By Becky Hardin
Updated Feb 6, 2025
Creamy, delicious chicken Alfredo is always my family’s favorite when we go out to an Italian restaurant. It is also one of the easiest slow cooker recipes to make on a cold winter night. The chicken breasts turn out so tender and juicy after simmering in my creamy Alfredo sauce!
This recipe is high on my list of comfort foods. Something about the combination of cream, pasta, garlic, butter, and Parmesan cheese is so satisfying! If you can sauté chicken and boil water, you are qualified to make an irresistibly good chicken Alfredo that everyone in your family will love.
This is a great recipe for busy days. A few simple ingredients combined with heavy cream and parmesan bring this dish together. My creamy Alfredo sauce brings everything together! If you want to use store-bought, see my Chicken Alfredo Recipe with Jar Sauce . You can also make chicken Alfredo in instant pot .
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning store-bought or homemade
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ 2 cups heavy cream (1 pint)
- ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
- ▢ 16 ounces dry penne pasta (1 box)
- ▢ ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
Video
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and ground pepper. 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Once heated, sauté the chicken breasts until browned but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
- Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Add in the heavy cream and butter, and sprinkle in the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low. 2 cups heavy cream, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- While the chicken is cooking, cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Reserve at least 1½ cups of the pasta water. 16 ounces dry penne pasta
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker to slice or shred.
- If the heavy cream appears a bit clumpy and separated, use a whisk to stir it up in the slow cooker. Stir in the grated Parmesan and minced garlic. ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the cooked and drained pasta.
- Finally add shredded chicken to the slow cooker and give everything a stir.
- If more liquid is needed, stir in the pasta water, little by little.
- Season the chicken alfredo with salt and pepper to taste.
Equipment
- Crockpot
Becky’s Tips
- Cook your pasta separately to avoid mushy alfredo! I like to cook mine to al-dente and let it finish in the sauce.
- Don’t forget to save some of that pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed!
- To save time, you can use pre-cooked shredded or sliced chicken.
- If you need to thicken up your alfredo sauce, make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water and stir it into the sauce. Let it cook and thicken for 5-10 minutes.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Chicken Alfredo Step-by-Step
Season the chicken: Place 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts over a board and pat the them dry. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
Saute the chicken breasts: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and saute the seasoned chicken breasts until browned but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
Cook in slow cooker with cream butter and salt: Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Add 2 cups of heavy cream and 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and sprinkle in the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low.
Prepare the penne pasta al dente : While the chicken is cooking, cook the 16 ounces of dry penne pasta to al dente according to package directions. Reserve at least 1½ cups of the pasta water.
Shred the chicken: Once chicken is cooked in slow cooker, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and slice or shred.
Add parmesan and garlic: Now that you have removed chicken from the heavy cream liquid, check If the heavy cream appears bit clumpy and separated. Use a whisk to stir it up.
Now stir in the ½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 2 cloves of minced garlic.
Add Pasta: Add the cooked and drained pasta.
Add shredded chicken: Finally add the shredded chicken and combine everything nicely.
Add pasta water: If the sauce is too thick, use the reserved water to get a perfect consistency.
Season with salt and pepper, and serve!
Recipe Variations
You can switch this recipe up with a few variations:
- Add in some spinach or kale with the pasta and stir until wilted.
- Try a different shape pasta, such as bowties or rigatoni.
- You can also make salmon, shrimp, or meatball Alfredo.
- Add broccoli florets, peas, or carrots for a veggie boost.
- Get an umami kick by adding in chopped bacon or pancetta.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover crockpot chicken Alfredo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low, adding a splash of water if needed.
I don’t recommend freezing it.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Alfredo is a complete meal in itself, but a I enjoy pairing it with a light Chopped Salad .
And if you want to stay in the Italian theme and serve this on a weeknight, you can also serve it with my Baked Zucchini Fries .
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Crockpot Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning store-bought or homemade
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups heavy cream (1 pint)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
- 16 ounces dry penne pasta (1 box)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and ground pepper. 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Once heated, sauté the chicken breasts until browned but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
- Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Add in the heavy cream and butter, and sprinkle in the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low. 2 cups heavy cream, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- While the chicken is cooking, cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Reserve at least 1½ cups of the pasta water. 16 ounces dry penne pasta
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker to slice or shred.
- If the heavy cream appears a bit clumpy and separated, use a whisk to stir it up in the slow cooker. Stir in the grated Parmesan and minced garlic. ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the cooked and drained pasta.
- Finally add shredded chicken to the slow cooker and give everything a stir.
- If more liquid is needed, stir in the pasta water, little by little.
- Season the chicken alfredo with salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- Cook your pasta separately to avoid mushy alfredo! I like to cook mine to al-dente and let it finish in the sauce.
- Don’t forget to save some of that pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed!
- To save time, you can use pre-cooked shredded or sliced chicken.
- If you need to thicken up your alfredo sauce, make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water and stir it into the sauce. Let it cook and thicken for 5-10 minutes.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
