The sauce clings to every ridge of pasta, thick and glossy, with the sharp tang of parmesan cutting through the cream. This crockpot garlic parmesan chicken pasta leans on a bottled shortcut that delivers consistent richness without a roux or reduction. The chicken shreds tender, the sauce comes together in the slow cooker with almost no hands-on work, just don’t overcook the chicken or it dries out.
The pasta stays separate until the end, so each bite holds its shape against the creamy coat.
The first time I made this, I dumped cold cream cheese cubes in and ended up with a grainy, curdled mess. By accident the next time, I softened the cream cheese first, and it turned out silky.
Bottled Sauce as Shortcut
Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce does the heavy lifting here. It’s a concentrated, creamy base with enough punch to carry the whole dish. Combined with cream cheese and grated parmesan, it turns into a rich sauce without any roux or reduction work.
You don’t need to build flavor from scratch, the bottle brings garlic, parmesan, and a slight tang that would take time to develop otherwise. The result is consistent every time: a creamy, savory coating that clings to pasta and chicken alike.
Chicken Cooked to Shred
Low and slow heat breaks down chicken breast collagen, making the meat tender enough to pull apart with forks. The sauce surrounds each piece as it cooks, so every shred carries that garlic parmesan flavor. Once the chicken is fork-tender, shredding or dicing it back into the sauce ensures even coating.
You get a saucy, soft-textured mix that stands up to the pasta without drying out.
Pasta Cooked Separately
Pasta cooked directly in the slow cooker turns mushy and waterlogged. Boiling it separately to al dente gives you control over texture.
Draining well keeps the sauce from thinning. Stirring in the pasta just before serving means each piece stays firm enough to hold its shape against the creamy sauce.
You get a clean bite, not a starchy blob.
Prep: 15 min · Cook: 3 hr · Total: 3 hr 15 min · Servings: 6 · Calories: 320 kcal
What to Know About These Ingredients
Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce: It’s a shortcut that brings garlic, parmesan, and tang in one bottle. No extra seasoning needed.
Cream cheese: Cut into cubes before adding so it melts evenly into the sauce without clumping.
Parmesan cheese: Use grated or shredded from a block, not the powdery canned kind, for better melt and flavor.
Chicken breasts: Trim any excess fat so the sauce isn’t greasy. Boneless skinless is easiest for shredding.
Pasta: Rotini or penne hold the creamy sauce well. Cook to al dente so it doesn’t turn soft in the crockpot.
Building the Sauce and Cooking the Chicken
Season and Layer
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then place in the crockpot. Pour the entire bottle of Parmesan garlic sauce over it, don’t worry if it doesn’t cover completely; it will spread as it cooks.
Add Dairy and Cook
Swish milk in the empty sauce bottle to get every last bit, then pour over chicken. Add cream cheese cubes and parmesan. Stir gently to combine; you’ll see a chunky, pale sauce, that’s fine.
Cook Until Fork-Tender
Cook on high 2 to 3 hours or low 3 to 4 hours. The chicken is done when a fork pierces easily and the meat pulls apart with little resistance. Don’t overcook or it will dry out.
Shred and Combine
Remove chicken to a board, shred with two forks, then return to the sauce. Stir, the sauce should look creamy and coat the shreds evenly. If it seems thin, don’t worry; it will thicken with pasta.
Cook Pasta Separately
While the chicken rests, boil pasta to al dente in salted water. Drain well, excess water thins the sauce. Add pasta to the crockpot and stir until every piece is coated.
Serve immediately.
Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 (12 oz) bottle Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce
- 1.5 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 cup milk
- 8 oz cream cheese cut into cubes
- ¼ cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese
- 12 to 16 oz pasta, such as rotini or penne cooked to package directions
Instructions
Season and Place Chicken:
Season chicken with kosher salt and fresh pepper. Place in the bottom of a crockpot or slow cooker.Add Parmesan Garlic Sauce:
Pour entire bottle of parmesan garlic sauce over the chicken.Shake and Pour Milk Mixture:
Add milk to the empty bottle and shake. Pour milk and sauce mixture over the chicken.Add Cream Cheese and Parmesan:
Add cream cheese and parmesan cheese to crockpot. Stir to combine and cover chicken with sauce.Cook on High or Low:
Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or low for 3 to 4 hours.Shred and Return Chicken:
Remove cooked chicken to a plate or cutting board and shred using 2 forks or dice into bite sized pieces. Add back into slow cooker.Cook and Mix Pasta:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and add to crockpot, stirring to combine well.
Swapping the Bottled Sauce Without Losing the Punch
Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce: Another creamy garlic sauce like Ken’s Steak House Creamy Garlic Parmesan or a homemade blend of ¾ cup heavy cream, 3 minced garlic cloves, ¼ cup grated parmesan, and ½ tsp salt. The bottled sauce is concentrated and tangy; a different brand may be thinner or sweeter, so taste and adjust salt. The homemade version is less tangy, so add a squeeze of lemon if you want that brightness.
Cream cheese: Neufchâtel cheese (lower fat) or, for dairy-free, a block of firm silken tofu blended smooth. Neufchâtel works exactly the same, just slightly less rich.
Tofu makes the sauce thinner and less creamy; you’ll lose some body, but it still coats the pasta. Start with the same 8 oz and adjust after cooking.
Pasta: Any short pasta like fusilli, farfalle, or shells. For gluten-free, use brown rice pasta or chickpea pasta. Short shapes hold the creamy sauce well.
Gluten-free pastas need careful cooking to al dente or they turn mushy; chickpea pasta adds a beany flavor that might clash with the garlic parmesan.
5, 2 lbs). Thighs stay juicier and shred even more tender than breasts.
They have a slightly richer flavor, but the sauce mellows it. No other changes needed.
Tips
- Cut cream cheese into small cubes and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes so it melts smoothly into the sauce.
Storage and Reheating
This dish is best served within 30 minutes of stirring in the pasta. The sauce is at its creamiest right away; as it sits, the pasta absorbs liquid and the sauce thickens. For leftovers, cool to room temperature within two hours, then refrigerate in a sealed container.
The sauce will thicken further as it cools, and the pasta softens slightly overnight. To reheat, add a splash of milk or chicken broth per serving.
Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, or warm in a skillet over medium low heat, stirring until hot. Avoid high heat, which can dry out the chicken and make the sauce grainy. The dish keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
Freezing is not recommended; the cream sauce can separate and the pasta turns mealy when thawed. If you must freeze, do so without the pasta: freeze the chicken and sauce in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Cook fresh pasta when ready to serve, then reheat the sauce separately and combine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen chicken breasts in this crockpot recipe?
Yes, but the cook time shifts. Thawed chicken cooks on high for 2 to 3 hours or low for 3 to 4 hours. Frozen breasts need an extra 30 to 60 minutes on low to reach the same fork-tender stage.
Check with a fork, if it doesn’t pull apart easily, keep cooking.
How do I prevent the sauce from curdling or separating?
The sauce looks chunky and pale when you add the cream cheese, that’s normal. It smooths out as it cooks.
Curdling usually comes from high heat or sudden temperature change. Keep the slow cooker on low if you’re nervous, and stir in the shredded chicken gently.
If it does separate, whisk in a splash of milk just before serving to bring it back together.
Can I make this dish ahead of time and reheat it?
Best within 30 minutes of stirring in the pasta, the sauce is creamiest then. For leftovers, cool to room temperature within two hours, then refrigerate. The sauce thickens overnight as pasta absorbs liquid.
Reheat with a splash of milk or broth, using gentle heat, microwave in 30-second bursts or a skillet on medium-low. Avoid high heat, which can dry the chicken and make the sauce grainy.
What type of pasta works best to hold the creamy sauce?
Short shapes with ridges or curves, like rotini or penne, grip the creamy sauce best. The recipe card calls for 12 to 16 ounces.
Cook it to al dente in salted water and drain well, excess water thins the sauce. Stir into the crockpot just before serving so every piece stays firm enough to hold its shape.
Is this dish spicy? The sauce name says ‘parmesan garlic’ but it’s from Buffalo Wild Wings.
Not spicy at all. Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce has a mild, creamy garlic flavor with no heat, it’s their non-spicy wing sauce option.
The cream cheese and parmesan mellow it further. You get a savory, tangy sauce, not a kick.
