Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Slow cooker cajun chicken alfredo is a savory dish for pasta night! Let the slow cooker work it’s magic to make this perfect spicy dinner for your family.
If you love a bit of spice with your Alfredo pasta, you need to try this recipe. It is one of my favorite pasta recipes.
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I chose Cajun style over the traditional Alfredo simply because I wanted a bit of spice.
Sometimes, Alfredo can be bland. However, this recipe is far from bland.
It is full of wonderful flavors.
Using the slow cooker for this recipe takes it from complicated to extremely easy. And I love easy recipes!
Tips for using your Slow Cooker for Cajun Chicken Alfredo
These are a few tips that I have for cooking this dish in your crock pot.
Know your slow cooker
Not all slow cookers cook the same. I know that my crock pot cooks hotter than most and I adjust recipes accordingly.
Watch your food the first time cooking
If I am trying a new recipe in my slow cooker, I cook it on a day that I will be home so that I can keep an eye on the food. Goes back to knowing your slow cooker above. Then when you make it in the future, you know exactly how the dish will perform.
Using a different Cajun Seasoning
Depending on the seasoning you choose, you may want to cut out the salt. The seasoning could have more salt than the one I used. A person can always salt to taste after the dish is cooked.
My Best Tip – Shredding Chicken
If you do not want to cut your chicken into bite sized chunks and feel like shredding the chicken, I have a wonderful tip for you!
Since the chicken has cooked in the slow cooker, it should be tender. The best way to shred chicken put the chicken breast in a large bowl and use your hand mixer. It makes quick work of shredding chicken.
Frozen or Thawed Chicken
I used frozen chicken to make this recipe and it turned out great. If you choose to use frozen, use the recipe as the card says.
If you use thawed chicken, you may need to lower your cook time.
With thawed chicken, apply the Cajun seasoning by placing the chicken breasts into a large bag along with the Cajun seasoning.
Close the bag and shake to coat the chicken breasts with the Cajun Seasoning.
What to serve with your pasta
When serving this creamy chicken pasta, make sure to also serve garlic bread. They go hand-in-hand.
Of course, a nice glass of wine goes wonderfully with it as well, but optional.
How to store Cajun Chicken Alfredo
If you have leftovers, store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Savory Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (if they are not frozen see post on how to prepare)
- 4 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 3 green onions chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 ounces Pene Noodles
- Parmesan Cheese – Optional for topping
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Cover the chicken with the Cajun seasoning.
- Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the Penne Noodles.
- Cook on high.
- After about 2.5 hours, check the chicken. If it is cooked, take the chicken out and cut into bite sized chunks and place back into the slow cooker.
- Add the Penne noodles at this time.
- Once the Penne noodles are fully cooked, it is time to serve!
- When serving, top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Love the Wente Wine and the recipe idea on what goes together. Can’t wait to try this combo. Thank you for the tips. Time to go shop. Thank you Devon!
This was way, way too salty. We couldn’t even eat it. I would advise to use no salt and less Cajun seasoning.
I am sorry Carol. I understand that tastes are different. Perhaps your Cajun Seasoning had more salt in it than mine to cause that. I linked above to the one I used.
Just made this pasta for dinner and it is the best pasta I have ever tasted. Better than any restaurant. It literally put a smile on my face. Thank you!
Cassidy,
I am SO glad you enjoyed the pasta!! Thank you for letting me know!
Is there enough liquid to cook 8oz of pasta in the crockpot?? Does broth or water need to be added? The cream and other juices doesn’t seem like enough liquid to me.
There is plenty of liquid in the recipe. Nothing else needs to be added. Honestly, it is really soupy until the end. Then it thickens up after the adding the noodles.
I made this tonight, there is plenty of liquid. I cooked egg noodles separately then added them at the end and put the lid back on to heat the entire thing through. I even added shrimp. I will say, it was too much liquid for my liking, I like my sauce thicker. Next time I will not throw the chicken in frozen. I suspect a lot of added liquid came from the chicken as it thawed while cooking. It was super good and I will for sure make it again!! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Cooking the pasta in the sauce absorbs a good bit of the liquid.
Do you place the chicken back in the pot to cook with the penne? If so, doesn’t the chicken get dry?
Yes, I put the chicken back in. Sorry, I missed putting that in the instructions. I will correct that. The chicken doesn’t get dry.
Is the heavy cheese, cream cheese or alfredo sauce
It is Heavy Cream – I used heavy whipping cream. Not Cheese.
Hi! This looks amazing and I am making it for Christmas Eve dinner. My question is, I need to double it. In doing so, do I need to use two crockpots?
Hi Kendra! You might be able to use one crock pot, but I would be safe and use 2. Just make sure to keep an eye on it after putting in the noodles. You don’t want to over cook them. :) Enjoy!
I want to make it for only two people, will it work if I cut the recipe in half? I feel like 4oz of noodles won’t be enough for 2 people, but if I cut everything else in half, except the noodles, there might not be enough liquid to cook them. Also, is it possible to cook the chicken on low?
Hello Alisa. I would think you would be find cutting the recipe in half. I have not done that myself but would think it would be fine. Or you can make a full batch and have leftovers. :)
You would be fine cooking on low, will just take longer to cook.
Oh my gosh, it is even better left over! My sister made this when I went for a visit. No joke, I ate the leftovers for 3 additional days….. She did make a little extra sauce though, to wet it up a bit. Even without the extra, it was delicious!
Is it the same cook time for the chicken (2.5 hours) if the chicken is thawed?
You probably do not have to cook as long. Just keep an eye on it. :)
My family is 6 ppl & my sisters love the chilis version of this pasta is it possible to double the recipe to have enough for everyone?
I just got a 7qt crockpot if that helps
-Thanks Jessica(:
Hi Jessica.
I “think” my crock pot is a 5 qt. You may be able to double it. When you start your recipe, start with a single batch of the ingredients and judge from that. Sorry, I don’t have a definite answer for you.
Can you cook on low if you are leaving the house and need more time?
Hi Lindsey. You can cook on low. That is fine. I would wait to add the noodles until you are home to watch them though.
Do you put the noodles in raw or cook them first before adding to crockpot?
Hi Lindsey! I put the noodles in raw. :)
Hello! Typically, how long do you cook the pasta for after it’s added to the crockpot?
I think the pasta cooked about 20 or 30 minutes after adding it to the crock pot. I kept a close eye on the pasta so I could turn the crock pot to warm when it was done.
Can this dish be frozen without the pasta in it then add the pasta when ready to use !!
I have not tried freezing it so I don’t know. If you try it, come back and let us know what you did and how it turned out. :)
This is one amazing recipe. I made it tonight and love it! I do see how it is a little on the salty side BUT 1. My cajon seasoning is a cheap one so I will be getting the one you got next, 2. I don’t have garlic powder like I thought so I sort of used garlic salt…but it’s still amazing and I’ll for SURE be making it again especially since they boyfriend likes it also ;) Can’t wait to make this for the family soon :) :) :)
April,
So glad you liked the recipe! Hope the family enjoys it too!! :)
At what point do we add the cream ? Or is tht made separate ? Did I miss tht in the steps?
After the chicken gets covered with the Cajun seasoning, everything Except the noodles goes in the pot at the start of cooking.
Can I use shrimp, crabmeat, or both?
Yum! I bet that would be good in it. Go ahead and try it. Let me know how it turns out.
I made this recipe this past weekend and it was a huge success! It’s a well known fact that my first attempt at a new recipe usually does not turn out well, but this was amazing! I used thawed chicken thighs and it tasted like something I would have gotten at a restaurant! My husband loved it! I’m now looking at your other recipes! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Awesome LeeAnn! So glad it was a huge success!! Thanks for letting me know it did so well. Hope you find something else you like. :)
Do you happen to know if i can cook on low for a longer amount of time while i am at work?? Was going to start before i left and finish up after i get home but that will be a good 8 hrs.
I have not done it for that long. You can try it and just put in the noodles and chunk your chicken when you get home. I would make sure the slow cooker is on the low setting for sure.
Ok…thanks so much! I was going to try on low for maybe 5-6 hrs and just see. Thanks for responding so quickly.
You’re Welcome Courtney!
How was it?? I’m doing the same thing today..
Great dish!! Everyone loved it! I also added two cloves of minced garlic!
I am glad everyone loved it! Mmmmmmm the garlic does sound like a great addition!
I love this recipe! I only wish mine had a little more sauce to it so I could dip my garlic bread in it! Think I could add more cream and butter or even milk?
Glad you liked it Misty! You could try doing that. Also, if your noodles are done before the sauce thickens, you can do ahead and turn off the slow cooker and try that….
Hi Devon, I’m really excited to try this recipe but I’m hoping you can help me with a couple of questions first. Approximately what is the total weight of chicken you use? Chicken breasts vary quite a bit, and I may use chicken thighs since that’s what I have in the freezer. Also, I can’t locate that brand of Cajun seasoning locally (usually I have good luck). What might be another brand you’d consider close in heat/salt content? I have Tony Cacheres but know some consider it too salty. Thanks for your help, I know this is going to be a huge hit. What’s not to love? Crockpot, heat, pasta, yummy sauce…wish I had some now. :-)
Hi Michelle!
On the seasoning, if you think it may be salty, omit the regular salt. If you think it is needed after it is done, you can always salt to taste.
I think the chicken breasts were about a pound together. They were larger chicken breasts. I used Best Choice frozen chicken breasts. They are in a bag if you look at a store like price chopper or a local store (not Walmart).
It really was good, may have to make it again real soon.
The crockpot is on and we should be able to cut up the chicken in a couple hours. Can’t wait to taste it!!
Awesome!
This is on top of my favorite dishes. My family loved it so much. Thank u so much for the receipt!! Mine came out perfect except I had lots of noddles so I had to add cream. The chicken was so tender it fell apart. The best!!!
Do you know how many servings are in this recipe?
Should be at least 4 good sized servings.
Hi
I tried this recipe this past Sunday and it was fantastic! So good that it’s being made again tonight. Instead of cutting the chicken, I tried shredding it, and it turned out wonderfully. 13/10 in my opinion!
Hi Linda! That is awesome! I am glad you guys loved it!! Thank you!
Can we use a different kind of pasta instead of penne pasta
Yes you can Alexis.
Can i double the recipe and use a large crockpot?
You might be able to get away with doubling. You will know for sure when you put all the ingredients in at the start. Just remember you will be adding noodles later.
OHMYGOSH! Made this dish tonight!! Was a huge success. I will tell you…I am not too good in the kitchen. Rarely do my new dishes turn out. This was absolutely delicious!! I can’t wait to try your other meals!!
Glad it was such a hit! Thank you!
I’ve made this serval times now and everyone in the house loves it. I use more cream than advised because I don’t like my food too spicy. I also use fresh egg pasta and it tastes amazing! So glad I found this recipe :)
YUM! I bet those noodles are really good! Thanks for sharing!
It says 4 servings do you know about the serving size? Or nutritional information?
Nora,
They are a good sized serving (didn’t measure exact size when making) and sorry I don’t have a way of calculating nutritional information.
I used ground garlic instead of garlic powder and added some mushrooms. The only thing I did different was seared the chicken to give a little more crisp before I placed in the Crock-Pot. The taste was on the spot..My husband and son both had 2 helpings so I had no lunch for work today. Great recipe..I will be following.
Glad you guys enjoyed the recipe! Thanks!
can I add chopped garlic in place of garlic powder? Or along with the powder if a person really likes garlic
Sure you can! You can always customize it to your taste. :)
What if I use raw chicken?
You may use raw chicken. (I assume you mean thawed chicken) It may not take as much time to cook the chicken.
No, I mean chicken that isn’t cooked at all.
The chicken I used was not pre-cooked. Just frozen.
Hey..this will be my 4th time making this but I never knew if I should add more heavy cream with a 16oz box of noodles..I always went with your recipe..just thought I’d ask this time???? Its definitely a hit!!
I would add more cream. Sorry, I didn’t get back to you sooner. Hope it turned out delicious again!
For your recipe of 4 servings what size crockpot do you suggest? Would a 7 qrt suffice or does it have to be smaller to cool correctly?
You should be fine. I used my large crock pot. (not sure what size mine is)
Hi. If i wanted to make without meat. Would it be possible?
I would think so. I have not made it without meat.
Is this spicy? And if so, should I half the Cajun seasons? Making this for my family and there are 4 kids ages 10-7-4 & 18 months old. They don’t like spicy food.
Hi, Cat!
To be safe, I would cut down the Cajun seasoning. I don’t remember it being too bad, but everyone’s taste buds are different. Plus, it depends on the seasoning too. Your seasoning could be spicier than mine. So, yes, cut it in half. :)
can you tell me an alternate Cajun seasoning that may work. I love spicy so that’s not an issue but I live in a very small town and have not had luck finding this one. Thank you
Hi Lyndsey! I would assume any Cajun seasoning would work. You may want to cut out the salt in the recipe. I don’t know how salty the other seasoning would be. If anything, people can add salt when they eat the pasta.
Hello i am a little confused. It says of the chicken is not frozen to put it in a bag, do i just add the cajun seasoning or all the seasoning?
I am sorry for that. It does read a little bit confusing, I will fix that. I would just do chicken and Cajun seasoning.
I made this pasta tonight for dinner and it was a huge hit, everybody loved it and we had absolutely no leftovers. I used thawed chicken so I seasoned the chicken with the Cajun seasoning and let sit for 30 minutes while I cut up the veggies. I added everything else minus the salt and cooked according to recipe. This pasta was sooo good, the flavor was wonderful. I think we will have this again this week, this meal will be in rotation in our home. Thanks for the recipe.
I am so glad you loved it!! I do think it may be time to make it again here too! Thanks for stopping by!
I was introduced to this dish at a potluck at our school.. It has become a staple in our home!!! We love this dish!!!
Awesome! I am so happy to hear this!
Can you use chicken breasts that are not fully thawed?
Yes, just make sure the chicken is done before serving.
I’m excited to try this recipe! I’m just afraid that 8 oz of noodles will not be enough for 4 servings.
It’s really one of the best dishes ever! I did everything the recipe called for, but I also added 1/3 cup of white wine and a little minced garlic to the crockpot. I also grilled my chicken on the stovetop to give it that charred flavor, but I didn’t let it fully cook; it finished cooking in the crockpot. When it was done I added a jar of alfredo sauce to make it extra creamy. It was soooooo good! I will definitely be making this again!
That sounds delicious! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Would everything still cook correctly if I just cooked everything in a pan? Obviously I would cook the chicken separately but I am worried that the liquid won’t be the same if it isn’t cook in a crock pot..
I am not sure how it would turn out in a pan. I have not tried that method.
Would this recipe be a good enough amount to bring to a potluck?
It is very delicious…however, I am not sure it will be enough for a potluck (volume wise).
Hi! We are excited to try this…but am wondering if it can be done in the instant pot? If so, how long?? Thx!
I bet it could be. I have not made it in there yet so I don’t know how long it would need to cook. Sorry.
Just tried this and sauce separated and became very grainy and almost curdled. Took nearly 2 hours longer to cook fully as well. Thoughts on what went wrong?
Hi Jen, I am not sure what happened to the sauce. I am sorry that happened. The only thing I can think of with it taking 2 hours longer is that our crock pots cook differently. Maybe mine gets hotter than yours?
This was very good. It was not too spicy or salty. I also browned my thawed chicken breast before I put them in the crockpot. Turned out delicious. Five stars!
Can this recipe be doubled? How much cook time would I have to add?
I have not doubled it. You will have to watch how much your slow cooker will hold if you do double it. I would assume it may take longer to cook but not sure how much.
This was AMAZING. I’ll go ahead and be honest and let you know that my boyfriend and I ate the WHOLE thing. lol He ate 3 huge plates and is currently insanely miserable but so satisfied!! ;) I omitted the salt as advised since I was using a different cajun seasoning. I used the green thing of Tony’s which is technically “creole” seasoning. Wouldn’t change a thing! YUM.
I am so glad you guys enjoyed it! <3
I made this last night, didn’t add Basil or Lemon Pepper – but added Shrimp and 2 cans of Tomato Sauce. So good!
Hi Devon,
Quick question: what changes would you suggest to make this on the stove top instead of the crockpot? I have Celiac disease, and GF pasta does not hold up in the crockpot. It tasted delicious but there was not one intact noodle by the end of it (some were even underdone). We loved the sauce though and want to make it again, just on the stove. Suggestions?
Rachel, I am sorry to hear that. I have not made this dish via stove top. Could you make the noodles on the stove and stir them into the crock pot after the chicken and sauce is done??
This was really tasty! I did add a couple of Laughing Cow wedges at the beginning and I only did 3 teaspoons of Tony Chachares plus extra cayenne and no salt. Next time, i think I’ll add more milk and a bit more penne towards the end. My pasta cooked perfectly on high for 25 minutes. It also reheated well with a splash of milk and some cheese. Thanks!
This was delicious! I personally didn’t add any of the vegetables because my family is full of picky eaters. It was a bit too salty for my liking, so next time I just won’t add salt. Also, it took forever to cook my noodles and they were still a bit under-done, so I will probably cook my noodles seperate and just add them to the sauce and chicken. Definitely put this in my recipe book!
It tastes so good but it didn’t make 6 servings. It was more like 4 and I added a little more pasta than the recipe states.
I realize this is alfredo sauce but and ideas on cutting down some of the fat? Like maybe 2% milk, flour and little butter instead of the cream? Any ideas?
Ive used this recipe for years now, though i find the cream overpowers everything so i use half the cream, and chicken stock for the other half. turns out amazing, really bringing out the spices. I also add cooked broccoli when adding the pasta, and so far everyone has absolutely loved it. Put over a bed of fresh greens if you really want to give it the ol razzle dazzle.
I found this recipe on Pinterest and plan to make it this weekend. I would like to include the Parmesan cheese topping. Did you use like the grated Parmesan cheese in a container or fresh Parmesan cheese that you grated yourself?
I believe I used fresh grated Parmesan Cheese.
Hey have you ever tried this recipe over the stove top? If so what should I do different?
I have not tried it on the stovetop. Sorry, I am not sure what you should do differently.
Hi Devon!
This is one of my favorite recipes, I use it often and know the ingredients by heart. However, I would love to know how to make it in the instant pot. Could you recommend how?
Thank you in advance!
I haven’t tried to make it in the instant pot yet. Sorry.
Ive used this recipe for years now, though i find the cream overpowers everything so i use half the cream, and chicken stock for the other half. turns out amazing, really bringing out the spices. I also add cooked broccoli when adding the pasta, and so far everyone has absolutely loved it. Put over a bed of fresh greens if you really want to give it the ol razzle dazzle.
What are the ingredients if you want to make for 10 people
Made this tonight for the first time and it was amazing! The only thing I did different was leave out the garlic powder and used fresh garlic gloves because we always have it on hand in our house. Will definitely make it again!
Hi, can I use Half and Half instead of full cream?
Thanks, Nancy
I have not tried using Half and Half. You can try, but I am unsure how it will effect the recipe.