Save time in the kitchen and enjoy a classic comfort with this Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo! Made with a creamy, dairy-free alfredo sauce this crockpot chicken recipe is a staple for busy weeknights.
This chicken alfredo recipe will definitely become a family favorite! Not only is it a winning pasta dish that kids devour but it saves mom tons of time in the kitchen because his crockpot chicken alfredo comes together quickly and all in one pot. That means that you don’t even need to cook the noodles separately!
It’s made with gut-healing bone broth (just like my crockpot gluten-free chicken noodle soup), a creamy, dairy-free alfredo sauce, and sprinkled with sundried tomatoes and nutritional yeast for maximum flavor. Before you start, Learn more about how to choose a slow cooker and find the best one for your family (and how to use it!).
Why You'll Love The Recipe
Classic comfort: It has all the flavor you’d expect from a dairy-free alfredo even though the ingredients are a bit healthier!
Texture: Since the noodles aren’t added into the slow cooker until the last hour before serving, they stay tender but firm, no mushy mixtures here!
No mess: Cooking dinner in the slow cooker means cleanup is a little bit easier, which is always a win!
Ingredients and Substitutions
If you have well-stocked gluten-free pantry staples, chances are you already have almost everything you need for this chicken alfredo!
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: You’ll want to cut these into bite-sized pieces so that they cook faster and start to fall apart into the pasta.
- Chicken broth: No need to run out and spend eight hours in the kitchen. Use some chicken broth powder, add some boiling water, and save yourself time. I do this for gluten-free chicken noodle soup, too.
- Coconut milk: A swap in place of cream for this dairy-free chicken alfredo. Coconut milk (from a can, not the carton) is what makes this recipe ultra-creamy. Learn everything you need to know about types coconut milk.
- Non-dairy cheese: In a pinch, you can actually use dairy-free cream cheese in place of this. However, I find that using shredded cheese makes it creamier. I like to use Earth Island the most.
- Gluten-free noodles: Not all gluten-free noodles are created equal! Some get extremely mushy when cooked for a long time (chickpea noodles). Make sure to grab a quinoa rice blend in any noodle form you love (fussili, elbow etc) for this crockpot chicken alfredo recipe.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Note: All photos (save for the ingredient photo) and videos for this dairy-free chicken alfredo recipe were taken by none other than Corrie Cooks!
Flavor Variations
Spice: If you enjoy a spicy alfredo, add red pepper flakes to the alfredo sauce.
Pesto alfredo: For a super savory mix, add 1-2 tablespoons of pesto sauce without pine nuts or cheese.
How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo
- Cut the chicken breasts into chunks and toss them in the arrowroot powder.
- In the slow cooker, whisk together the sauce ingredients,
- Add the chicken and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- Thirty minutes before serving, add in the remaining ingredients. Stir really well.
- Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes until the noodles are tender.
Expert Tips
This dairy-free chicken alfredo is made with canned coconut milk and broth as its base. You need to use full-fat coconut milk for this recipe as you need to separate the liquid from the coconut cream in the can.
Alfredo sauce is a classic (just like this authentic bolognese sauce recipe) but there are a lot of ways to make it! This version comes out super creamy thanks to the coconut milk addition.
When it’s time to put the noodles into the crock pot chicken alfredo, you should still have liquid left in the slow cooker (from the sauce ingredients plus the juices from the chicken). However, if it doesn’t look like enough, add in ¼c of water.
Keep an eye on the mixture in the last 15 minutes and remove from the heat as soon as the noodles are tender and the liquid is absorbed. Otherwise, it’ll get too dry.
How To Store It
You can store leftover healthy slow cooker chicken alfredo once cooled in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat it in the slow cooker or on the stove over low to medium heat. Add a splash of chicken broth to get it going again.
You can also meal prep this recipe for postpartum meals, which is a lifesaver. If you know you'll be storing it like this, don't add the noodles at the end. Instead, let it cool and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready, thaw it in the fridge overnight and bring it back up to a boil before adding the noodles. You may need some extra broth.
Crucial Products
For the crockpot chicken alfredo recipe to taste the best and to save time in the kitchen, use Perfect Supplements Bone Broth Powder (learn the difference between collagen and bone broth).
This powder just whisks into boiling water to create the broth.
It has all the benefits of bone broth without the 8 hours spent in the kitchen (or the alarming price of pre-made, quality, liquid broth!).
Learn more about what powdered bone broth is and why you want to stock up!
Reap the benefits of homemade bone broth but skip the time in the kitche. Bone broth powder gives you the best of both worlds and makes healing, homemade broth in just 2 minutes.
Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo FAQs
The crock pot chicken alfredo is thickened with arrowroot powder. A little bit goes a long way. Tossing the chicken with the arrowroot before cooking gives it the best texture. However, after the noodles are cooked, if you think there’s too much liquid, you can add one more teaspoon by removing some of the hot water and whisking in the arrowroot powder. Then, allow the meal to simmer for a few minutes.
The trick to cooking the gluten-free pasta in the slow cooker is to add it at the end of the cook time and make sure there is enough liquid in the slow cooker to cook it. For this crockpot chicken alfredo recipe, the noodles don’t have to be covered in liquid, but the more moisture in the slow cooker, the better. Make sure to cook the noodles covered.
The chicken will dry out if it is cooked too long in a slow cooker without enough liquid. For this slow cooker chicken, make sure to only cook the mixture for 5-6 hours; otherwise, there may not be enough liquid to cook the pasta.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow cooker breakfast casserole
- Slow cooker beef fajitas
- Slow cooker banana bread
- Slow cooker chicken alfredo
- Slow cooker Tuscan chicken
- Crockpot chicken pot pie
Dairy Free Chicken Alfredo (in the crockpot)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
- 1 tbs arrowroot powder
- 3 cups Chicken broth warmed (see notes)
- ½ cup coconut milk canned
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ cup nutritional yeast plus more for topping
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup dairy-free cheese shredded
- 2 cups frozen peas
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes chopped
- 227 grams quinoa rice noodles fussili is best
Instructions
- Chop the chicken into bite-sized chunks.
- Add it into a large plastic baggie along with the arrowroot powder. Toss until chicken is coated.
- In the slow cooker, whisk together the broth, coconut milk, garlic, onion powder, nutritional yeast, salt, and dairy-free cheese.
- Add in the chicken and mix to combine. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- Thirty minutes before serving, add in the peas, sundried tomatoes, and rice noodles. Stir and ensure all the noodles are combined.
- There should still be a lot of liquid in the slow cooker, if not, add in ¼ cup of water.
- Cover and cook on low for 30-45 minutes or until noodles are tender.
- Top with vegan parmesan cheese or more nutritional yeast if desired!
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Janet says
When multiplying the recipe (like 2 or 3 times), would you suggest cooking half one day & half the next day? Or would it all fit in the crockpot at the same time?
fitasamamabear says
I'd probably do it separately as I'd fear that the noodles would get gunky (gluten-free noodles are funky sometimes lol).
Michelle says
I am making this vegetarian by using soy curls.
fitasamamabear says
How did it turn out? I've never used them.
Katie says
this dairy-free Alfredo sauce is great! Creamy and easy to make!
fitasamamabear says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nancy says
I’m always down for a creamy slow
Cooker chicken dinner. Tasty and easy
fitasamamabear says
You and me both!
Jean says
best for busy days, this chicken alfredo makes a great meal especially dinner when you’re busy the whole day.
fitasamamabear says
Exactly! Slow cookers save sanity lol
Michelle says
Made this with tofu instead of chicken and it was so good! Highly recommend trying tofu 🙂
fitasamamabear says
Oh oh thanks for the tip! Did you just crumble it in or did you toss it in the arrowroot powder in cubes similar to the chicken??
Mandy Applegate says
This has to be one of the best chicken alfredo recipes I've made - everybody LOVED it!
fitasamamabear says
Aw, you so rock!!! So happy you love it.
Sherry says
I love easy slow cooker recipes and your slow cooker chicken Alfredo recipe was super easy and tastes AMAZING!! I use my slow cooker all the time and I'm always looking for great recipes to try.
fitasamamabear says
Slow cooker meals save my sanity haha so happy everyone loved it!
Emily says
I had some guests over who were dairy free and decided to do this chicken alfredo recipe. It turned out amazing! And I didn't even miss the dairy at all!
fitasamamabear says
Ah that makes me so happy! Sometimes it's a palate change but this turns out pretty creamy. Glad you all loved it!
Kate says
I love the flavor of this dish and so did my family. Plus it's easy to make.
Thanks! I will be making it again.
fitasamamabear says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it!
claire says
I made this for dinner the other night as one of our guests can't eat dairy.
It was so delicious! And I have to admit before I cooked it I thought it might be disappointing as I am a dairy lover.
But it was really delicious and new didn't miss the cheese or cream! Everyone loved it even the dairy eaters!
Thank you for helping me cater to my friend's needs.
fitasamamabear says
You literally just made my day- thank you! Thanks for giving it a go and happy everyone enjoyed it! My hubby is a classic dairy lover so my recipes are tested on him haha but it can definitely be hard when your palate is used to something. Thank you!!!