This Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Spinach Pasta is an effortless, all-in-one slow cooker meal that's rich, comforting, and perfect for busy weeknights. The spinach and tomatoes add a touch of freshness and colour to the delicious creamy sauce that coats the chicken and pasta.
The best part is that everything is cooked in the slow cooker, pasta included, making it a perfect easy meal for any night of the week.
Calories in Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Spinach Pasta
This recipe serves 4 and is 528 calories per serving
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If you're following a calorie-controlled diet or a healthy eating plan, it's important to calculate your daily calorie needs using a reliable calorie calculator. The calorie counts provided are estimates and can vary depending on the exact ingredients and portion sizes you use. Using your own calculations helps ensure you're meeting your individual needs. A calorie calculator can help you make informed choices and stay on track with your goals.
See the recipe card for full nutritional estimation.
Ingredient Notes
To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- Chicken breast: Lean and quick to cook in the slow cooker. I keep them whole for most of the cooking, roughly chopping them up when the pasta gets added. This keeps the chicken nice and tender
- Sweet paprika, onion powder, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, black pepper, chilli flakes: This is your flavour base. The paprika adds warmth, the herbs bring a bit of depth, and the chilli flakes give a gentle kick without taking over. Salt and pepper are you basic seasonings that will enhance the flavour of any dish.
- Olive oil: Helps the spices coat the chicken evenly and adds a little richness.
- Garlic: Use fresh cloves for the best flavour, as they mellow beautifully during slow cooking.
- Ripe tomato: A Roma works well because it is firm and not too watery.
- Chicken stock: The liquid base that enhances the flavour of the pasta dish. I like to use better than bouillon paste stock paste (you use 1 teaspoon per 1 cup (240ml of liquid). It's crucial to use the right ratio of stock cubes, powder or paste for the required amount of stock. Not all stocks are the same, and using the wrong amount can result in either a bland and watery broth or an overly salty stock.
- Cream cheese: Cube and soften it so it melts smoothly into the sauce without lumps.
- Semi-skimmed milk: Keeps the sauce creamy but not overly heavy.
- Rotini pasta: Holds the sauce nicely thanks to the spirals.
- Fresh spinach: Stirred in towards the end and wilts down quickly, adding colour and a bit of balance.
- Parmesan: Grate it yourself if you can, as it melts better and gives the dish a sharper, saltier finish. Prepackaged grated parmesan can sometimes clump and not melt properly.
Once you've gathered all the ingredients and prepared them accordingly, you're all set to create this easy and delightful recipe.
See the recipe card for specific quantities and instructions
Variations and Substitutes
If you prefer something a bit richer, you can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. They stay juicy during slow cooking and bring a deeper flavour to the dish. The pasta is flexible too. Rotini is great, but penne, fusilli or any short pasta that holds sauce will work just as well.
You can easily swap the vegetables. If you are not keen on spinach, try peppers for sweetness or mushrooms for a more earthy edge. If you are using mushrooms, I recommend browning them first. It brings out their flavour and stops them going soggy in the slow cooker. This recipe is very forgiving, so feel free to mix and match whatever you have on hand.
Tips for Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Spinach Pasta
• Use the right cream cheese and milk - Choose light cream cheese (not extra light) and 2% milk. Lower-fat versions don't have enough fat, which can cause the sauce to split.
• Pat the chicken dry - Before adding the chicken breasts to the slow cooker, pat them dry with kitchen paper. This helps the seasoning stick and prevents extra water from diluting the sauce.
• Cook chicken breasts whole - Keep them whole while slow cooking for the best texture. Once cooked, slice or shred before returning them to the sauce.
• Don't skip the olive oil - Olive oil is key for the sauce's texture. Leaving it out can make the sauce thinner or cause it to split.
• Add milk and cream cheese at the right time - After cooking the chicken for around 2.5 hours, remove it and whisk the cream cheese into the sauce until fully melted. Then stir in the milk before returning the chicken.
• Cook pasta at the end - Add the pasta once the sauce is smooth and the chicken is back in. Ensure the pasta is fully covered by the sauce and cook for approx 30 minutes until tender.
• Finish with Parmesan and spinach - Stir in the grated Parmesan and fresh spinach once the pasta is cooked. Replace the lid and leave for an extra 5 minutes so the spinach wilts and the sauce thickens slightly.
Perfect Sides to Serve
This creamy pasta is filling on its own, but a few simple sides can round out the meal:
- Fresh salad: Baby greens or crisp lettuce with your favourite salad items such as cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, or carrot. Add a light vinaigrette for extra flavour.
- Steamed vegetables: Broccoli, green beans, asparagus, or zucchini work well and keep it light.
- Roasted or sautéed vegetables: Peppers, mushrooms, or any other favourite vegetables bring extra flavour and texture.
- Corn on the cob: Simple and sweet, a great addition if you want a bit of extra colour on the plate.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Looking for some more slow cooker recipes? Check out the following:
See more Slow Cooker Recipes →
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Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Spinach Pasta
This Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken Spinach Pasta is an effortless, all-in-one slow cooker meal that’s rich, comforting, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 455g (1lb) chicken breast
- 1.5 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- pinch of chilli flakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 large tomato (seeds and juice removed, finely chopped)
- 480ml (2 cups) chicken stock
- 100g (3.5oz) light cream cheese, cubed into pieces and softened
- 240ml (1 cup) semi-skimmed milk
- 240g (8.5oz) rotini pasta (uncooked)
- 100g (3.5oz) fresh spinach
- 50g (1.7oz) Parmesan, grated
Instructions
- Add the chicken, seasonings, olive oil, garlic, tomato, and chicken stock to the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 2.5 hours.
- Remove the chicken and slice it. Whisk the cream cheese and milk into the sauce until smooth.
- Return the chicken to the slow cooker and add the pasta. Cook on HIGH for 30 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
- Stir in the fresh spinach and grated Parmesan. Cover and leave for 5 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt and the sauce to thicken. If the sauce is still a bit loose, just leave it for a couple of minutes more, give it a stir and it will thicken.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Notes
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
- Note: do not use lightest, extra light of fat free cream cheese as it can split in the sauce.
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Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 528Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 6gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 128mgSodium 536mgCarbohydrates 52gFiber 4gSugar 8gProtein 45g
Nutritional information and values etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.
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