This is the kind of dinner you set up in ten minutes and completely forget about until the kitchen starts smelling incredible. You layer raw chicken breasts over dry pasta shells, pour a simple creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce over everything, and let the slow cooker handle it. When it’s done, you’ve got tender shredded chicken in a rich, velvety sauce that coats every single shell. It’s weeknight comfort food at its easiest.
Why You’ll Love It
Dump-and-go easy — Everything goes into the slow cooker raw — no pre-cooking the chicken, no boiling the pasta separately. One bowl to mix the sauce, and you’re done until dinner.
Big garlic-Parmesan flavor — Roasted garlic gives the sauce a deep, mellow flavor that’s so much more interesting than plain garlic powder alone.
Family-friendly — Creamy pasta with shredded chicken is one of those meals everyone at the table actually eats. No complaints.
Flexible with what you have — The variations are endless: different herbs, a handful of spinach, chicken thighs instead of breasts. The base method stays the same.
Great for meal prep — Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of broth, making this just as good the next day for lunch.
Ingredient Notes
For the chicken, boneless skinless breasts work perfectly here because they shred easily after slow cooking. If you prefer dark meat, boneless skinless thighs are a great swap and come out even more tender.
Roasted garlic is what makes this sauce special. You can roast a whole head yourself (it’s easy and totally worth it), or grab a jar of roasted garlic from the store for convenience. Either way, mash it into a paste before adding it to the sauce so it blends in smoothly.
Use freshly grated Parmesan if you can — it melts into the sauce much better than the stuff in the green can, which can make the sauce grainy. A block of Parmigiano-Reggiano from the store works great.
For the cream, heavy cream gives you the richest result. If you want to lighten it up a bit, half heavy cream and half whole milk works, but the sauce won’t be quite as thick.
Ingredients
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 ounces medium pasta shells (uncooked, about 3 cups dry)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1½ cups heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
¼ cup roasted garlic cloves or paste (about 1 small head, mashed)
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
Lightly spray the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray. Spread the dry pasta shells in an even layer across the bottom.
Lay the raw chicken breasts on top of the shells, pressing them down slightly so they’re nestled in.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan, roasted garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until mostly smooth. The Parmesan may make it slightly lumpy — that’s fine.
Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken and shells, making sure the pasta is as covered as possible. Dot the top with the butter pieces.
Cover and cook on LOW for 3½ to 4½ hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 2½ hours, until the chicken reads 165°F and the shells are tender. Try not to lift the lid during the first couple of hours — it slows down the cooking and the pasta won’t cook as evenly.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir everything together until the sauce is coating the shells and the chicken is evenly mixed in.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce looks too thick, stir in a tablespoon or two of warm broth or cream. Let everything sit on WARM for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken up, then top with extra Parmesan and parsley before serving.
Variations & Substitutions
Chicken thighs work just as well as breasts here and stay extra juicy — use the same amount and same cook time. For the herbs, feel free to swap the Italian seasoning for a mix of dried basil and oregano, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a little heat. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, stir in a handful of baby spinach or some frozen peas for color and veggies. You can also mix in a little shredded mozzarella or Asiago with the Parmesan for a slightly different cheesy flavor.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta will absorb more sauce as it sits, so when reheating, add a splash of chicken broth or cream and stir over medium-low heat until warmed through. The microwave works too — just add a little liquid and cover loosely. I don’t recommend freezing this one since the cream sauce can separate, but honestly it never lasts that long anyway.
Serving Suggestions
Serve straight from the slow cooker with steamed broccoli, a simple green salad, or roasted green beans on the side to balance the richness. Crusty bread or a warm baguette is perfect for scooping up any extra sauce left in the bowl. A sprinkle of cracked black pepper and extra Parmesan on top right before serving makes it look like you really put in effort.