Comforting Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo

There’s something about a bowl of creamy pasta that makes any night feel a little easier. This Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo gives you that rich, cozy flavor with minimal effort and simple ingredients. You’ll drop everything into the slow cooker, let it do the work, and finish it off with pasta for a restaurant-style meal at home.

The sauce is silky, the chicken is tender, and the whole dish feels special without any fuss. It’s ideal for busy weeknights, lazy Sundays, or whenever you want comfort food that basically cooks itself.

What Makes This Special

This version keeps all the beloved Alfredo creaminess while simplifying the process. The slow cooker gently cooks the chicken until it’s juicy and easy to shred or slice, and it infuses the sauce with savory flavor.

You’re not juggling a hot pan, whisking constantly, or worrying about clumps.

• Set-and-forget cooking: Add ingredients, walk away, come back to a ready-to-finish sauce.
• Rich, velvety texture: Cream cheese and heavy cream create a smooth, thick sauce that clings to pasta.
• Family-friendly: Mild, creamy, and comforting—easy to customize for picky eaters.
• Great leftovers: Reheats well with a splash of milk or broth.

What You’ll Need

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs for extra tenderness)
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
• 12–16 ounces fettuccine (or your favorite pasta)
• 2 tablespoons butter (optional, for extra silkiness)
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• Optional add-ins: baby spinach, steamed broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, or sun-dried tomatoes

How To Make My Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo

1. Prep the slow cooker base: Add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir the liquid gently to distribute the seasonings.
2. Layer in the cream cheese: Scatter the cream cheese cubes over the top. Don’t worry if they sit on top—the heat will melt them into the sauce later.
3. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on Low for 3.5–4.5 hours or High for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
   

   Avoid lifting the lid too often; it drops the temperature and extends the cook time.

4. Shred or slice the chicken: Remove the chicken to a plate. Shred with two forks or slice into thin strips. Return it to the slow cooker.
5. Add the dairy finishers: Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the grated Parmesan.
   

   If using, add the butter. Stir well to combine into a smooth, creamy sauce. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

6. Cook the pasta: While the sauce finishes blending, boil the fettuccine in salted water according to package directions until al dente.
   

   Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.

7. Combine pasta and sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the slow cooker and toss to coat. If the sauce seems too thick, loosen with a splash of reserved pasta water until it clings nicely.
8. Optional add-ins: Stir in baby spinach until wilted, or fold in steamed broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, or chopped sun-dried tomatoes for extra texture and flavor.
9. Serve: Top with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley. Add cracked black pepper if you like a little bite.

Storage Instructions

• Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
  

  The sauce will thicken as it chills.

• Reheating: Warm gently over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave at 50% power, stirring often. Add a splash of milk, cream, or chicken broth to loosen the sauce until silky.
• Freezing: Cream-based sauces can separate when frozen. If you must freeze, do so without the pasta and reheat gently with extra cream to restore texture.

Benefits of This Recipe

• Hands-off cooking: Minimal prep, no standing over a hot stove to babysit the sauce.
• Consistent results: Slow cooking ensures tender chicken and a reliably smooth sauce.
• Customizable: Use thighs instead of breasts, swap pasta shapes, or add veggies for more color and nutrients.
• Comfort food factor: Creamy, cheesy, and satisfying without being complicated.

What Not to Do

• Don’t use pre-shredded Parmesan if you can avoid it.
  

  It often contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting. Freshly grated melts better and tastes richer.

• Don’t overcook the chicken. Dry chicken equals gritty sauce. Check for doneness near the earlier time mark.
• Don’t add the cream and Parmesan too early. Dairy can curdle or separate with prolonged heat.
  

  Add near the end for the best texture.

• Don’t skip salting the pasta water. It seasons the noodles from within and makes the dish taste complete.
• Don’t toss all the pasta water. A small splash can rescue a sauce that’s too thick.

Alternatives

• Lighter version: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and reduce cream cheese to 6 ounces. The sauce will be thinner but still creamy.
• Gluten-free: Choose gluten-free pasta and verify your broth is certified gluten-free.
• Lower-carb: Swap pasta for steamed broccoli, zucchini noodles, or hearts of palm noodles. Serve the chicken and sauce over vegetables.
• Herb twist: Substitute Italian seasoning with a mix of dried basil, parsley, and a pinch of nutmeg for classic Alfredo depth.
• Protein swap: Try boneless, skinless chicken thighs for richer flavor, or use cooked shrimp added at the very end to warm through.
• Veggie boost: Stir in peas, spinach, or roasted cherry tomatoes in the final step for color and freshness.

FAQ’s For Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo

Final Thoughts

Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo delivers all the comfort of a classic pasta night with far less effort. The slow cooker does the heavy lifting, and a few smart steps at the end give you a glossy, restaurant-style sauce.

Keep it simple, or dress it up with veggies and herbs—either way, you’ll have a cozy, crowd-pleasing meal that’s easy to repeat. Save this for those days when you want dinner to practically make itself and still feel special.

Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo – Comforting, Hands-Off Dinner

Laura

Creamy slow cooker chicken alfredo made effortlessly rich and comforting. A protein-filled dinner that cooks itself to perfection.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course crockpot, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, slow cooker

Cuisine American, European, Italian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 800 kcal

Equipment

• 1 slow cooker

Ingredients

  

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs for extra tenderness)
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp kosher salt (adjust to taste)
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
• 14 ounces fettuccine (or your favorite pasta)
• 2 tbsp butter (optional, for extra silkiness)
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• Optional add-ins: baby spinach, steamed broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, or sun-dried tomatoes

Instructions

 

• Prep the slow cooker base: Add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir the liquid gently to distribute the seasonings.
  2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs for extra tenderness), 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 4 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp kosher salt (adjust to taste), ½ tsp black pepper
• Layer in the cream cheese: Scatter the cream cheese cubes over the top. Don’t worry if they sit on top—the heat will melt them into the sauce later.
  8 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
• Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on Low for 3.5–4.5 hours or High for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Avoid lifting the lid too often; it drops the temperature and extends the cook time.
• Shred or slice the chicken: Remove the chicken to a plate. Shred with two forks or slice into thin strips. Return it to the slow cooker.
• Add the dairy finishers: Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the grated Parmesan. If using, add the butter. Stir well to combine into a smooth, creamy sauce. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving), 2 tbsp butter (optional, for extra silkiness)
• Cook the pasta: While the sauce finishes blending, boil the fettuccine in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
  14 ounces fettuccine (or your favorite pasta)
• Combine pasta and sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the slow cooker and toss to coat. If the sauce seems too thick, loosen with a splash of reserved pasta water until it clings nicely.
• Optional add-ins: Stir in baby spinach until wilted, or fold in steamed broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, or chopped sun-dried tomatoes for extra texture and flavor.
  Optional add-ins: baby spinach, steamed broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, or sun-dried tomatoes
• Serve: Top with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley. Add cracked black pepper if you like a little bite.
  Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Keyword chicken alfredo, crockpot recipes, slow cooker recipes