and ate a whole plate! What I love about this meal is how there is not much prep to do to get this in going in the crock pot. Putting the chicken and sauce ingredients in the crock pot takes less than 10 minutes.
I hope you enjoy this pasta recipe! Have a great week!
Slow Cooker Pesto Mozzarella Pasta
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger
Ingredients:
- 1½ lbs. chicken breasts
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 1 cup jarred pesto I used Mezzetta
- ¼ cup salted butter
- ½ lemon
These items don’t get added until the end
- 1 lb. rotini cooked and drained
- ½ cup parmesan
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- ¼ tsp. dried basil to garnish
Instructions:
- Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Spread over the pesto, squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken. Cut the butter into slices and lay over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Near the end of the cooking time, cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain well.
- Shred the chicken with 2 forks. Add the cooked pasta and the parmesan cheese, stir everything until the pasta is coated with the buttery pesto sauce and the chicken is evenly dispersed throughout the pasta. Add the mozzarella cheese over the pasta. Cover for about 15 more minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition:
You may also like:
Looks very delicious
What is the sodium percentage per serving?
about 739mg.
Hello! I’ve made this dish several times, just as it’s stated in the recipe. I will be working the day that I’d like to make it….Do you think you could cook it on high for half the time?
Thank you!!
I would do 3.5-4 hours on high. 🙂
Wondering if you could swap roasted cauliflower out for the pasta? Thoughts? A lower carbohydrate version, if you will.
Hello wondering if I could substitute the crock pot part for baking the chicken,pesto and butter in the oven to be faster??
I don’t see why not!
Wonder how it would take with some cream cheese added? Anyone try it? How much cream cheese if it’s delicious that way?
Dry Parmesan cheese?
Hello,
This looks yummy and I’m wondering if this recipe will work in an Insta Pot. I don’t have a big crock pot.
I do this in the instant pot all the time. The only difference is I add a cup of chicken broth.
What is the cook time difference? I am an Instant Pot newbie. And do you follow the layering the same way just add the broth?
This dish was delicious! Very satisfying and as you said, easy!!
Hi – Would love a vegetarian version of this recipe. Any ideas to replace the chicken?
Hi Jean! Off the top of my head, I would do portabello mushrooms and maybe butternut squash cubes? Both do well in the slow cooker.
Alright, anxxious to give it a shot! thanks Sarah!
IS there anyway to make this with less fat?
Pesto has quite a bit of fat in in. Though you can use chicken broth instead of butter.
Hello Sarah! I tried this recipe once and it was amazing!
Thinking of making this again, and adding some baby spinach that i have in my fridge.
Would you recommend it? If so, when should i throw them in the crockpot?
Thank you!
Hi Sue! I did this with a similar recipe. I’d crank the slow cooker to high as your boiling the pasta (at the end of the cooing time). Then when you shred your chicken and right before you add the drained pasta add the (sliced) spinach. See this video if that sounds confusing: https://www.themagicalslowcooker.com/slow-cooker-chicken-bacon-pasta/
Do you drain the water after the chicken is done cooking ?? Or does it get mixed in with the pasta.
It gets mixed in, it’s part of the sauce for the noodles.
Looks so good!
Wish there was a convertor on your recipes so that us people across the pond can have a go.
Thanks
CAROLINE
Thank you Caroline! Most of my recipes do. I just added it to this one for you. Thank you for letting me know.
I’m cooking this today but only half a recipe. What fo you suggest for cook time, still 5 hours?
One of my family’s favorite recipes. It is great go to recipe for a busy week.
Love this recipe! So easy!
How much rice would you suggest using if I wanted to use rice instead of the pasta
I would try 4 cups of cooked rice.
1/2 lemon, is that 1/2 cup???
No, the juice of half a lemon
Can you cook the pasta in the slow cooker with everything else?