Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Spaghetti
Let the chicken cook while you get on with the day, then cook the pasta near serving time. Homemade Alfredo goes in at the end, so the milk and cheese spend only a short time over heat. Spaghetti works here, and rotini is handy if you prefer a short pasta.
Homemade sauce: HKT Creamy Homemade Alfredo Sauce — https://www.homegrownkitchentable.com/all-recipes/creamy-homemade-alfredo-sauce
Homemade seasoning: HKT Homemade Italian Seasoning — https://www.homegrownkitchentable.com/all-recipes/homemade-italian-seasoning
Ingredients
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, fully thawed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon HKT Homemade Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon minced garlic
⅓ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes; drain well if oil-packed
½ cup water, for cooking the chicken
3¾ cups prepared HKT Creamy Homemade Alfredo Sauce; or use 2 jars (15 ounces each) Alfredo sauce
1 pound dry spaghetti, or rotini or another short pasta
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Put the fully thawed chicken in a 3–4-quart slow cooker. Mix the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, red pepper flakes and garlic with the measured ½ cup water. Pour around the chicken and scatter the sun-dried tomatoes over it. Cover with the lid.
Cook on LOW for about 2½–4 hours, checking the thickest part of every breast with a thermometer from about 2½ hours. The chicken is ready at 165°F; thicker pieces or a slower cooker may need longer. Keep the lid on between checks. Do not wait for the chicken to become dry enough to fall apart.
Near serving time, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pound of pasta according to its package until just tender. Before draining, save 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and leave the pot available for the final toss.
Move the cooked chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks or cut it into bite-size pieces. Transfer the garlic, tomatoes and cooking liquid from the slow cooker to a wide saucepan. Simmer uncovered for a few minutes if necessary to reduce the liquid to about ½ cup, keeping the tomatoes and garlic in the pan.
Lower the heat and stir all the prepared Alfredo sauce into the tomato mixture. Warm gently, stirring regularly; do not boil. Add the chicken and heat until it is hot throughout. Stir in the measured Parmesan and mozzarella until melted and the sauce is smooth.
Combine the drained pasta and all the chicken sauce in the large pasta pot. Toss over low heat until evenly coated and the chicken and sauce reach 165°F throughout. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water at a time, only as needed. Serve promptly rather than leaving the finished creamy pasta in the slow cooker.
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F. Use within 3–4 days. Reheat portions gently to 165°F throughout, stirring and adding a small splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.