Healthy crockpot chicken alfredo is creamy, delicious, full of flavor, and picky eater-approved! Tender chicken, creamy sauce, and firm yet tender pasta create a lightened-up version of this classic pasta dish. Easy to throw together in one pot for busy weeknights!
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You'll Love This Healthy Crockpot Chicken Alfredo!
- Family favorite meal to throw in the crock pot for busy days.
- Slow cooker chicken alfredo pasta has simple ingredients.
- Quick to prep! Put this healthy crockpot chicken alfredo together with minimal effort.
- Easy crockpot chicken recipe that is a delicious cozy fall dinner!
Ingredients, Variations, and Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Chicken broth: use chicken broth, bone broth, or chicken bouillon mixed with water.
- Garlic powder and onion powder: you can also add Italian seasoning for more flavor. Add spice by topping the meal with red pepper flakes or use Cajun seasoning like our creamy cajun alfredo.
- Sea salt and black pepper: not pictured above but necessary for flavorful chicken.
- Butter: use dairy-free butter if making the dairy-free alfredo sauce (recipe below.)
Alfredo Sauce Ingredients
- Cream cheese: use Neufchatel cheese for a low-fat version.
- Milk: I used 2% milk but you could use whole milk if you prefer.
- Parmesan cheese: I prefer this cheese over mozzarella cheese.
- Fresh garlic cloves: Fresh garlic is the best for this recipe. Use garlic powder as a substitution.
- All-purpose flour: helps to thicken the sauce. You can also add prepared cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
- Sea salt and black pepper: Season to taste.
Healthy Crockpot Chicken Alfredo Pasta Variations
- Use fettuccine for a traditional noodle.
- Egg noodles or other broad noodles also work.
- Short pasta like penne or rigatoni.
- For a low-carb option, use spaghetti squash.
Dairy-free Alfredo Sauce Ingredients
To make dairy free alfredo sauce, you make the following substitutions:
- Use raw, soaked cashews instead of cream cheese.
- Plain almond or oat milk substitutes for milk.
- Nutritional yeast takes the place of parmesan cheese.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe with the best results. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.
- Season the chicken with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Place the chicken into the crock pot and place butter cubes on top of the chicken. Cook the chicken for 2-3 hours on low, or until the chicken is cooked to 165 F.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot temporarily. Skim out any chicken fat from the liquid and then add the milk, flour, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, and minced garlic. Whisk until fully incorporated.
- Place the chicken back into the pot and cover. Allow the chicken to cook for an additional 30 minutes. Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions, using the al dente cooking time.
- While the pasta cooks, reserve a cup of pasta water. Remove pasta once al dente and place into the crock pot. Shred or cut the chicken into smaller pieces. Stir until the shredded chicken is well-coated. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley.
How to Make Dairy-free Alfredo Sauce
Add cashews to a bowl of water and soak them overnight. Add cashews, 1 cup of the cashew soaking water, a large onion, and two garlic cloves to a food processor and process them until smooth.
Stir the dairy-free alfredo sauce into the crock pot with the cooked chicken. Use extra pasta water to thin the sauce as necessary.
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover chicken alfredo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish in 60-second intervals or until heated through.
- Freezing is not recommended.
Expert Tips
- For the best results follow the recipe card as followed without substitutions.
- Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your chicken.
- The alfredo sauce will thicken as it sits. This recipe is great to prep ahead of time and leave on warm for 1-2 hours before dinner is served.
- Reserve extra pasta water for thinning the sauce or reheating.
- The chicken will be cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- Cut the butter and cream cheese into small cubes before adding to the crock pot.
- Serve with a side of garlic bread and a green salad.
Recipe FAQs
Raw, defrosted chicken can be added directly into a crock pot. Searing the chicken before slow cooking does help to create juicy chicken.
It is not recommended to use frozen chicken in the crock pot.
The chicken can be cooked and frozen, but I do not recommend freezing the pasta or alfredo sauce.
Although you can cook pasta in the crock pot, I recommend cooking it separately to ensure the best texture. Cooking the pasta separately also enables you to reserve pasta water for adding flavor to the pasta and to thin the sauce if necessary.
Yes! Any broad or short pasta shape like fettuccine, penne, cavatappi, ziti, or shells will work well. I do not recommend thin spaghetti or angel hair.
Other Slow Cooker Recipes to Cook!
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Healthy Crockpot Chicken Alfredo
Equipment
- Slow Cooker or Crock Pot (Amazon affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 12 oz. fettuccine cooked al dente
Chicken Ingredients
- 1.25 pound chicken breast about 3 chicken breasts
- ¼ cup butter cubed
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Alfredo Sauce Ingredients
- 2 oz. cream cheese
- 4 oz. Parmesan cheese
- 1.3 cups 2% milk
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
Chicken Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Place the chicken into the crock pot and place butter cubes on top of the chicken. Cook the chicken for 2-3 hours on low, or until the chicken is cooked to 165 F.1.25 pound chicken breast, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, salt and pepper, ¼ cup butter
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot temporarily. Skim out any chicken fat from the liquid.
Healthy Alfredo Sauce Instructions
- To the pot, add the milk, flour, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, and minced garlic. Whisk until fully incorporated.2 oz. cream cheese, 4 oz. Parmesan cheese, 1.3 cups 2% milk, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 cloves garlic
- Place the chicken back into the pot and cover. Allow the chicken to cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions, using the al dente cooking time. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.12 oz. fettuccine
- Remove pasta once al dente and place into the crock pot. Shred or cut the chicken into smaller pieces. Stir until the shredded chicken is well-coated. Top with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
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Hannah says
Consistency turned out like soup. It wasn't very flavorful, I had to add a bunch more spices to make it palatable. The directions lacked some key steps.
Lyndsey Piccolino says
Sorry it didn't work out for you. Blessings in the new year!
Deanna says
Did not turn out thick like Alfredo. I’m serving creamy ,soggy chicken noodle soup. Why this was listed as dairy free I don’t know. Used my dairy free products to make it so.
Lyndsey Piccolino says
Hi Deanna, This recipe was updated as of November 14 and is not dairy-free. You may have been referring to an outdated pin if you found the recipe via Pinterest. The sauce thickens up quite nicely as it sits as per the directions in the recipe card. Sorry it didn't work out for you.
Lindsey says
You don't list the chicken broth. How much did you use?
Lyndsey Piccolino says
Hi Lindsey - sorry about that! I have updated the recipe. It is one cup.