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.
Use 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 with Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken (I used breast tenders)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ 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
Instructions
- 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 ½ 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)
Nutrition
2014 Photo
More Delicious Pasta Recipes for your Slow Cooker:
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Pasta
Can I use 2 1/2 pounds of chicken?
I would double the recipe if using that much chicken.
I tried it and really loved the flavor but I used noodles made from chickpeas. The whole thing was very mushy. I'll have to try it again with traditional pasta noodles.
Unfortunately I've never had luck with gluten free pasta in the slow cooker. You will enjoy it much more with regular pasta!
This looks so good. Im making it tonight for my family's dinner.
Do I cook the pasta before I put it in the crock pot with the chicken?
Or do I add it dry into the chicken broth?
Hi Andrew! You will add it dry and it will cook during those last 30-60 minutes (mine usually take 45 minutes). Be sure to stir a few times for best results.