This slow cooker 5-ingredient Amish heavy cream chicken pasta is the kind of humble, rich dish that feels like it came from a church potluck table in a small Midwestern town. It leans on the classic Amish-style combination of simple pantry ingredients, heavy cream, and comforting starch to create a sauce that tastes like it took all day, even though the work is minimal. You literally pour heavy cream over raw chicken thighs, add just three more ingredients, and let the slow cooker do the rest. The result is tender, pull-apart chicken in a silky cream sauce that clings beautifully to pasta and tends to disappear from the table faster than anything else.
Serve this creamy chicken over wide egg noodles or your favorite short pasta, with a simple green salad dressed in a sharp vinaigrette to cut through the richness. Steamed green beans or buttered peas echo the farmhouse feel and add color to the plate. A slice of crusty bread or warm dinner roll is perfect for mopping up the extra sauce. If you enjoy wine, a crisp white like Pinot Grigio or an unoaked Chardonnay pairs nicely, but iced tea or sparkling water with lemon is just as fitting for a cozy family dinner.
Slow Cooker Amish Heavy Cream Chicken PastaServings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 cups heavy cream
1 packet (about 1 ounce) dry ranch seasoning mix
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
12 ounces dry pasta (egg noodles or short pasta like rotini or penne)
Directions
Place the raw chicken thighs in an even layer on the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
Sprinkle the dry ranch seasoning mix and kosher salt evenly over the chicken thighs.
Pour the heavy cream slowly over the seasoned raw chicken thighs, making sure the cream coats and surrounds the chicken. Do not stir; the cream will form the base of the sauce as it cooks.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.
About 20 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stovetop. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
While the pasta cooks, use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker, stirring it into the creamy sauce until well combined and smooth.
Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with a bit more salt if needed. If the sauce seems too thick, you can thin it slightly with a few tablespoons of hot pasta cooking water, stirring until it reaches your desired consistency.
Add the drained hot pasta to the slow cooker and toss gently until all the noodles are coated in the creamy chicken sauce.
Let the pasta sit on the WARM setting for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to cling, then serve straight from the slow cooker.
Variations & Tips
For a slightly lighter version, you can swap half of the heavy cream for whole milk; the sauce will be a bit thinner but still comforting. If you prefer a stronger herb flavor, add 1 teaspoon of dried parsley or Italian seasoning along with the ranch mix. To introduce a bit of texture and color without complicating the recipe, stir in 1 to 2 cups of thawed frozen peas or mixed vegetables during the last 30 minutes of slow cooking. For extra richness, finish the sauce with 2 to 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese before adding the pasta. If you like a bit of tang, stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving to brighten the cream. Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop over low heat; add a splash of milk or water to loosen the sauce as it warms.
