Walnut Chicken Pasta With Creamy Blue Cheese Slow Cooker… Put this yummy sauce mix on raw chicken and pasta in your slow cooker. Get a warm, creamy dish your family will love all winter!
This easy slow cooker meal mixes tender chicken, twisty pasta, and a creamy blue cheese sauce with crunchy walnuts and herbs. It’s rich, comforting, and ready with little work. Perfect for busy weeknights or chilly evenings. Feeds six with gourmet taste but simple steps—just dump, cook, and eat!
Walnut Chicken Pasta With Creamy Blue Cheese Slow Cooker
Serves: 6
What You Need
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12 oz twisty cavatappi pasta (dry)
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2 lb chicken breasts (no skin or bone, about 3-4 pieces)
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1 1/2 cups chicken broth (low-salt)
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1 1/2 cups heavy cream
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5 oz crumbled blue cheese (gorgonzola, about 1 1/4 cups)
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1/2 cup crushed walnuts (plus more for topping, if you want)
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2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (plus more for topping, if you want)
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2 garlic cloves, chopped small
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1 tsp salt (plus more if needed)
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1/2 tsp black pepper (ground fresh)
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1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for a little kick)
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2 tbsp butter, cut into tiny bits
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1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (for end, optional)
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2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or more rosemary (for topping, optional)
How to Make Walnut Chicken Pasta
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Rub a little butter or spray inside your 5-7 quart slow cooker so pasta won’t stick.
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Spread dry pasta flat on the bottom. It will soak up all the tasty sauce while cooking.
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Put raw chicken breasts on top of pasta in one flat layer. It’s okay if they touch a bit.
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In a bowl, mix broth, cream, blue cheese, crushed walnuts, rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and red flakes (if using). Stir until cheese melts a little and it’s mostly smooth with tiny bits.
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Pour this mix over chicken and pasta. Push down any dry pasta bits with a spoon so sauce covers them.
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Drop butter bits on top. Put on the lid.
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Cook on LOW 3.5-4.5 hours or HIGH 2-2.5 hours. Chicken should be 165°F inside and pasta soft but not mushy. Don’t peek too much!
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Shred chicken with two forks right in the pot (or cut on a board and put back). Stir everything together well.
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If sauce is too thin, leave lid off on WARM for 5-10 minutes and stir. If it gets too thick, pour in a little warm broth or cream.
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Mix in Parmesan if you like. Taste and add more salt or pepper.
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Serve hot in bowls. Top with extra walnuts, blue cheese, parsley, or rosemary. Dig in!
Fun Changes and Tips
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For less strong cheese taste, swap half the blue cheese for cream cheese or mascarpone.
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Use chicken thighs instead—add 30-45 extra minutes on LOW for super soft meat.
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Add veggies: Put in sliced mushrooms at start or spinach at the end (last 10 minutes).
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Toast walnuts in a pan 3-4 minutes for more nutty flavor before crushing.
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Try penne or rotini pasta—watch it the first time since shapes cook different.
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Make it lighter: Use half milk instead of cream, then add extra walnuts or cheese to thicken.
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For smoky taste, stir in chopped cooked bacon right before serving.
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