Crock Pot Italian Chicken and Pasta (updated)

Don't worry, I haven't changed the recipe a bit. It's just that the photographs for the original post were so blurry that I wanted to give this recipe a second go. It is one of my favorite recipes. I make it once a month and I wouldn't change a thing.

When I first posted this recipe the only camera I had available was the camera on my iPod which doesn't focus well and doesn't have a flash. Aaron helped me light the kitchen to take the pictures but they still didn't turn out all that great. Now that I have a better camera the photographs come out much clearer.

This is probably one of the easiest meals I make, even when I make it with homemade cream of chicken soup. If you use canned soup it doesn't require any measuring. Just dump everything in the crock pot, turn it on low for a few hours, and serve it over freshly cooked pasta.

If you're looking for something with a little more veg you can add some. It's great with steamed broccoli and carrots but I also enjoy it alongside a nice, light salad. And if my photographs on the original post turned you off to this dish I encourage you to try it anyway. Trust me, no photograph does this meal justice.

Crock Pot Italian Chicken and Pasta

Source: Pinterest (the original link I gave says the page is no longer available)

2 (10 oz) cans cream of chicken soup

1 packet Italian dressing mix

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders

16 oz pasta shapes

In the crock pot combine the cream of chicken and Italian dressing mix and give it a stir. Cut the cream cheese block into chunks and stir them into the soup mixture. Add the chicken and toss it in the soup mixture until the chicken is coated in it. Turn the crock pot on low and cook for 4-6 hours.

About half an hour before you're ready to serve cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and toss with a little butter or olive oil to prevent it sticking together.

I like to break the chicken up into medium sized chunks. I don't quite shred the meat but (particularly when using full chicken breasts) I use a fork to separate it into more manageable pieces. Return the chicken to the crock pot and stir.

Serve warm, spooning the chicken and sauce over the pasta. Add some veggies or a salad on the side and bread of some kind to dip in the sauce.