Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese is a simple and easy way to make totally homemade mac and cheese without a ton of work. Add garlic chicken to make it a filling meal the whole family will love.
This is the perfect family meal, and because my family loves it so much I thought it was time to update the recipe!! I originally shared back in May 2014 and a recipe that’s still in rotation 3 years later certainly deserves some more love! I first made this on a weekend when some girlfriends and I hit the road for a little trip that just happened to involve running at half marathon the last day. If you are interested in taking a trip back in time with me check out the rest of the post. If not, just feel free to scroll on along and grab the recipe for this Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese with Garlic Chicken!
Original post from May 6, 2014!!
So good to get away and to spend more time with these lovely ladies! But more on that in a minute. First I want to tell you about this mac and cheese I made for my family before I left so that they could have full bellies and leftovers.
So easy to make and so creamy and delicious and uses REAL cheese! You will cook the chicken all day with lots of garlic and broth and then during the last 30-60 minutes add in the noodles and cheese. Very easy and so much better than boxed mac and cheese.
MY LATEST VIDEOSUse any kind of cheese you like the most. I used a combo of sharp yellow cheddar and sharp white cheddar. I really like that extra bite of flavor. You will also use a little cream cheese to help smooth it all out and add that little extra richness. The richness of all that cheese is balanced out with the garlicky chicken. The whole family loved this and when I got home all the leftovers were gone too! Always the sign of a well received meal.
Now more about the weekend and the race! We were able to hit the road on Friday night and had such a fun drive even running into another one of our friends traveling with her family at a stop along the way. Such a fun surprise! We were able to stay with the brother and sister-in-law of my friend and they were so lovely to host us! Blueberry pancakes and bacon for breakfast!!! And a lovely pre-race dinner made by her mom! Such a wonderful family!
We did our best to document our trip in photos….But I never did get a food pic! I was too busy chowing down! Here is our attempt at a selfie. The weather was perfect all weekend. We were able to go to the race expo and catch a funny movie. So relaxing to laugh with your friends! Race day couldn’t have been more perfect. Nice and cool and a lovely course lined with lots of spectators cheering. The miles flew by and goals were met. Must do this all again soon!
Now back to mac and cheese!!
This meal is perfect for:
- post soccer practice hungry kiddos
- pre-race carb loading
- indulgent comforting meal
- taking to a friend in need
I mean, it’s not like we need a reason to enjoy Mac and Cheese, it’s just that making it from scratch has always been a lot of work, until we made it in the slow cooker!
Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese is a simple and easy way to make totally homemade mac and cheese without a ton of work. Add garlic chicken to make it a filling meal the whole family will love.
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken (I used breast tenders)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 16 oz pasta noodles (choose your favorite)
- 12 oz shredded cheese of choice (I used 6 oz each of sharp white and yellow cheddar)
- 4 oz cream cheese
- Place chicken in crock and add broth, garlic, garlic powder, salt and pepper
- Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for about 3 until chicken is fully cooked
- Remove chicken from crock and shred with two forks
Add noodles, shredded cheese and cream cheese to slow cooker along with chicken
- Stir well to coat and combine noodles
- Cover and cook on high for 30-60 minutes, stir once or twice during this time for best results
Pasta is done with liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente (or softer if you prefer). You can more liquid if necessary adding 1/2 cup at a time. An extra splash of milk before serving will make it really creamy.
Stir and serve immediately (don't leave finished Mac and Cheese sitting on warm)
2014 Photo
More Delicious Pasta Recipes for your Slow Cooker:
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Pasta
I have been looking for a recipe like this that cooks the pasta right in the crockpot but I’m a bit nervous about how that works out – has anyone else tried this or other recipes cooking raw pasta in the crock? Thanks if you can help!
give it a try!! It really works!! I’ve done it several times now and the key is to have the right amount of liquid so that it gets fully cooked without getting mushy.
I just made this for my family and I have to say it was absolutely delicious. Probably one of the best mac and cheeses I’ve ever had. I used 4 ounces of creamy havarti, 4 ounces of parmentino and 8 ounces of sharp Vermont cheddar. I will definitely make this again and I’m very happy to have finally found a good macaroni and cheese recipe.
Awesome! I love your cheese choices…such a perfect combo! So glad you enjoyed!!
How many servings, roughly cup size, does this make? Thanks! 🙂
I’m not entirely sure as I did not measure out the cooked meal… but a box of the pasta I used indicates it makes nine cooked cups. Add in the chicken and cheese and I’d say you are at around 10 cups. This fed my husband and two kids two meals each with one more helping left over. Hope that helps!
I used less chicken, add chickpeas and died carrots with 3 cups broth to poach the chicken in (I had two bone in thighs) then removed bones from chicken and add cheese and pasta along with thawed peas and broccoli. It was really good, I will try it again with other variations of vegetables or type of cheese! thanks!
Awesome!! Thanks for letting me know! Great ideas…I love adding veggies to meals whenever possible. Your additions sound delicious. 🙂
After you shred the chicken do u return it to the crockpot with the liquid it cooked in ?
Yes! Add it back in along with the pasta and cheeses.
This was scrumptious! …I made a big boo-boo and learned my lesson…do not use any VEL***A cheese 😛 in the recipe…I thought I’d just toss in a tiny bit of V cheese some to finish off a bit I had left over from another recipe, and it made the dish taste like plastic when it cooled. I know that this was my fault, and it will not taste like that with real cheeses, will definitely make this again and the V will not be added, only using shredded cheese. 🙂 It is so simple! Thanks!
Can you please tell me where you bought that darling necklace shown in the one photo (rectangle with heart)?
Haha! I am too much of a cheese lover to use that stuff too often 😉
I don’t remember the name of the vendor but I got the necklace at the race expo for the Lincoln Marathon and Half!
Hi Jennifer! I just found your blog through pinterest and I’m really excited to try this recipe this weekend. I’ve never cooked noodles in a crockpot before so fingers crossed that I do it right!
Let me know how it turns out!
Hi my chicken is in crockpot now with broth mixture .. But I was wondering if you needed to boil the macaroni at all prior to putting it in crockpot ? Thank!
Nope! Just let it cook in the crock!
Hello,
I am currently making this. However, I had leftover raw chicken cut into pieces from fondue the other night, so I am using those. But I’m not sure if it is cooking right. The chicken has made the broth slightly grainy looking. Will this be okay? Or when I go to shred the chicken, should I dump the old broth and put in new broth?
It should be okay. Hard to tell without seeing it but I’d bet it’s just a little of the fat and juices from the chicken and once everything is all cooked and shredded it will go away.
Am trying this meal for dinner tonight, chicken is cooking as we speak! I like other people am a bit nervous about the pasta coming out right, any tips from anyone who has cooked raw pasta in a crock?
Just made this today! Great for a cold winter day!
Do u know if I’m using penne, if a 12 oz box will be enough? Or should I use a box and a half?
I would just cut back on your chicken broth using 2 1/4 cups instead of 3 unless you need more pasta to feed more people 🙂
This recipe looks so yummy I cannot wait to try it. I am going to sub Gluten free pasta so I will have to monitor the liquid but I think it will be fine. Question though, is there anything you would recommend substituting for the cream cheese? I never have it on hand and if I bouht it for this the remainder would just go to waste. I’m wondering if butter and a little additional cheese would do the trick…
The cream cheese just kind of helps smooth everything out and make more of a cheese sauce. I haven’t tried it but yes, maybe upping the butter and adding a little milk might help? But the sauce will probably be a bit thin compared to using the cream cheese.
Hey, I was thinking about making this but doubling the chicken while keeping the same amount of pasta. Since the broth seems to be mostly for the pasta, do you think it would be best to still use 3 cups, or add a bit extra for the chicken?
Yes, I would probably leave the broth the same and then just add a little as needed at the end to get the pasta fully cooked.
Just cooked this and it is awesome Jennifer. ….possibly one of the best things I’ve ever eaten!
That’s awesome! Thanks so much!
Hi! The recipe sounds amazing. I’m looking to make something like this for a potluck at work tomorrow, but will need to sit in the crock for several hours. Any recommendations for that? I hate for it to get gummy, but really would like to make it! 🙂 I mean, it’s CHEESE!! Thanks!
Hi Rachel! So sorry I missed this yesterday…. did you end up making it? It could get a little gummy if it sits too long, but you could help it by adding a little more broth. And hopefully it will get eaten up quick enough that it won’t even be an issue 😉
Will it cook okay if I halve the recipe? And would I just halve the cook time as well?
The cooking time will be the same, you will just need to use a smaller slow cooker.
I’ve made this before and it is DELICIOUS! I was wondering if it would be able to be made without the chicken? I’d leave all the other ingredients in, just wanted to make it as a side for a different protein (ribs – yum!). I don’t really want to search for/attempt a new recipe since I know this is super yummy. Any advice/thoughts?
Yes, obviously you wouldn’t have to make it in the slow cooker without the chicken, but if you wanted to I’d just do everything without the chicken for an hour or two and then follow the remaining recipe as written. I’m so glad you love it!!!
Do i have to use cream cheese in the recipe? Or can i just use regular cheese and milk?
You’ll need it to thicken the sauce in this recipe. You could try a cornstarch slurry, but I haven’t tested this yet so I’m not sure how it would turn out.
Can I use frozen chicken breast, or is it best to use thawed?
For food safety, it’s always best to use thawed meat in the slow cooker.