My cousin brought these 4 ingredient foil wrapped wonders to our weekend cookout and the whole family begged to know what was inside. Just seal them up and let the heat do the magic.

These slow cooker 4-ingredient green chile pasta packets are exactly the kind of low-fuss, big-reward dish my family loves. My cousin actually brought a version of these foil-wrapped wonders to a weekend cookout, and everyone was hovering around the table asking what was inside. The magic is in how simple they are: just four ingredients, sealed in foil, and left to cook until the pasta is tender and the sauce is creamy and full of green chile flavor. They work beautifully in a slow cooker, so you can keep the kitchen cool and hands-free while dinner takes care of itself.

Serve these green chile pasta packets straight from the slow cooker, placing one foil packet on each plate and letting everyone open their own steamy little bundle. They pair nicely with a simple green salad, steamed or roasted vegetables, or garlic bread for soaking up the extra sauce. A side of grilled or rotisserie chicken, sausage, or a crisp cucumber-tomato salad rounds out the meal without much extra effort. For a cookout feel, you can keep the packets warm in the slow cooker and let folks grab one alongside burgers or grilled meats.

Servings: 4

8 oz uncooked small pasta (such as rotini, penne, or shells)

Prepare the slow cooker: Set out a large oval or round slow cooker. You will be placing foil packets directly inside, so no liner is needed. Tear off 4 large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, each about 12–14 inches long.

Mix the green chile butter sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and the undrained diced green chiles until evenly combined. This mixture will flavor and moisten the pasta as it cooks.

Assemble the pasta packets: Divide the uncooked pasta evenly among the 4 foil sheets, piling it in the center of each sheet. Sprinkle each pile of pasta with 1/4 cup of shredded cheese (using 1 cup total at this step). Spoon about 1/4 of the green chile butter mixture over each portion of pasta, making sure some of the liquid hits all around the noodles so they have moisture to cook.

Seal the foil packets: Bring the long sides of each foil sheet up over the pasta and fold them together tightly several times to seal. Then fold up and crimp the short ends to form a well-sealed packet. You want the packets tightly wrapped so the steam stays inside and cooks the pasta.

Arrange in the slow cooker: Place the foil packets seam-side up in the slow cooker, stacking as needed so they fit snugly but without crushing them. Cover the slow cooker with its lid.

Cook the packets: Cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the pasta is tender. Cooking times can vary slightly depending on your slow cooker and the shape of your pasta, so carefully open one packet and test a piece of pasta for doneness around the 2-hour mark on HIGH or 3 1/2-hour mark on LOW.

Add remaining cheese and finish: Once the pasta is tender, carefully open each packet (watch for hot steam) and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese evenly over the tops of the pasta in the packets. Reseal the foil loosely and return the lid to the slow cooker. Let the packets sit on WARM or LOW for about 10–15 minutes, just until the cheese melts into a gooey layer over the pasta.

Serve: Use tongs to lift each foil packet out of the slow cooker and place it onto plates or shallow bowls. If desired, drizzle any buttery green chile juices from the bottom of the packets back over the pasta. Let everyone open their own packet at the table so they get that fun puff of steam and the first look at the cheesy green chile pasta inside.

For picky eaters, you can use mild diced green chiles so there is flavor without much heat, or reduce to 1 can of chiles and add 1/4 cup extra butter to keep the moisture level similar. If your family loves spice, use hot diced green chiles or stir a spoonful of your favorite salsa or a pinch of red pepper flakes into the melted butter and chiles (this will add ingredients beyond the core four, so think of it as a bonus add-on). For a creamier texture, you can swap half of the shredded cheese for a softer cheese like pepper jack, or stir a spoonful of cream cheese into each packet when you add the final cheese. To bulk it up with protein, serve the packets alongside grilled chicken, sliced smoked sausage, or shredded rotisserie chicken; you can tuck cooked meat into each packet after the pasta is done and let the residual heat warm it through. If you need to keep things strictly to four ingredients, stick with the base recipe and use seasoned grilled meats or salads on the side to add variety. Food safety tips: Always use heavy-duty foil or double-layer regular foil so the packets do not tear and leak hot liquid. Be very careful when opening the packets, as the trapped steam can burn—open them slowly and point the opening away from your face and hands. Make sure your slow cooker reaches a steady simmer (bubbling around the edges under the lid) so the pasta cooks safely; if your slow cooker runs cool, use the HIGH setting. Do not leave cooked packets on the WARM setting for more than 2 hours to keep them out of the temperature “danger zone.” Store any leftovers promptly: open the packets, transfer the pasta and sauce to a shallow container, cool slightly, then refrigerate and use within 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers thoroughly until steaming hot before serving.