With just 5 minutes of prep, this cream cheese chicken Crock Pot recipe is an easy dinner that the kids will love! Made with marinara sauce, zesty Italian dressing mix, and smooth cream cheese, the chicken is delicious tossed with pasta, spooned over rice, or paired with a loaf of crusty bread and salad.
Table of Contents
If you’re looking for even more slow cooker recipes, be sure to try these Crock Pot ranch pork chops, a pot roast with cream of mushroom soup, and the best bean soup recipe, too!
Made this last night and it was AMAZING! Even my picky toddler ate it, so good!! Followed the recipe exactly and will make again.
– Lauren
Before You Get Started
- Use either boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs — whichever you prefer. The dark meat thighs tend to stay juicier in the slow cooker, but either option works well.
- You’ll need two packets of Italian dressing mix. I prefer Good Seasons brand. Don’t prepare the salad dressing — just use the dry seasoning.
- Wait until the end to add the cream cheese to the sauce. If you add the cream cheese at the beginning, it may separate and curdle.
Directions
This cream cheese chicken pasta is the perfect combination of zesty, flavorful, and creamy. Best of all, it’s incredibly easy! You’ll find step-by-step instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s my overview:
- Place chicken in a slow cooker and sprinkle the dressing mix over top.
- Stir together the marinara sauce, cream of chicken soup, and diced tomatoes.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover the pot, and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
- When the chicken is cooked through, remove it to a cutting board. While the chicken rests, stir 1 block of softened, cubed cream cheese into the sauce.
- Cover the pot, cook for about 10 more minutes, whisking regularly, until the cream cheese melts and smoothly incorporates into the sauce.
- Use two forks to shred the chicken. Stir the chicken back into the sauce. Taste and season the mixture with kosher salt and ground black pepper, if desired. Garnish with plenty of fresh herbs, crushed red pepper flakes, or grated Parmesan cheese.
Serving Suggestions
Pair the cream cheese chicken and sauce with cooked noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, zucchini noodles, or cauliflower rice. It’s delicious alongside a crisp Caesar salad, garlic roasted broccoli, cucumber tomato onion salad, roasted yellow squash, or sauteed zucchini.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- How to Store Leftovers: The cooked chicken and sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I do not recommend freezing cream cheese chicken. It’s best served warm — right after it’s made! Cream cheese has a tendency to “break” or curdle when it’s frozen and defrosted, resulting in an unappetizing texture.
- Make it a Freezer Meal: If you’d like to assemble the ingredients in advance, you can combine everything except for the cream cheese in a large Ziploc freezer bag. Seal tightly and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the bag in the fridge overnight before cooking the chicken according to the recipe directions. Add the cream cheese at the end, as instructed.
- How to Reheat: Place the chicken and sauce in a saucepan. Warm over low heat just until the meat reaches the desired temperature. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until warm.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
Crock Pot Chicken Stew
8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Crock Pot Chicken with Gravy
4 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken
4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Cream Cheese Chicken Crock Pot Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 packets (0.7 ounces each) dry Italian dressing mix (I prefer Good Seasons brand)
- 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup (I use Campbell's Heart Healthy)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed and softened at room temperature
- Optional, for serving: cooked spaghetti or rice; grated Parmesan; crushed red pepper flakes; chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or basil
Instructions
- Spray the inside of a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and sprinkle with the Italian dressing mix.
- In a large bowl, combine the marinara sauce, condensed soup, and diced tomatoes. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. While the chicken rests on the cutting board, add the cream cheese to the slow cooker, stir, and cover. Continue cooking the sauce for about 10 more minutes, whisking regularly, until the cream cheese melts and smoothly incorporates into the sauce.
- Meanwhile, shred the chicken with two forks. Return the chicken to the creamy sauce and stir.
- Toss the chicken and sauce with cooked spaghetti or spoon over rice. Garnish with grated Parmesan, crushed red pepper flakes, or fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
- Nutrition Information is an estimate using online calculators for 1/8 of the chicken and sauce. This does not include any pasta or garnish.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in April, 2013. It was updated in August, 2024.
My wife and I love pasta!! We love trying out new recipes. I just texted her this link, I’m excited to give this recipe a try, thank you!
Hi Blair. Can you sub the dry Italian seasoning with bottled?
Hi, Gail! You can probably use some Italian salad dressing, but it will change the texture of the sauce since it will add liquid to the pot (which you don’t get with the dry seasoning packets). Let me know if you give it a try!
Made this last night and it was AMAZING! Even my picky toddler ate it, so good!! Followed the recipe exactly and will make again.
Thank you so much, Lauren! We’re happy it was a hit.
Made this as is… served over spaghetti squash… was a hit!
Yay! So glad that you enjoyed it, Scott!
How much pasta did you use?
Mix it all together or serve sauce individually on top of dish?
Hi, Corinne! I typically use just 8 ounces of pasta, since the chicken and sauce is also quite filling on its own. That said, if you are serving a larger group, you can use up to 16 ounces of pasta with this recipe (it will just be less “saucy”). You can even use some reserved starchy pasta cooking water to thin the sauce, if necessary.
How you serve it is totally a matter of personal preference. I like to stir the cooked pasta into the chicken and sauce so that everything is combined. It’s also great if you just divide the pasta between individual bowls and top each bowl of pasta with the chicken and sauce. Either way works!
Hope you enjoy!
Looks Delicious and I am always gettygood recipes to tried with grandkids, thanks a bunch!
We hope you enjoy, Iris!