Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Pasta

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Folks, you know I am all about meals that are affordable and easy to make, but still taste amazing. And this Slow Cooker Pasta with Tuscan chicken checks aaalllll the boxes. Super flavorful and easy to make in just one pot.

Yeap, I’ve found my new favorite dinner recipe. And you will love it too.

We’re talking creamy and comforting crockpot pasta full of delicious Mediterranean flavor, tender chicken, and good for you veggies that the whole family will love. As much as they will love Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs.

And in true dump and start recipe style, this Tuscan chicken pasta comes together with almost no effort at all and requires just a handful of basic pantry ingredients. Weekday dinners, solved! #slowcookerforthewin

Why You’ll Love This

• Comfort Food – pasta and chicken in a rich, creamy sauce is the kind of comfort food we all crave. Goes great with some garlic bread.
• Hands-off Cooking  – dump in all of the ingredients and let the crockpot do the work for you.
• Budget-friendly – Like Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce, this is an affordable dish that’s easy on the wallet.
• Pantry Meal – make this slow cooker pasta with a handful of common pantry staples.

Ingredient Notes

• Cooking liquid – in this case use chicken broth or veggie broth.
• Seasoning – this recipe calls for garlic purée, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, salt and crushed red pepper flakes.
• meat – boneless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch cubes work best.
• Pasta – this recipe calls for penne pasta, but use other similar sized pasta shapes.
• Tomatoes – chopped sun-dried tomatoes give flavor and color.
• Cheese – cream cheese and grated Parmesan cheese add amazing flavor.
• Greens – baby spinach completes this dish.

Ready to learn just how easy it is to make this Slow Cooker pasta recipe? Gather up those ingredients and I will show you…..

How To Make Tuscan Chicken Pasta in the Crockpot

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Pour the chicken broth into your slow cooker and add Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper flakes.
2. Add the chicken, cover, and set on High for 1 ½ – 2 hours.
3. Once the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165F / 90C), add the pasta and tomatoes. Cover and cook on High until the pasta is al dente.
4. Add the cheese, stirring until melted. Then add the spinach.
5. Let stand uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly before serving.

Crockpot Pasta Recipe Tips

• If you begin with raw chicken, check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165F / 74C.
• To save time, you can use precooked, leftover chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, or even canned chicken in this recipe. After adding the chicken to the dish, allow the liquid to heat up a bit before adding the pasta.
• If you don’t have garlic purée, use a microplane to grate 1-2 cloves of garlic.
• Press all of the pasta under the liquid to ensure that all of it cooks.
• To make this dish vegetarian, simply use veggie broth instead of chicken broth and leave the chicken out.

Recipe Variations

Tuscan chicken pasta is a super versatile recipe! Try some of these easy variations;

• Swap the meat – use chicken breast or turkey breast instead of chicken thighs.
• Use different pasta – rigatoni, ziti, fusilli, fettuccine, or tortellini.
• Change up the seasonings – try Tuscan seasoning, Greek seasoning, or a combination of parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, and rosemary.

Meal Prep and Storage

This crockpot pasta is really easy to make, but there are a few things you can do to prep ahead.

Prep Ahead – The chicken broth, Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic puree, salt, and pepper flakes and chicken can be added to the bowl of the crockpot and stored in the fridge overnight. In the morning, place the bowl into the slow cooker and cook on low all day long. When you get home, turn the crockpot to high and add the pasta, finishing the recipe according to the directions.

Store – Store leftover slow cooker Tuscan chicken pasta in a sealed container inside the fridge. Then simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop (see instructions in the FAQs below).

Freeze – This slow cooker pasta recipe is sooooo great for meal prep. You can easily cook a batch and freeze for later. Just follow the handy tips below on how to freeze this:

• Allow the slow cooker pasta to cool, then transfer into an airtight container or these convenient Ziploc freezer bags.
• If using the bags, squeeze out all the extra air, seal, and label.
• Store flat inside the freezer for up to three months.
• To make reheating easier, freeze this crockpot pasta the portion sizes that you need for the future.

FAQS

Why Isn’t My Pasta Cooking?

When cooking dried pasta, the cooking time can vary based on the size and shape of the pasta. If your pasta still isn’t done, check to make sure that all of the pasta is submerged in the liquid. If not, add a bit more to fully cover the pasta.

Also, while it’s tempting to keep checking it, opening the lid of the slow cooker allows a lot of heat to escape. Simply cover and walk away to allow the crockpot to do its thing.

How Do I Reheat This Slow Cooker Pasta?

To reheat this crockpot pasta dish on the stovetop, follow these steps:

• Place the Tuscan chicken pasta to a saucepan on the stovetop.
• Since pasta absorbs liquid easily and the sauce tends to thicken over time, stir in a half-cup to 1 cup more liquid. Milk, cream, chicken broth, or even water all work.
• Warm the pasta mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Serve once desired consistency is reached and the chicken and pasta are heated all the way through.

Can I Make This Keto or Gluten Free?

For a keto-friendly dish simply omit the pasta and add more chicken, if desired. To make this Tuscan chicken pasta gluten-free, leave out the pasta or use a gluten-free pasta instead.

I Don’t Have a Slow Cooker. Can I Still Make this?

A crockpot certainly makes this Tuscan chicken pasta dish a breeze to make, but you can also make it on your stove. Use a large stockpot or a dutch oven.

In this case, I would brown the chicken first and then add the remaining ingredients. Add the pasta when everything comes to a boil and then finish the recipe as directed.

More Slow Cooker Recipes

Find all my slow cooker recipes here or start with the selection below.

• 3 Ingredient Crockpot Meatballs.
• Crockpot Chicken Fajitas.
• Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Recipe.
• Crockpot Spaghetti Casserole.
• Slow Cooker African Peanut Stew.
• Maple Cinnamon Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes.
• Slow Cooker Low Carb Granola.

More Pasta Recipes

• Instant Pot Pasta with Pesto and Mozzarella.
• Lemon Butter Salmon Pasta.
• Smoky Baked Vegan Pasta Casserole.
• Dump and Strat Instant Pot Creamy Bacon Pasta.

Tools Needed

• An awesome slow cooker.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• A mixing spatula.
• The best ever sea salt flakes.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 9 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Thank you for reading my crockpot chicken pasta recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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