Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Here’s how to make Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken Pasta — all the creamy, sun-dried tomato goodness with minimal hands-on time.

Ingredients (serves 4–6)

For the chicken:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• ½ tsp garlic powder

For the sauce:

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1 cup heavy cream (added at the end)

• ½ cup grated Parmesan (plus more for serving)

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed, drained and chopped) + 2 tbsp of their oil

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• 2 cups fresh spinach (optional)

For the pasta:

• 12 oz penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine

• Reserved pasta water for thinning

Garnish:

• Fresh basil, chopped

• Extra Parmesan

Instructions

1. Season the chicken. Pat dry, rub with olive oil, and coat with salt, pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.

2. Load the slow cooker. Place chicken in the bottom. Pour in chicken broth, then add garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, the 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.

3. Cook.

   • Low: 4–5 hours

   • High: 2–3 hours

   • Chicken should reach 165°F and shred easily.

4. Shred the chicken. Remove chicken, shred with two forks, and return to the slow cooker.

5. Add the creamy elements. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and spinach. Cover and cook on low 15–20 minutes until spinach wilts and sauce is smooth. Don’t boil after adding cream and cheese or it can break.

6. Cook the pasta separately in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water.

7. Combine. Add pasta to the slow cooker and toss to coat. Thin with pasta water if needed.

8. Serve. Top with fresh basil and extra Parmesan.

Tips

• Cook pasta separately. Pasta cooked in the slow cooker gets mushy and absorbs too much sauce.

• Add dairy last. Cream and Parmesan curdle if cooked for hours — stir them in at the end.

• Thighs vs. breasts. Thighs stay juicier over long cook times; breasts are leaner but can dry out past 5 hours on low.

• Make it saucier. Add an extra ¼–½ cup cream or broth if you like a looser sauce.

• No sun-dried tomatoes? Roasted red peppers plus a spoonful of tomato paste work in a pinch, though the flavor won’t be identical.

Timing note

Total time is roughly 4½–5½ hours on low, including the final cream/cheese step, plus pasta boiling. It’s not a “dump everything and walk away for 8 hours” recipe — the end steps matter for texture.

Want a dump-and-go version using jarred sauce, or a slow cooker recipe where the pasta cooks in the pot (creamier but softer)?