It’s happened, friends. My oldest baby isn’t a baby any more and has started pre-school AND dance class. Plus, JW has started fall harvest and I’ve started prepping for VandeLittle #3. In other words, our normally crazy life has just gotten way, way crazier. And it ain’t going to slow down any time soon.

Enter my salvation in the form of my trusty slow cooker! I honestly don’t know what I’d do without it! I love just dumping everything in the crock pot and forgetting about it until it’s time to eat.

This Crock Pot Chicken Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce is one of those meals that require very little prep to get started. Just dump and go! Then, about 20 minutes before dinner time, preheat your oven to bake some garlic bread, cook and drain some pasta, shred the chicken (which honestly pretty much shreds itself because it ends up being so tender), and add the last couple of ingredients. And bam! Dinner that even your kids will love is done!

How to Make Crock Pot Chicken Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce:

Spread a little of your favorite jarred (or homemade if you’ve got it!) marinara sauce on the bottom of your crock pot. Add in chicken tenders, diced onion, minced garlic (I like to use a garlic press), the rest of the jar of marinara, and the cream cheese. Throw in a couple of bay leaves, some Italian Seasoning, a little crushed red pepper flakes (or a lot, depending on your love of spice), and some salt and pepper. Put the lid on your crock pot and cook on high for about 3 hours, or on low for about 6.

When it’s almost time for dinner, cook the pasta of your choice according to the package directions (I like to use Cellentani, which is like a thin tube/corkscrew), making sure to salt your water. While the pasta is cooking, remove the chicken from the crock pot and shred it, then add it back in. Chop some spinach and some fresh basil, and throw that in the crock pot at well, giving everything a good stir until the cream cheese is blended in and the spinach starts to wilt. If the cream cheese isn’t fully smooth, don’t panic! It’ll be fine once you add the pasta, which you should do once it’s done cooking and been drained. Give everything a good stir, taste for seasoning, and serve topped with some shredded mozzarella and/or parmigiana.

Looking for more pasta recipes? Try one of these!

Chicken and Sausage Pasta

Asparagus and Prosciutto Penne

Summer Vegetable Angel Hair

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Crock Pot Chicken Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Crock Pot meals are the perfect way to feed a crowd on a busy day, and this Crock Pot Chicken Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce is sure to become a family favorite!

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Basil, Chicken, cream cheese, crock pot, marinara, pasta, slow cooker

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 hours hours

Servings 6 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 1 lb Chicken Breast Tenders Approx.
• 1 Onion, diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 25 oz Jarred Marinara
• 12 oz Cream Cheese
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Cups Spinach, chopped
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped
• 1 lb Pasta, such as penne or cellentani
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions

• Pour a small amount of the jarred marinara into the bottom of a slow cooker and spread it around to act as a bed. Add in the chicken tenders, onions, garlic, the rest of the marinara, Italian Seasoning, bay leaves, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and finish with the cream cheese.
• Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3.
• When the time is up, cook the pasta according to the package directions.
• Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred, then add back in.
• Stir in the spinach, basil, and cooked, drained pasta. Taste for seasoning. Serve topped with shredded mozzarella.

The post Crock Pot Chicken Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.