Slow cooker cajun chicken penne combines shredded chicken with pepper, onion, tomatoes, and a creamy sauce. The pasta is boiled separately rather than left in the cooker for hours. Heavy cream is added near the end, after the chicken has cooked through.
Use two small chicken breasts totaling about a pound to a pound and a quarter. A suitable three-to-four-quart cooker gives this moderate batch an appropriate fit according to its manual. Prepare eight ounces dry penne for four servings.
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Why This Recipe Works
Keeping pasta separate avoids the over-soft texture that comes from prolonged slow cooking. Slow cooker cajun chicken penne uses the pasta’s package instructions for its first cooking stage, then only a brief final combination. The sauce and chicken can be ready while the pasta boils.
Cream added late spends less time in the acidic tomato mixture. Softening the onion briefly before loading the cooker also reduces the chance of sharp crunchy pieces after a relatively short breast-cooking schedule. Chicken temperature remains the essential meat check.
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Penne
Use one cup chicken broth, half a cup diced canned tomatoes, a small finely diced onion, one small diced bell pepper, and two minced garlic cloves. A tablespoon Cajun seasoning may contain substantial salt and chili, so check the blend before adding extra salt or pepper.
For slow cooker cajun chicken penne, reserve one cup heavy cream for the finish and eight ounces dry penne for separate boiling. A quarter cup grated Parmesan is an optional table topping. One tablespoon water is listed for microwave-softening the onion without an unmeasured cooking fat.
Slow Cooker Base
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1–1¼ pounds total, fully thawed)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup canned diced tomatoes
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 1 small bell pepper (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- to taste salt and black pepper (check the Cajun blend before adding salt)
- 1 tablespoon water (for softening onion)
Late Finish
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz dry penne (boiled separately)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan (optional serving topping)
How to Make Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Penne
Put the diced onion with a tablespoon water in a covered microwave-safe bowl and heat about two minutes until beginning to soften. Drain surplus liquid carefully. Add onion, pepper, garlic, broth, tomatoes, and Cajun seasoning to the slow cooker, then arrange thawed chicken in the sauce.
Cover and cook on low for about two to four hours, beginning checks toward the earlier end, until the thickest breast reaches 165°F. Remove chicken to a clean plate and shred. Stir cream into the cooker and warm on high for about fifteen to thirty minutes, until the sauce is hot, while cooking penne separately to al dente.
Return chicken and fold drained penne through slow cooker cajun chicken penne sauce. Heat briefly until the assembled dish is hot throughout, checking 165°F if the chicken cooled during its wait. Stop once combined instead of leaving cooked noodles on high for another hour. Serve with optional Parmesan.
How to Serve
Divide slow cooker cajun chicken penne into four portions with chicken and vegetables distributed through the pasta. The sauce is intended to coat the penne rather than provide a thick baked casserole layer. It thickens somewhat as the pasta absorbs liquid.
Serve shortly after combining for the best noodle texture. A simple salad or vegetables can accompany it. Optional Parmesan adds salt, so taste before adding a generous table sprinkle on top of a strongly seasoned Cajun blend.
Storage
Refrigerate slow cooker cajun chicken penne in shallow portions within two hours at 40°F or colder. Use within three days. Noodles continue absorbing sauce during storage, so leftovers may look thicker than the fresh dish.
Reheat to 165°F with a little water or milk if needed, stirring carefully. Freezing is not preferred because the cream sauce can separate and pasta softens after thawing. Avoid holding a full cooker of combined pasta on warm throughout a long evening.
The FDA safe food handling guidance explains prompt refrigeration and temperature checks for perishable foods.
Tips and Variations
For slow cooker cajun chicken penne, use the breast weight as well as the piece count. Two exceptionally large breasts can weigh far more than this formula anticipates. Start checking early enough to remove cooked meat before it dries out.
The cream-warming stage and pasta boil can overlap. If the chicken rests longer than intended, refrigerate it promptly rather than leaving it at room temperature while waiting for dinner. Keep the final toss brief and use the package’s al dente guidance for the chosen penne.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does slow cooker cajun chicken penne use dry pasta in the cooker?
No. Boil penne separately according to its package and add it only near serving.
When is cream added?
After chicken reaches 165°F and is removed for shredding, warm cream with the sauce for about 15–30 minutes.
How heavy are the two breasts?
About 1–1¼ pounds total is the working quantity.
Should I add salt immediately?
Check the Cajun blend first because many contain substantial salt; taste the finished sauce before adding more.
Can the finished pasta stay on high for an hour?
Serve after the brief final combination. Extended heat softens cooked penne and dries the chicken.
More Recipes to Try
- Creamy Cajun Chicken and Rice Bowls
- Cajun Chicken Orzo
- Ranch Chicken Spaghetti Bake with Tomatoes and Cheddar
- Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries without Breadcrumbs
Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Penne with a Late Cream Finish
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Base
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts 1–1¼ pounds total, fully thawed
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup canned diced tomatoes
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 small bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- to taste salt and black pepper check the Cajun blend before adding salt
- 1 tablespoon water for softening onion
Late Finish
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz dry penne boiled separately
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan optional serving topping
Instructions
- Microwave finely diced onion with 1 tablespoon water in a covered suitable bowl about 2 minutes until starting to soften; drain surplus liquid carefully. Combine with pepper, garlic, broth, tomatoes, and Cajun seasoning in the cooker.
- Arrange fully thawed chicken breasts totaling 1–1¼ pounds into the tomato-broth mixture. Put the lid on and cook at low for roughly 2–4 hours, beginning checks early, until thickest centers reach 165°F. Remove to a clean plate and shred.
- Stir heavy cream into the sauce and heat on high about 15–30 minutes until hot. Meanwhile boil penne separately to package al dente and drain.
- Return chicken and fold in pasta, warming briefly until hot throughout and 165°F if the chicken cooled while waiting. Taste seasoning and divide into 4 servings with optional Parmesan.
