Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Pasta
This Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Pasta takes the viral favorite hands-off, with tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and creamy ditalini pasta made right in your slow cooker. It's a fuss-free dinner your family will ask for again and again.
Quick Look: Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Ready In: 4 hours
Serves: Amount Goes Here
Calories: Calories Goes Here
Main Ingredients: Ingredients Go Here
Why You'll Love It: Dietary Info Go Here
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If you've been anywhere near Pinterest or TikTok in the last couple of years, you've probably seen Marry Me Chicken pop up approximately a thousand times, and there's a reason: it's seriously *that* good. This Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Pasta takes all of that creamy, sun-dried tomato flavor and turns it into a completely hands-off dinner.
Diced chicken and onion go into the slow cooker with sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and broth, then ditalini, cream, and Parmesan get stirred in near the end to turn it into a full, cozy pasta dinner.
This isn't the first time I've put a Marry Me Chicken spin on something around here. My Marry Me Chicken Orzo Soup has been a reader favorite for exactly this reason. If you love a creamy slow cooker chicken dinner in general, my Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Gnocchi Soup is another one worth bookmarking. And if dump-and-go pasta dinners are your thing, my No Boil Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a similar level of easy.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Hands-off - everything goes into the slow cooker from start to finish. No stovetop searing required.
All the Marry Me Chicken flavor - sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and a creamy sauce, without babysitting a skillet.
A fun pasta shape - ditalini gives this a different texture than the usual penne or orzo and my kids really love it.
Great for a weeknight - minimal prep, and the slow cooker does the rest of the work.
Key Ingredients
Chicken Breasts - diced small so they cook through evenly and shred easily into the sauce.
Onion - adds a savory base flavor as everything simmers together.
Italian Seasoning - this simple herb blend does a lot of the flavor work.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes - I always use the variety that is packed in oil, as I think they have so much more flavor. This is the ingredient the whole "Marry Me Chicken" flavor is built around, tangy and slightly sweet.
Ditalini - this small, tube-shaped pasta cooks right in the slow cooker and gives the dish a fun, bite-sized texture.
Heavy Cream - turns the broth into a rich, creamy sauce.
Parmesan Cheese - adds saltiness and helps thicken the sauce.
Spinach - stirred in at the very end for a pop of color and nutrition.
Please refer to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients.
Substitutions and Variations
Chicken swap - boneless, skinless chicken thighs work in place of breasts, if that's what you have. You could also use chicken or turkey tenders.
Pasta swap - orzo or another small pasta shape, like small shells, can be used in place of ditalini.
Lighter option - half and half can be used instead of heavy cream, though the sauce will be a little less rich.
A little heat - a pinch of red pepper flakes stirred in with the Italian seasoning adds some kick, if your family likes spice.
Extra veggies - stir in a handful of chopped kale, some sautéed zucchini or mushrooms, in place of, or in addition to, the spinach.
How to Make Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Step 1.
Optional: sauté the onion in olive oil in a skillet or slow cooker with sauté function. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, chicken, and broth. Cook on low for 4 hours.
Step 2.
Add the cream and pasta and cook on high for 30 minutes.
Step 3.
Stir in the Parmesan and spinach and place the lid back on for another 5-ish minutes until the spinach is wilted.
Step 4.
Serve topped with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Dice the chicken evenly. Similarly sized pieces cook at the same rate, so no piece ends up under or overdone.
Stir well when you add the cream and Parmesan. This helps the sauce come together smoothly instead of separating.
Check the pasta a few minutes early. Slow cookers vary, so start checking at the 25-minute mark to make sure the ditalini doesn't overcook.
Add the spinach last. Stirring it in at the very end keeps it from turning mushy or overcooked.
Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe FAQs
Yes. Any small pasta shape, like orzo or small shells, will work in place of ditalini. Cooking time may vary slightly, so check for doneness a few minutes early.
Yes, boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well here and stay just as tender.
While I love freezer meals, I don't recommend freezing this one. Creamy, dairy-based sauces like this tend to separate once thawed, so it's best enjoyed fresh or as a next-day leftover.
This is a complete meal on its own, but I like a simple side salad or some crusty bread for soaking up extra sauce.
Other Cozy Dinner Recipes to Consider
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 white onion diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil chopped
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup chopped spinach
Instructions
- Optional: Sauté the onion in olive oil in a large skillet or in the slow cooker with the sauté function prior to adding the other ingredients. Not required but I like sautéing the onions prior to cooking them in the slow cooker
- Add the onion, olive oil, Italian seasoning, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.
- Stir in the ditalini pasta and heavy cream.
- Cover and cook on low for 30 more minutes, until the pasta is tender.
- Stir in the Parmesan and chopped spinach and cook until wilted.
- Serve warm topped with additional Parmesan cheese.
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Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Not recommended for freezing, as the cream sauce may separate once thawed.
