Slow Cooker Chicken and Macaroni

Slow Cooker Chicken and Macaroni: This slow cooker chicken and macaroni is one of my go-to meals for busy days when I still want something warm and cozy on the table. It’s based on old recipes from tough times long ago, when people had to make good meals out of just a few simple foods. There are no hard steps here — just basic pantry items cooked together in one pot until it’s soft, creamy, and comforting.

You simply put dry macaroni next to raw chicken breasts in the slow cooker, add three more easy ingredients, and let the slow cooker do all the work. By the end, you get a creamy, yummy dish that tastes like you spent hours making it — even though you didn’t.

Serve this warm chicken and macaroni right out of the slow cooker with a side of frozen peas or mixed veggies, cooked quickly on the stove or in the microwave while the pasta finishes cooking. A simple green salad with ranch or a light vinaigrette adds some crunch, and warm buttered bread or toast is great for soaking up the creamy sauce.

If you’re feeding a bigger group, add a bowl of applesauce or some fresh cut fruit to the table. Kids especially love having something sweet and cool next to this warm, filling meal.

This creamy slow cooker chicken and macaroni recipe uses just five simple ingredients for an easy, old-fashioned comfort meal. Raw chicken and dry pasta cook together with a rich, savory sauce, turning into a warm, filling dinner with almost no effort. It’s a budget-friendly recipe the whole family will enjoy.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 ½ cups dry elbow macaroni
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 to 4 small breasts)
2 tins of condensed cream of chicken soup (10.5oz/300g each)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt (or more, to your taste)

Slow Cooker Chicken and Macaroni: Directions

Get your slow cooker ready. Rub a small amount of oil or cooking spray inside the slow cooker bowl. This keeps the macaroni from sticking to the sides as it cooks. Set the slow cooker on a flat, steady spot, like your kitchen counter, and plug it in.
Add the chicken first. Lay the raw chicken breasts down in one flat layer, either along one side or right down the middle of the slow cooker. It’s fine if the pieces touch each other a little, but try not to pile them on top of one another so every piece cooks evenly all the way through.
Add the dry macaroni. Pour the dry elbow macaroni into the slow cooker next to the chicken, keeping it mostly on its own side if you can. Don’t stress if some pieces slide under or near the chicken — this recipe is meant to be quick and simple, so it doesn’t need to look neat.
Mix your sauce. In a mixing bowl, stir together the condensed cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and salt. Whisk it until it’s fairly smooth, without big lumps. It will look thin and watery right now, but don’t worry — it will get thicker later as the pasta cooks and releases starch into the sauce.
Pour the sauce over everything. Slowly pour the soup and broth mixture over the top of the chicken and macaroni, trying to cover most of the pasta with liquid. If some macaroni is sticking up above the liquid, gently press it down with the back of a spoon. A few pieces poking out is okay.
Cover and cook. Put the lid on your slow cooker. Cook on LOW heat for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH heat for about 2 ½ to 3 hours. You’ll know it’s ready when the chicken is fully cooked and the macaroni is soft. Try not to lift the lid too early, since letting the heat escape can slow down the cooking and stop the pasta from cooking evenly.
Shred the chicken. About 30 minutes before you plan to eat, take the lid off. Use two forks to pull apart, or shred, the chicken breasts right there in the slow cooker. Mix the shredded chicken back into the macaroni and sauce so every bite has a little bit of everything. If the mix looks too thick, stir in a small splash of extra broth or water, about 2 to 4 tablespoons at a time, until it looks as creamy as you like.
Taste and adjust. Give the dish a taste and add a little more salt if it needs it. Put the lid back on and let the dish sit on WARM or LOW heat for another 10 to 15 minutes. This gives the flavors more time to blend together and helps the sauce thicken a bit more around the pasta.
Serve it up. Give everything one last big stir to mix the chicken, pasta, and sauce together evenly. Spoon it into bowls while it’s still hot. This dish tastes best served right away, while the macaroni is soft and the sauce is warm and creamy.