My Garlic Parmesan chicken and pasta is an easy slow cooker meal perfect as a weeknight dinner! I make it creamy, rich, and full of yummy savory flavor.
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My Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken Recipe
I’m constantly searching for easy, set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker recipes for those busy days, and that’s how this garlic parmesan chicken and pasta came about.
I wanted good comfort food but made easy. I just load up the crockpot in the morning, and by early afternoon, the main part of dinner is ready. When I get home, I make the pasta, and it’s ready to go!
My kids absolutely love the creamy sauce, and my husband is a huge fan of garlic, so this one works super well for us. I’ll usually whip up some veggies in my air fryer to round everything out. I was inspired by the viral TikTok recipe when I came up with this one, and I have to say that I like my version best!
For more easy crockpot recipes, try my recipes for white chicken chili, sirloin tip roast, london broil crockpot recipe, mississippi chicken, and Velveeta macaroni and cheese!
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta
- Garlic Parmesan Sauce — I used the bottle of Sweet Baby Rays
- Chicken Breasts – boneless, skinless
- Cream Cheese
- Onion Powder
- Heavy Cream
- Parmesan Cheese
- Rotini Pasta
- Fresh Parsley – optional garnish
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Pasta
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Place the chicken breasts at the bottom of your slow cooker.
STEP TWO: Pour the bottle of garlic Parmesan sauce into the pot as well, then add the heavy cream. Finally, add the cubed cream cheese and Parmesan on top. Sprinkle with onion powder.
STEP THREE: Cover and cook on Low for 3-4 hours or on High for 2-3 hours until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
STEP FOUR: 15 minutes before the chicken is done, cook the pasta according to the package directions — I recommend cooking it al dente for the best texture. Drain and set aside.
STEP FIVE: Shred the chicken using two forks directly in your slow cooker, then stir well to combine with the sauce. Add the pasta to the pot and stir again to combine.
STEP SIX: If you like, garnish your Parmesan garlic chicken with freshly chopped parsley, serve, and enjoy!
Tips for Garlic Parmesan Chicken
- Chicken breast is the best type of chicken to use for this recipe. I love using chicken breasts for this recipe since they’re easy to shred. I’ve also used chicken thighs and it’s worked great!
- The order of the ingredients matters to keep the garlic Parmesan sauce from curdling. I always start with the garlic Parmesan sauce and the heavy cream, then add the cream cheese. If curdling is a real concern, you may want to wait a few minutes for the sauce and cream to heat a little before adding the cream cheese. This will help everything melt more evenly.
- You can easily adjust the consistency of the sauce. Add a splash of chicken stock or some pasta water if the sauce is too thick. If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix one tablespoon of cornstarch or flour with two tablespoons of water to make a slurry. Add it to the slow cooker and cook on Low for 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Variations and Substitutions for Chicken Parmesan Garlic Pasta
- My husband loves spicy food, so sometimes I’ll add some red pepper flakes and garlic powder for a bit of heat.
- Use your favorite Alfredo sauce instead of garlic Parmesan for an even richer flavor and texture. I will do this if I don’t have a bottle of garlic parmesan sauce and then add some extra minced garlic and grated cheese!
- After cooking everything in the crockpot, pour the chicken, sauce, and pasta into a casserole dish and cover with cheese. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, for a pasta bake version of this dish!
- Lemon and herbs complement the other flavors here. When craving a fresh, bright flavor, I’ll add some lemon zest with the garlic powder. Then, I’ll incorporate some fresh chopped herbs like basil, parsley, or thyme after adding the pasta.
- Make everything a little lighter by using milk instead of heavy cream. If you do go this route, you’ll likely have to add the cornstarch slurry I mentioned to thicken the sauce.
What to Serve with This Recipe
I love to serve these with some veggies on the side. My go-to side dishes are air fryer asparagus, air fryer corn on the cob, or air fryer carrots with a little garden salad or caprese salad.
Other side dishes I’ve used that work great are my broccoli crunch salad, air fryer squash and zucchini, some garlic bread and/or mashed potatoes for some serious comfort food!
Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Pasta FAQs
What is garlic Parmesan sauce made of?
All garlic Parmesan sauce recipes differ, but most are made with heavy cream, butter, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and some seasonings. You could go above and beyond and make it yourself or you could go with store-bought. I typically use Sweet Baby Rays, but Buffalo Wild Wings sauce works great too!
Is creamy garlic Parmesan sauce the same as Alfredo sauce?
Garlic Parmesan sauce is very similar to Alfredo sauce, but they aren’t exactly the same. Alfredo sauce is made with more butter and heavy cream compared to garlic Parmesan and therefore tastes richer. Garlic parm sauce is also a bit sharper thanks to the added garlic.
How do I store crockpot garlic Parmesan chicken pasta?
To store garlic Parmesan chicken with pasta, let it cool completely and then place in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, you can freeze your leftovers for up to 2-3 months. Be sure to let them thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating gently over medium-low on the stove.
More Easy Chicken Dinners
- Chicken spaghetti
- Air fryer chicken tenders
- Buffalo chicken sandwich
- Chicken rice broccoli casserole
- Split chicken breast
- Chicken tetrazzini recipe
- Easy lemon chicken recipe
- Southwest chicken wrap
- Cast iron chicken breast
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz garlic parmesan sauce sweet baby rays or buffalo wild wings
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 8 oz cream cheese cubed
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 8 oz rotini pasta
- Fresh parsley optional for garnish
Instructions
- Place the boneless chicken breasts at the bottom of the pot.
- Pour the bottle of garlic parmesan sauce and heavy cream on top of the chicken. Add the cubed cream cheese and parmesan cheese on top.
- Sprinkle the onion powder evenly over the chicken and sauces.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- About 15 minutes before the chicken is done, cook the rotini pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the cooked pasta.
- Once cooked, shred the tender chicken using two forks. Stir well to mix the shredded chicken into the creamy sauce.
- Add the cooked al dente pasta to the crockpot with the cooked chicken and creamy garlic sauce. Stir well to combine.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving on its own or with a side salad.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
I can’t get the garlic parmesan sauce. What do I do?
Hi Stewball, This recipe uses one of the two ready made sauce options. If you can’t find either of these parmesan sauces at your local grocery store, they can be ordered online.