Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs/tenders as desired)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 cups chicken broth (or 1 can, 14.5 oz, if preferred)
4 tablespoons butter (or 2 tablespoons as alternate)
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (reduce to 1 tablespoon for less heat)
½ teaspoon garlic powder (optionally add onion powder for extra flavor)
1 pound uncooked penne pasta (or any short pasta; fettuccine can be used if preferred but cook separately)
1 to 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese (can substitute or mix with cheddar or pepper jack cheese)
Optional: 1 teaspoon paprika
Optional vegetables: 1 cup frozen or fresh bell peppers and onions, or 2 cups mini bell peppers
Optional: 14 ounces sliced sausage (such as andouille, kielbasa, or Italian sausage) or substitute shrimp or salmon
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Place chicken breasts, heavy cream, chicken broth, butter, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, and optional paprika, vegetables, and sausage into a 6-quart crock pot.
2. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
3. Remove chicken from pot and shred or dice into large pieces.
4. Whisk the sauce in the crock pot, return shredded chicken, then stir in the uncooked pasta. If using long pasta like fettuccine, cook separately to avoid mushiness.
5. Cover and cook on high for 20 to 30 minutes until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, cover for 5 minutes to melt cheese and thicken the sauce.
7. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve warm. Optionally top with extra Parmesan and dried parsley.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
🍴 For quicker shredding, use a hand mixer or two forks.
🌶 Adjust spice heat by halving Cajun seasoning or using milder sausage. Add hot sauce on the side for individual heat preference.
🥦 Incorporate vegetables like bell peppers or broccoli to make it a one-pot complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours 30 minutes to 6 hours 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 to 6 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high, plus 20-30 minutes to cook pasta
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Cajun
- Diet: Flexible
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous portion
- Calories: 465-876 kcal
- Sugar: Varies
- Sodium: 300-843 mg
- Fat: 14-53 g
- Saturated Fat: 6-27 g
- Unsaturated Fat: Varies
- Trans Fat: Varies
- Carbohydrates: 48-66 g
- Fiber: 2-5 g
- Protein: 33-34 g
- Cholesterol: 133-182 mg