Tender, creamy, and full of cheesy garlicky goodness, this Tuscan Chicken Pasta is made in the slow cooker for the easiest comfort food recipe you’ll ever make!
Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
If you know us, you know we love a good pasta recipe. However, with busy schedules and looking after kids, we don’t have tons of time to spend in the kitchen. Luckily, that’s where slow cooker recipes come into place! They’re our secret weapon for creating flavorful comfort food meals with minimal effort, and this Tuscan Chicken Pasta is one of our faves. Here’s why:
- It can be made ahead of time.
- It’s so tasty your kids won’t even realize they’re eating veggies.
- The slow cooking process creates the most tender, juicy chicken ever.
- All you have to do is combine the ingredients, and dinner is made!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken – For extra flavor, we prefer to use chicken thighs, but breasts can be used as well.
- Herbs and Spices – We used a wide array of herbs and spices to keep this recipe from being anything but bland. You’ll need salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, basil, and parsley. Don’t forget to add a squeeze of lemon juice, either!
- Veggies – For extra nutrients, we included onion, artichoke hearts, crushed tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes, but feel free to add in any veggies you like best.
- Broth – The best way to keep chicken moist, the broth also helps thin out the cheese for an ultra-creamy texture.
- Pasta – We like penne noodles best, but any pasta shape you have on hand is fine.
- Cheese – A hard cheese, Parmesan is our favorite and ideal for creating pasta sauces.
- Heavy Cream- Used to add extra creaminess and a rich taste, this recipe just isn’t the same without the heavy cream!
*Looking for a lighter option? Replace the heavy cream with half and half. Your pasta won’t be quite as creamy, but it will still be super tasty!
How to Make Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Recipe
Below is an overview of how we create this pasta dish but don’t forget to look at the recipe card for the full breakdown!
- Trim and season the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Add it to the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Add the rest of the seasonings along with the veggies and broth.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients, and stir to combine.
- Serve warm, and enjoy!
How Long Does This Recipe Last?
We love to make a big batch of this Tuscan Chicken Pasta for easy meals throughout the week! Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, or keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then, when you’re ready, just reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop!
What Can I Serve with This Recipe?
This pasta dish is super filling on its own. However, we also love to add a healthy appetizer or light side dish.
- Vibrant and refreshing, this Green Goddess Salad is a light appetizer perfect for pasta.
- Made with good-for-you ingredients, this Fall Harvest Salad is colorful and delicious!
- Simple ingredients yield tons of flavor with this Whipped Feta Recipe with Roasted Peppers.
- Always guaranteed to please a crowd, this White Bean Dip with Roasted Tomatoes couldn’t be easier to make.
More Family-Friendly Pasta Recipes
If your family is as passionate about pasta as ours are, you won’t want to miss these other hearty pasta recipes that are a breeze to make!
- A homemade version of hamburger helper, this One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta is a homemade version of everyone’s favorite childhood dish.
- With all of the flavors of Buffalo chicken in one comforting pasta dish, this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake will become your new favorite meal.
- So simple to make, this Feta Pasta Bake went viral for a reason!
- This Greek Pasta Bake is bursting with flavor for a Mediterranean-inspired meal you won’t be able to get enough of!
Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 8-10 boneless skinless chicken thighs (fat trimmed)
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes chopped
- 14 ounces canned artichoke hearts quartered
- 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup broth
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 16 ounces penne pasta cooked (al-dente)
- 12 ounces parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
Instructions
- Arrange the chicken thighs in the bottom of the slower cooker. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.8-10 boneless, 3 teaspoons salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons paprika
- Add garlic, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, fresh lemon juice, broth, and crushed tomatoes.3 cloves garlic, 1 yellow onion, 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, 14 ounces canned artichoke hearts, 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 cup broth, 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- Cover and cook for on high for 3-4 hours.
- Once cooked, add pasta, cheese, heavy cream, basil and parsley. Stir well. The chicken is so tender it will start to fall apart while stirring, without having to shred it!16 ounces penne pasta, 12 ounces parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup fresh basil, 1/4 cup fresh parsley
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is definitely a keeper. (Although I prefer it without pasta to avoid the carbs.). You do have to be careful of the veggies you add. I added celery and they weren’t quite done. The zucchini was fine. I avoided the lemon juice due to a citrus allergy. I did add extra cheese and also added some additional chicken stock concentrate to make it richer. I used crushed marzito tomatoes….although I am sure you can used diced..or even a pasta sauce. My store did not have fresh basil so I used lightly dried basil and was generous with it.
I made it for the staff at parent teacher conferences. I hope they like it…. Now I need to make it again for my family. My kids get leftovers today.
Thank you for the feedback, Helen! We’re glad you were able to make it work for you!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Should I use crushed tomatoes or diced? It says crushed in the recipe but diced in the instructions. Thanks!
Good catch! It is crushed tomatoes! Let us know how it turns out!
When do you add the sun dried tomatoes!!!
Good catch! We updated the recipe! xo, Alia & Radwa
Could you cook this on low for 8 hours? Also when you add the penne do you add it cooked or do you place it in the pot and return to heat?
Yes, you can! The penne is cooked when added!
Totally delicious!
If I have half the recipe, does it still need to cook for 3-4 hours? Or does the cook time go down?
Yes, it should cook in 2-3 hours!
Very yummy!!! Would add some fresh baby spinach next time I think.
Can I do this in the instant pot to speed it up?
Yes, you definitely can! Set on manual for 20 minutes!
Thanks! Made it in the crock pot and it was great! Happy to know how to do it in the instant pot 🙂
Awesome
This didn’t have much flavor. So I had to add a cup of spaghetti sauce, more garlic and even some Alfredo sauce. It helped.