Description
Crock Pot Angel Chicken slow-cooks tender chicken breasts in a creamy, Italian-seasoned sauce made from simple pantry staples until every bite melts apart and begs to be spooned over angel hair pasta.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
- 1 packet (0.7 oz) Italian dressing mix
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, sliced into pats
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, optional for searing
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
- 12 oz angel hair pasta, cooked al dente, for serving
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
1. Optional but recommended: heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken breasts 2 minutes per side until golden brown. This adds deep, browned flavor the slow cooker cannot create on its own. Skip this step entirely if time is short.
2. Add the cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, Italian dressing mix, garlic powder, and black pepper to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Drop in the softened cream cheese cubes and sliced butter pats — do not worry about fully stirring them in. They melt and incorporate as everything heats.
3. Nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce, pressing down gently so they sit partially submerged. Spoon a little sauce over the top of each piece. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Chicken is done at 165°F and pulls apart very easily with a fork.
4. Once the chicken is cooked, whisk or stir the sauce vigorously — the cream cheese and butter melt during cooking and a thorough stir brings everything together into a smooth, creamy, glossy sauce. Taste now and adjust salt and pepper.
5. Cook the angel hair pasta al dente per package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining. Stir a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water into the sauce — it helps the sauce emulsify and cling to every strand of noodle.
6. Toss the hot drained pasta in the slow cooker sauce, or plate the pasta in bowls and spoon the chicken and sauce generously over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
Soften the cream cheese fully before adding — cold cream cheese in chunks does not melt evenly and leaves lumpy patches in the sauce instead of the smooth, velvety texture this dish is known for.
Whisk the sauce thoroughly right before serving — the fats separate slightly during the long slow cook and need to be whisked back together into that silky consistency.
Always cook pasta fresh before serving — pasta stored in the sauce overnight absorbs all the liquid and turns the dish gummy.
Reserve pasta cooking water and stir a few tablespoons into the sauce — the starch helps it cling to the noodles like professional pasta cooks do every day.
Taste before adding extra salt — the Italian dressing mix and cream of mushroom soup both contribute significant saltiness to the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner, Main Course, Pasta
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American, Italian-Inspired