Slow Cooker Honey Butter Chicken Pasta
This easy slow cooker dinner combines tender chicken breasts with sweet honey, rich butter, and savory ranch seasoning. After slow cooking until the chicken is tender enough to shred, everything is tossed with pasta for a comforting, flavorful meal the whole family can enjoy.
Ingredients
– 1½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
– ⅓ cup honey
– ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick), cut into small pieces
– 1 packet (about 1 ounce) dry ranch seasoning mix
– 8 ounces dry pasta, such as wide egg noodles, rotini, or penne
– ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water, optional
– Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Add the Chicken
Place the raw chicken breasts in a single layer on the bottom of your slow cooker. If the pieces overlap slightly, that’s okay.
2. Add the Honey
Drizzle the honey directly over the chicken breasts. Try to distribute it evenly so that the chicken is well coated.
3. Add the Butter and Seasoning
Scatter the pieces of butter over the honey-covered chicken.
Then sprinkle the dry ranch seasoning evenly over everything in the slow cooker.
4. Slow Cook
Cover the slow cooker with the lid.
Cook on LOW for 4–6 hours or HIGH for 2½–3½ hours, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender enough to shred easily with a fork.
5. Cook the Pasta
About 20 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions until just al dente.
Before draining, reserve about ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water. Then drain the pasta.
6. Shred the Chicken
Use two forks to shred the cooked chicken directly inside the slow cooker.
Stir the shredded chicken into the honey-butter sauce.
If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water and stir until the sauce reaches the consistency you like.
7. Add the Pasta
Add the drained pasta to the slow cooker.
Gently toss everything together until the pasta is completely coated with the honey-butter chicken and sauce.
8. Taste and Serve
Taste the dish and add a little salt and black pepper if needed.
Serve warm with plenty of the honey-butter sauce spooned over each portion.
Optional Variations
Make It Creamier
For a richer, creamier version, stir in either:
– 4 ounces softened cream cheese, or
– ½ cup heavy cream
Add it to the shredded chicken and sauce before mixing in the pasta.
Balance the Sweetness
If you prefer a slightly more savory flavor, add about 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard or a small splash of apple cider vinegar after cooking.
These additions can help balance the sweetness of the honey.
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