Slow Cooker Pasta Recipes: Creamy Chicken Penne

• The chicken cooks directly in seasoned sauce, eliminating a skillet and splatter. Marinara supplies concentrated tomato flavor while broth loosens the mixture enough for dry penne later. Cream cheese melts at the end, making a clingy sauce without a roux.
• Adding pasta only after the chicken is tender prevents it from sitting for hours. Penne needs a short finishing window and occasional stirring so the tubes cook evenly.
• The ingredient list relies on refrigerator basics and pantry jars. Spinach wilts directly into the hot sauce for color without another pan or draining step at all.

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (680 g)
• 3 cups jarred marinara sauce (680 g)
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (360 g)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (2 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (2 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (1 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (3 g)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed (227 g)
• 12 ounces dry penne pasta (340 g)
• 2 packed cups baby spinach (60 g)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (50 g)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (8 g)

Ingredient notes

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook directly in the sauce and shred easily. Thighs also work, but choose boneless pieces and trim large pockets of fat first. Cut oversized breasts horizontally so each piece finishes at roughly the same pace.
• Choose a marinara you already like because it forms the sauce base. A smoother jar coats the penne more evenly than a chunky vegetable sauce. Avoid varieties labeled thick pizza sauce, which can leave too little liquid for pasta.
• Chicken broth thins the marinara before the pasta goes in. Regular or reduced-sodium broth both fit; adjust the added salt only after the final stir. Water works, but the finished sauce will taste less rounded.
• Full-fat block cream cheese gives the sauce its smoothest finish. Cube it cold so the pieces distribute quickly. Whipped tub cream cheese may work, although it can make the sauce noticeably looser after stirring.
• Use standard dry penne, not no-boil lasagna noodles or fresh pasta. The sturdy tubes tolerate the finishing time and hold sauce well. Baby spinach is easiest because it needs no chopping and folds in quickly.

1. 11. Set up the cooker

   Coat the slow cooker insert lightly with cooking spray. You will dirty 1 dish, total: the cooker insert. Set the lid nearby, plus a fork for shredding. Use a six-quart cooker; no oven rack or sheet pan is needed.

   

2. 22. Build the sauce

   Pour marinara and broth into the insert. Add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Stir briefly with the same fork or spoon until the seasonings disappear. The sauce should look loose now; the dry pasta will absorb part of that liquid later.

3. 33. Arrange the chicken

   Lay the chicken breasts over the sauce in one loose layer. Leave small gaps between pieces rather than stacking them. That spacing helps the pieces cook at a similar rate and makes them simpler to lift out for shredding.

   

4. 44. Cook until tender

   Cover and cook on LOW until the chicken is tender, about four hours. Lift one piece onto a clean plate, shred it with two forks, then return it to the sauce. Keep the cooker on LOW while you prepare the finishing ingredients.

5. 55. Add pasta and cheese

   Stir in the dry penne and cream cheese cubes. Press the pasta down so most pieces touch the liquid, but do not pack it tightly. Cover and cook for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through to separate any clumps.

6. 66. Finish and serve

   When the penne is tender, stir firmly until the cream cheese becomes a smooth sauce. Fold in spinach and Parmesan. Cover for two minutes to wilt the leaves, then taste and adjust salt. Serve immediately because the pasta continues absorbing sauce as it stands.

• Use a six-quart slow cooker for this amount of pasta. Smaller inserts make the sauce deeper, which slows pasta softening and encourages clumps.
• Keep the chicken in a single loose layer. Do not stack breasts or wedge them tightly together. Even spacing matters before the pasta arrives.
• Check penne at 25 minutes, then every five minutes. Slow cooker temperatures vary, and overcooked pasta becomes soft quickly.
• Stir once halfway through the pasta stage. Scrape the bottom corners, then press exposed penne under the sauce. Do not keep lifting the lid.
• If the sauce tightens before pasta is tender, add broth one-quarter cup at a time. Stir first; cream cheese can look separated until it fully melts.

Serve this chicken penne in shallow bowls with extra Parmesan at the table. A bagged green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the creamy tomato sauce. Garlic bread works, but it creates another pan unless you buy it ready to warm. For vegetables without extra cookware, add sliced cucumbers, pepper strips, or cherry tomatoes alongside each bowl. Keep portions modest at first; the pasta is filling and thickens as it sits.