My whole family goes crazy for this creamy and cheesy Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti recipe! I spice up some marinara sauce with a few extra ingredients, including cream cheese, to make it truly delicious. Cooking up a batch of spaghetti sauce with juicy bites of chicken is so easy in my slow cooker, and combined with noodles, it makes the tastiest dinner!
It’s so convenient being able to cook chicken spaghetti in my Crockpot, and the creamy, cheesy marinara sauce is definitely the highlight of this dish! I’m a fan of any dinner recipe that let’s me just throw a few ingredients into the slow cooker and press a button, so this chicken spaghetti sauce comes in handy pretty often.
What’s in Slow Cooker Chicken Spaghetti?
Chicken, marinara, cream cheese, a box of spaghetti noodles, and a couple of other basic ingredients is all it takes to make this Crockpot recipe!
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs for this recipe, cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Marinara: Grab a couple jars of simple marinara sauce for convenience. We’re adding to it to make it taste even better!
- Chicken Broth: This adds more savory flavor to the sauce, and helps cook the chicken.
- Garlic & Onion: Minced garlic and diced onions add texture and aromatic flavor.
- Cream Cheese: This creates a really creamy and cheesy marinara sauce.
- Mozzarella: This adds a little more cheesiness to the spaghetti sauce. Freshly shredded mozzarella works best!
- Italian Seasoning: Adds some herbiness to the sauce.
- Spaghetti: Cook dry spaghetti according to package instructions to pair with the chicken marinara sauce.
Variations To Try
I have a few suggestions to make this recipe for Crockpot chicken spaghetti just right for you.
- Spicier: Use arrabbiata sauce in place of the marinara.
- Creamier: Use cream of chicken, cream of celery, or cream of mushroom soup in place of the chicken broth.
- Healthier: Add some diced veggies into the slow cooker with the sauce ingredients. Bell peppers, carrots, peas, or broccoli are all good options!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store crockpot chicken spaghetti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat portions on the stovetop over medium-hight heat, stirring regularly until everything is warmed through.
If I know I have a busy week ahead, I make a batch of the cream cheese and chicken marinara sauce ahead of time, store it in the fridge, and then cook fresh pasta to serve with it right before dinner!
How to Freeze
Freeze slow cooker chicken spaghetti sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. I don’t recommend freezing the spaghetti noodles along with it, because they don’t hold up well when frozen long-term.
Notes and Tips
- I recommend cooking this chicken spaghetti on the LOW Crockpot setting for 4-5 hours, as instructed. But if you need to speed things up, set your cooker to the HIGH setting for 2-3 hours.
- If you don’t have spaghetti noodles on hand, this cheesy chicken and marinara sauce tastes just as good with any type of pasta!
Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized cubes
- 48 ounces marinara sauce 2 jars
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ onion diced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 8 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes (1 standard package)
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 16 ounces dry spaghetti noodles 1 box
Equipment
- Crockpot
Instructions
- Spray crockpot interior with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the chicken, marinara, broth, garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, and cream cheese to the crockpot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and 165°F internally.1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 48 ounces marinara sauce, 1 cup low sodium chicken broth, 2 cloves garlic, ½ onion, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 8 ounces cream cheese
- Turn the heat up to high, stir in the mozzarella, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- While the cheese is melting, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain in a colander.16 ounces dry spaghetti noodles
- Stir in the pasta, tossing to coat in the sauce. Serve topped with optional parsley or Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For a faster recipe, cook on high for 2-3 hours.
- Feel free to mix up the cheese. Try half Parmesan, gruyere, cheddar, or fontina!
- Make the spaghetti sauce up to 3 days in advance. Then cook fresh spaghetti to pair with it!
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti in a Crockpot Step by Step
Add Ingredients to the Crockpot: Spray the inside of your slow cooker with a nonstick cooking spray. Then add 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces), 48 ounces of marinara sauce, 1 cup of low sodium chicken broth, 2 cloves of minced garlic, ½ an onion (diced), 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, and 8 ounces of cream cheese (cut into cubes) to the pot.
Cook: Stir all of the ingredients together to fully combine. Then cover the Crockpot and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through (165°F internally).
Add the Cheese: When the chicken is done cooking, turn up the heat on the Crockpot to HIGH, and stir in 1½ cups of shredded mozzarella cheese. Then cover and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Boil the Spaghetti: While the cheese is melting into the sauce, cook 16 ounces of dry spaghetti noodles on the stovetop, according to the package directions. Drain in a colander.
Combine Spaghetti and Sauce: Stir the cooked spaghetti into the sauce, tossing to fully coat it. Serve bowls of Crockpot chicken spaghetti topped with parsley or Parmesan cheese!
For this recipe, I don’t recommend it. This sauce is already thick and creamy, and cooking the pasta in it will release starch, leading to a goopy sauce. If you do choose to cook the pasta in the slow cooker, add it in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
To make this gluten free, simply use your favorite brand of gluten free spaghetti or pasta!
The key to moist chicken is to cook on low. Higher heat cooks the chicken faster, but that can lead to dry chicken. Fortunately, this recipe has a lot of fat and liquid, which helps keep the chicken moist.
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