Slow Cooker Chicken Pasta Sauces

 

 

These two chicken pasta sauces are pretty similar, but they are both really good. The first one is one I found and tried simply because it sounded similar to the second one. The second one was brought to me for a dinner by a good neighbor friend when I wasn't feeling well.

Oh, and I can't forget the tried and true chicken pasta sauce recipe that is an old family favorite (and which we have already blogged). You can find the recipe for Creamy Italian Chicken Linguine here.

Slow Cooker Bacon-Ranch Chicken and Pasta

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breasts
6 slices bacon, cooked and diced
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 package (1 oz) ranch dressing and seasoning mix
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup water
8 oz spaghetti, cooked (any kind of pasta will work)

Directions:

Spray 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray, place chicken breasts in cooker.

In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients except spaghetti. Pour over top of chicken.

Cover; cook on low heat setting 6 hours or on high heat setting 3 to 4 hours.

When about 15 minutes are left, cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package.

Just before serving, shred chicken with 2 forks, and toss creamy chicken mixture with cooked spaghetti.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Betty Crocker website, contributed by blogger Corey Valley of Family Fresh Meals. You can find her blog here. You can find the link to the recipe on the Betty Crocker website here.

Slow Cooker Chicken Penne Pasta

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast halves
1 bottle Lawry's Mesquite Lime Marinade (see note below)
1 lb. thick cut bacon, cooked and diced
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt (or less or more to your taste)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 (16 oz) package) penne pasta

Directions:

Place chicken and Mesquite Lime marinade in slow cooker. Heat on low for 6 hours, or until done. Shred chicken.

Cook penne pasta according to package directions.

In a small pan, whisk cream, pepper, butter, and garlic. Heat slowly. As the mixture thickens, add cheese.

Combine chicken, bacon, pasta, and sauce. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, to taste. If desired, bake this pasta in a 9x13 pan in a 350 degree F oven until the cheese has melted and the pasta is warm and bubbling throughout.

Source: I got this from my neighbor, Emily Tanner. I believe she got it from another neighbor. So, pass it on and enjoy!

Notes: This recipe can be baked or not. It tastes great both ways. This pasta is also freezer friendly. I freeze it in a 9x13 aluminum pan, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, and then bake it in a 350 degree F oven, covered, until heated through, and then I remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and it is warm and bubbling throughout.

Also, I checked a couple of stores for the Lawry's Mesquite Lime Marinade. One store was out. The other store didn't carry it. So, I used a bottle of Kroger's Lime Tequila Marinade and I felt that it worked equally well--though perhaps this marinade was a little on the sweet side, which is why I used 1 teaspoon of salt to balance it out. Not the healthiest pasta recipe ever, but definitely a super tasty one!

 

6/17/2014 Update: I finally found some Lawry's Mesquite Lime Marinade (my store had finally restocked their shelves), so I made this again using that marinade. I liked it that way too, but it looks completely different that way, and it has a southwest flavor. Honestly, I'm not sure which marinade I liked better in this recipe. They were just both so different, but both so good. I think this is the kind of recipe that you could switch up flavors by using different marinades. I'm going to make this again soon using another flavor of marinade. I will report back in a few weeks! After that, I need to take a break from making this because it is NOT a light recipe!

 

Above: Here it is with the Lawry's Mesquite Lime Marinade.

 

Above: Good stuff! I can't wait to try it again with yet another flavor of marinade!