Slow-cooked chicken. Cheese. Pasta. It’s a family-wide hit every time! This is one I keep in rotation because the kids request it! Slow cook your chicken all day, mix everything into the crock pot a few minutes before you serve and there you are! Pair it with a salad and some Corn Bread, and you’re all set!
I have included in the notes of the recipe the changes I make to accommodate everyone in our family.
Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken Penne Pasta
This jazzed up “mac and cheese” will please the whole family! Chicken cooked all day in the slow cooker falls apart in your mouth, it’s fast to put together and ready to serve in minutes at the end of the cook time. Pair it with a green salad, baking powder biscuits, cornbread, or rolls.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts about 3-4 breasts
- 2 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup do not add water
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 cup mushrooms sliced or diced
- 1 small sweet yellow onion diced
- 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 lb penne pasta cook according to the box
Instructions
- In the crock pot add the cream of chicken soup and chicken broth. Stir briefly until smooth.
- Add the seasonings, mushrooms, and onion (mushrooms can be left out of the recipe if desired). Stir.
- Place chicken breasts on the mixture.
- Cover with the lid and set the crock pot on low for 6 hours. Let it cook without lifting the lid.
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box. You can cook it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, or cook just before the slow cooker will be finished.
- When the chicken is done cooking at the 6 hour mark, removed it to a plate and shred it with two forks. After it is shredded, return the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the plain Greek yogurt and the cheese.
- Add the cooked, drained pasta and stir. Allow to cook about 10 minutes until everything is warmed through.
- Serve! This dish reheats just fine, so don’t avoid extras!
Notes
Low Carb: If you are making this for a low carb person, add the pasta LAST and simply remove a portion for the low carb person before you add the pasta.
Vegetarian: You can return the shredded chicken at the end AFTER removing a portion for your vegetarian person. If this is not vegetarian enough for your needs, you can either cook the chicken separately or simply make a simple cheese sauce to put on the pasta.
Selective Eaters: If you want to leave out the mushrooms and onions, it will not ruin the recipe. It can help to dice both finely. You can also leave out the mushrooms and do onion powder instead of fresh onions. OR, give them a different sauce on some of the pasta before you add all the pasta to the slow cooker.
