Crockpot Creamy Tuscan Pasta

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This crockpot creamy Tuscan pasta cooks start to finish in the slow cooker. Chicken simmers with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and Italian seasoning until it shreds, then the pasta, cream and spinach go into the same pot.

Two chicken breasts are enough to feed six once the pasta is added, and evaporated milk can stand in for the heavy cream if that’s what you have. It’s a restaurant-style dinner built mostly from the pantry.

There’s no separate pot of pasta to boil and drain. Everything happens in the slow cooker.

Ingredients and Swaps

• Chicken: Two boneless, skinless breasts, about 1 pound. Boneless thighs work too.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: The oil-packed kind in a jar, drained and chopped. They’re the most expensive item here, and a small jar is enough for two batches.
• Cream: Heavy cream is richest. Evaporated milk or half-and-half make a lighter sauce.
• Pasta: Penne, rotini or another short shape, added dry at the end.
• Spinach: Fresh baby spinach. Chopped kale works with a few extra minutes.

Tips for Slow Cooker Pasta

• Add the pasta last. Pasta cooked for hours turns to mush. It goes in for only the final 20–30 minutes.
• Switch to high. The liquid needs to be hot enough to cook the pasta.
• Stir and check. Stir once halfway through and start tasting at 20 minutes. Stop when the pasta is just tender.
• Adjust the sauce. If it’s too thick, add a splash of broth. If it’s thin, let it stand uncovered for 5 minutes.

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Crockpot Creamy Tuscan Pasta

Chicken slow cooked with sun-dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning, then finished in the same pot with penne, spinach, cream and Parmesan.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1 pound
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• 2 cups uncooked penne pasta about 8 ounces
• ½ cup heavy cream or evaporated milk
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Black pepper to taste

Method

 

1. Add the chicken, broth, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and salt to the slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 4–6 hours, until the chicken is tender enough to shred.
3. Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks and return it to the pot.
4. Stir in the pasta and cream. Cover and cook on high for 20–30 minutes, stirring once, until the pasta is just tender.
5. Stir in the spinach and Parmesan until the spinach wilts and the sauce is creamy. Season with pepper and more salt if needed.

Notes

• Rotisserie chicken saves time. See the questions above for the adjusted method.
• Kale can replace the spinach.
• For a meatless version, use white beans in place of the chicken.

What to Serve with It

A Classic Caesar Salad and garlic bread turn it into a full Italian-style dinner. For a quicker stovetop pasta, try One-Pot Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta.

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Reheat on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of milk or broth, stirring often.
• Freezing isn’t recommended. Cream sauces separate and the pasta turns soft.

Tuscan Pasta Questions

Can I use leftover or rotisserie chicken?

Yes. Skip the long cook. Heat the broth, tomatoes and seasonings on high for 30 minutes, then add 2 cups of shredded chicken with the pasta.

Can I make it meatless?

Yes. Use vegetable broth and stir in a drained can of white beans with the pasta.

Can I cook it on the stove?

Yes. Simmer the chicken in the broth for 15 minutes, shred it, add the pasta and cook for 10–12 minutes, then stir in the cream, spinach and Parmesan.