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Creamy slow cooker chicken alfredo served with pasta, made with tender chicken in a rich Alfredo sauce.

Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo Recipe

This creamy slow cooker chicken alfredo is the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. Tender chicken simmers in savory broth, then gets tossed with a rich, homemade alfredo sauce and pasta. With just 10 minutes of prep, you'll have a restaurant-quality meal that the whole family will love.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Main Dish, Pasta
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food, Italian, Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • For the Chicken:
  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3-4 medium breasts)
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, but David insists
  • For the Alfredo Sauce added later:
  • 1 cup heavy cream don't substitute half-and-half—trust me on this
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened and cubed
  • 1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese about 4 oz—the real stuff, not the green can
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg secret ingredient!
  • To Serve:
  • 1 lb fettuccine pasta or your favorite pasta shape
  • Fresh parsley chopped
  • Extra Parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 6-quart slow cooker Essential for this recipe. A 4-quart will be too small, and you'll struggle with the finishing steps. This is the size I use for all my family recipes.
  • 1 Large pot for boiling pasta You'll need this to cook the fettuccine separately while the chicken finishes in the slow cooker. Any 6-8 quart pot works perfectly.
  • 1 Whisk Critical for getting the alfredo sauce smooth and silky when you add the cream cheese and Parmesan. A fork won't cut it here.
  • 2 Forks (for shredding) Two sturdy forks make shredding the chicken quick and easy. You can also use meat claws if you have them.
  • 1 Cutting Board For shredding the chicken once it's cooked. I prefer a large wooden board.
  • 1 Meat thermometer (optional) Not essential, but helpful for beginners to ensure the chicken reaches 165°F. Once you've made this a few times, you'll know what tender chicken looks and feels like.
  • 1 Colander For draining the pasta. Make sure to save a cup of that pasta water before draining!
  • 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons Standard measuring tools for accurate ingredient amounts.

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Prep the Chicken Base (5 minutes)
  2. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of your 6-quart slow cooker in a single layer. Sprinkle the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes over the top. Pour the chicken broth around (not directly over) the chicken. You want the seasonings to stay on the meat as much as possible.
  3. Tip: If your chicken breasts are those massive ones you sometimes get (the ones that are clearly from bodybuilder chickens), slice them in half horizontally so they cook evenly.
  4. Step 2: Slow Cook (3-4 hours LOW or 2-3 hours HIGH)
  5. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours. The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internally and shreds easily with a fork. I usually go with LOW because it gives me more flexibility—if I'm running late picking up the girls, the chicken won't dry out.
  6. At the 3-hour mark (if cooking on LOW), start checking. The chicken should look opaque throughout and feel tender when you press it with a spoon.
  7. Step 3: Shred the Chicken (2 minutes)
  8. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it using two forks. Set aside but keep it warm. Some people shred right in the slow cooker, but I find that too messy and I always end up with uneven pieces.
  9. Step 4: Make the Alfredo Sauce (5 minutes)
  10. This is the crucial step! Turn your slow cooker to HIGH if it isn't already. Add the cream cheese cubes, heavy cream, and butter to the broth in the slow cooker. Whisk continuously until the cream cheese melts completely and the mixture is smooth—this takes about 3-4 minutes.
  11. Now add the Parmesan cheese and nutmeg, whisking until fully melted and combined. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and look glossy. If it seems thin, don't panic—it'll thicken as it sits and especially once you add the pasta.
  12. Pro tip: I keep the cream cheese at room temperature for 30 minutes before this step. Cold cream cheese takes forever to melt and can leave lumps. Been there, served that to David's coworkers once. Not my finest moment.
  13. Step 5: Cook the Pasta
  14. While the sauce is coming together, cook your fettuccine according to package directions until just al dente. Drain, but save 1 cup of pasta water—it's liquid gold for adjusting sauce consistency.
  15. Step 6: Combine Everything
  16. Add the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker, then add the drained pasta. Toss everything together gently. If the sauce seems too thick, add pasta water a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Let it sit for 5 minutes on the WARM setting so the pasta absorbs some of that creamy goodness.
  17. Step 7: Serve
  18. Dish up into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan, and watch it disappear. Seriously, I usually make extra because this gets devoured.

Notes

 
Popular Variations:
  • Add Veggies: Toss in 2 cups broccoli florets or spinach during the last 15 minutes
  • Sun-Dried Tomato: Add ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes with the Parmesan
  • Cajun Style: Use 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning instead of Italian seasoning
  • With Mushrooms: Sauté 8 oz sliced mushrooms and add at the end
  • Bacon Upgrade: Top with 6 strips cooked, crumbled bacon
Make-Ahead Tip: Prep the chicken and broth mixture the night before and refrigerate. In the morning, dump it in the slow cooker. Always add the cream mixture fresh on serving day.