Slow Cooker Simple Chicken Spaghetti
Given the choice do you prefer to cook at home or go out to dinner? When we were young and wild (okay just young, we were never wild) I would have said, hands-down, go out to dinner. But as time goes by and I have learned more about cooking and we have a family and our schedules are busier we start thinking about things like value of our time and value of our money. And it just seems more and more that hanging out in our kitchen at home in what we would rather do. We enjoy working together as a family to get food on the table and it’s fun to come up with our own custom creations. Even on days when we have food in the slow cooker it’s fun to let the kids pick some side dishes or help with putting some bread in the oven then hanging out to talk about our days.
This family friendly meal is so simple yet so delicious you will love to make it over and over again. Even the pickiest eaters should find something to love about this simple, creamy and tasty spaghetti.
I had to get creative because my three year old will have nothing to do with tomatoes which makes the idea of traditional spaghetti pretty much into a no-go. You could easily add a can of diced tomatoes or tomato sauce if you wanted to but it’s also amazing without.
Instead I started of by browning a little butter in the skillet along with some garlic and sage. Add that base to the crock along with chicken thighs (so much flavor!!) and broth and it can just cook all day. Once it’s done add a little cream and pasta and dinner will be on the table in 30 minutes! Serve it up with crusty bread, a green salad or your family favorite side. Let the kids help!! Family dinner at it’s best!
Simple Chicken Spaghetti Recipe in the Slow Cooker
Equipment
- Skillet
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 3 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 12 oz spaghetti noodles
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat skillet to medium-high heat
- Cut butter into 1 tablespoon pieces and add to skillet
- Let butter melt until it starts to bubble, then whisk
- Add garlic, sage, and salt to butter; continue whisking until the bubbles dissipate and the butter starts to develop brown specks and takes on a nutty aroma
- Remove skillet from heat and continue to whisk for 1-2 more minutes while it cools
- Add butter to slow cooker along with chicken breasts, broth, and can of diced tomatoes and chilies
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours until chicken is fully cooked
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks
- Add heavy cream, spaghetti noodles, and parmesan cheese to slow cooker and press the noodles into the liquid until fully covered and they start to soften
- Return chicken to the slow cooker and give everything a stir to combine
- Turn slow cooker to high and continue to cook for 30-40 minutes (stirring 2-3 times throughout) until pasta is cooked to al dente
- Serve with an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese and parsley or as desired
Notes
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in the microwave.
- If noodles are not completely cooked or too dry at the end, add a little more broth and continue cooking while stirring occasionally.
- If there is too much sauce, you can thicken it by making a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Stir it into the slow cooker mixture and let it heat through.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free spaghetti noodles and reduce the broth by ¼ cup. Cooking time may be slightly less, so monitor in the last 30-60 minutes.
This has to be one of the best pasta dishes I have seen in a while.. and I LOVE that it can be made easily in a crockpot. A perfect recipe in my eyes!
It’s very simple but still super tasty 🙂