My mother in law taught me this incredibly easy dump and go dinner for busy weeknights. It takes exactly 4 ingredients to make the most tender shredded meat and creamy noodles that your family will be

This slow cooker 4-ingredient Italian chicken pasta is the kind of recipe that keeps busy families fed and happy without a lot of fuss. My mother-in-law showed me this dump-and-go method back when our kids were little and weeknights felt like a race. Everything goes right into the slow cooker, and by the time you’re ready for supper, the chicken is fall-apart tender and the noodles are coated in a tangy, creamy Italian sauce. It’s simple, hearty, and feels like the kind of comforting casserole you’d find on any Midwestern church supper table, just made easier with modern shortcuts.

Serve this creamy Italian chicken pasta straight from the slow cooker with a simple green salad or steamed broccoli to balance the richness. Warm garlic bread or buttered dinner rolls are perfect for soaking up the extra sauce. A sprinkle of extra grated Parmesan and a bit more dried Italian herbs on top makes it feel a touch special, even on the busiest nights. If you like, offer a side of roasted vegetables or a crisp cucumber salad to round out the plate.

Servings: 6

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

Place the raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, laying them in an even layer so they cook evenly.

Pour the entire bottle of creamy Italian salad dressing over the chicken, turning the chicken pieces once or twice so they’re lightly coated on all sides.

Scatter the cream cheese chunks evenly over the top of the chicken and dressing. There’s no need to stir; the cream cheese will soften and melt as it cooks.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for about 2½ to 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.

About 20 minutes before you want to eat, cook the penne pasta according to the package directions in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain the pasta well.

While the pasta cooks, open the slow cooker and use two forks to shred the chicken right in the creamy Italian sauce. Stir well until the cream cheese is fully melted and the sauce is thick, smooth, and coats the shredded chicken.

Add the hot, drained penne pasta directly into the slow cooker with the shredded chicken and sauce. Gently fold everything together until all the noodles are coated in the thick, tangy cream sauce and the mixture looks creamy and well combined.

Cover the slow cooker again and let the pasta sit on WARM for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the noodles to soak up some of the sauce and the flavors to come together. Serve straight from the slow cooker, garnished with a pinch of dried Italian herbs or parsley if you like.

For a little extra color and flavor, you can sprinkle in a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning or a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the dressing, though the recipe works just fine without it. If your family prefers darker meat, boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used in place of breasts and will turn out even richer and more forgiving if you cook them on the longer side. To stretch the meal for a crowd, stir in an extra 4 ounces of cooked pasta and a splash of milk at the end to keep the sauce creamy. If the sauce ever seems too thick after adding the noodles, loosen it with a small ladle of the hot pasta water. Leftovers reheat well with a spoonful of milk or water stirred in before warming on the stovetop or in the microwave. For a little farmhouse touch, you can serve it with grated Parmesan on top, but that’s purely optional and not needed for the base recipe.